The merits of merging the coast guard and the navy

The announcement of the new arctic patrol vessels brings with it the inevitable discussion on whether the Canadian navy or the Canadian Coast Guard should be Canada's sovereign marine presence in the Arctic. This question comes with a simple examination of status quo options rather than taking a step back and looking at the big picture. Is our current multi-departmental model for domestic maritime safety/defence/enforcement the one that will meet our future requirements efficiently and effectively? Before making $billion decisions shouldn't we answer that question? An alternative model exists. It is the Royal Norwegian Navy, an organization that includes Norway's coast guard (Kystvakten). It is very interesting that the vessel most referenced as a model for the new arctic patrol vessels is the Norwegian Navy/Coast Guard (K/V) HNoMS Svalbard.

Accomplishing a merging of civilian coast guard into the CF/navy might be a lot easier than some would have you believe. The two organizations are already part of the SAR response regime, share supporting fisheries enforcement activities, share maritime information and support maritime constabulary missions. The Joint Maritime Operations Centres include CCG officers. Merging would involve gradually replacing civilian coast guard crews and operational shore staff with military personnel. As attrition rates in the coast guard are expected to peak over the next 10 years, this provides an opportunity for just this sort of gradual changeover. The coast guard civilian cadet program would be replaced with a military equivalent. Starting with offshore patrol and dedicated SAR vessels, existing coast guard personnel would be given the opportunity to join the CF or to transfer to other Canadian Coast Guard vessels. Their berths would be taken by naval personnel. Eventually, all coast guard vessels would be crewed by military personnel. The same approach would be taken with operational positions ashore such as those in Marine Rescue Sub-centres, CCG Regional Operational Centres and Vessel Traffic Services Centres. Civilian staff in administrative and technical support positions would be transferred to equivalent positions established in DND.

The new Canadian Coast Guard would take over the enforcement of all of Canada's laws in domestic waters with the necessary training and equipment to carry out this mandate including arming both vessels and crew. (Many coast guard personnel engaged in offshore fisheries (NAFO) missions already have armed boarding and .50-cal. machine gun training.) The Canadian Coast Guard's operational role of would be very similar to that of the United States Coast Guard, making cooperation and coordination between the two countries on North American domestic security and law enforcement more effective. With the efficiencies inherent in the Norwegian model, Canada can actually guard its coasts without the extra expense of a separate coast guard.

The financial, strategic, operational and tactical advantages to a combined navy/coast guard are obvious. There are also advantages in being able to offer naval personnel expanded domestic placements and improved career opportunities. This will go a long way to improving both recruitment and retention. It will give the CF/navy a domestic presence that will bring them even closer to Canadians. It will give a more consistent face to Canada's maritime sovereign interests in a future where struggles for ocean resources and seaborne threats to the security and safety of Canadians will demand a capacity to effectively act to protect Canadians and Canadian interests.