Mishall RehmanLast month the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Karen McCrimmon and Mona Fortier, member of parliament for Ottawa-Vanier reiterated recent changes the government has made to better support reservists.
These changes include restructuring of pay and investments in infrastructure around the country.
The press conference, which was held at Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Carleton, ON on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, was held on behalf of Minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan.
“This important initiative laid out in Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged will ensure that our Reserve Force members are fairly compensated for their service. It is a clear demonstration of how our government and all Canadians value the dedication and sacrifices of all members of our Canadian Armed Forces,” said Sajjan in a statement.
Under the new pay structure, which will go in effect at the end of August, reservists will receive the same base pay as the Regular Force instead of the current 85 per cent of Regular Force, plus the elements of the Military Factor that apply to reservists. This is an overall pay increase of 7.8 per cent. The rate is retroactive to April 1, 2019.
Military Factors elements that will now apply to reservists include personal limitation and liability, overtime, and active for supervisors.
“Because of the sacrifices that our military personnel make every day, Canada remains among the safest and most secure countries in the world. Whether assisting in the recent spring flood relief efforts in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario, or deployed on a peacekeeping mission halfway around the world, the Reserve Forces are a vital part of the Canadian Armed Forces as a whole, and the new pay structure reflects that,” said RAdm. Haydn Edmundson, Acting Commander, Military Personnel Command.
Additionally, in August the government announced that it was pouring nearly $250 million into repairs and upgrades to Reserve armouries and training facilities across Canada over the next five years.
This year alone, $38 million will be invested into facilities from coast to coast to coast.
“The Reserve Force is an integral component of the Canadian Armed Forces and restructuring pay is just another way of integrating both components into a total force that can deliver on our defence mandate. As an organization, we are always learning, growing and reviewing our programs and policies to reflect the changes we think are best for CAF, our members and their families. It’s wonderful to see this change because I think it recognizes the operational and professional commitment of the Reserves to the defence of Canada,” said MGen. Rob Roy MacKenzie, Chief of Reserves and Employer Support.
