Canadian military looks to recruit more reservists amid increasing deployments

As the Canadian army prepares to deploy more members overseas, the Commander of 5th Canadian Division said they are looking to recruit more reservists.

“We’re looking at our deployment overseas,” Brig.-Gen. Mark Parsons told CTV News Atlantic’s Todd Battis during an interview Tuesday. “That’s a priority for us to make sure we have the right people for the roles.”

Canada’s military spending and commitment to NATO has come under scrutiny lately. Federal Minister of Defence Bill Blair recently pledged the country will hit NATO spending target – 2 per cent of the GDP – by 2032.

Blair also said in a news release Tuesday Canada will have more than 2,200 soldiers deployed in Latvia by 2026 as part of the country’s “military footprint” in Europe.

Parsons, who is the commander of the 5th Canadian Division, said the military is composed of regular force members and reserve members who are stationed across the country.

“A reservist’s main role is to augment the capacity of a regular force, but they also do domestic roles,” Parsons said. “They’re at the heart of a community to provide support should the need arise.”

Parsons said the military is looking to grow its ranks with people from all walks of life.

“The right fit is a great term because we need a whole swath of people with different backgrounds,” he said. “The main thing we’re looking for right now are technicians as reservists.”

Parsons noted the military is offering several training and education programs to incentive people to join.

“It’s a competitive market,” he said. “We have to provide them with a working environment that people will want to join and give them something that other employers can’t give.”