Defence minister celebrates military raises during CFB Winnipeg tour
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Defence Minister David McGuinty toured Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg for the first time Tuesday to meet officials and tout the federal government’s pay increase for military members.
After the tour, which wasn’t open to media, McGuinty expressed hopes that the pay bump will help bolster the Canadian Armed Forces’ ranks, add to members’ sense of purpose and make life more affordable for them.
“We are hopeful that this pay package, which has been long, long overdue, will help with the recruitment and retention, and the incredible service in the forces,” he told reporters outside the base.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, commander and chief of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and David McGuinty, minister of national defence, speak to media outside Canadian Forces Base 17 Wing Winnipeg Tuesday.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced pay increases and new or improved allowances last week.
The package includes entry-level increases for privates (20 per cent for the regular force members and 13 per cent for reservists). New recruits will receive an annual salary of just over $52,000, up from $43,368.
Other members will receive eight or 13 per cent raises, retroactive to April 1.
McGuinty, who became the federal Liberal government’s defence minister in May, is visiting CAF bases across Canada this summer.
He was joined in Winnipeg by Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, who recently became commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Speiser-Blanchet said the RCAF is about 2,000 personnel short of the “established strength” that it intends to be, but there has been a “net increase” in recruits in the last two years.
McGuinty described CFB Winnipeg as a major economic generator for Manitoba, while citing plans to put money into housing and other projects in the future.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, left, commander and chief of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), said the RCAF is about 2,000 personnel short of the “established strength” that it intends to be, but there has been a “net increase” in recruits in the last two years.
He said housing, infrastructure, child care and spousal employment opportunities were discussed during Tuesday’s meetings.
McGuinty said he received a detailed briefing about the North American Aerospace Defense Command. The Canadian NORAD region is headquartered in Winnipeg.
chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca
Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.
Every piece of reporting Chris produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.
Every piece of reporting Chris produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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