The Canadian Coast Guard's medium icebreaker Henry Larsen is seen in Allen Bay during Operation Nanook near Resolute, Nunavut on August 25, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
The Canadian Coast Guard's medium icebreaker Henry Larsen is seen in Allen Bay during Operation Nanook near Resolute, Nunavut on August 25, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA - A months-long process to transition the Canadian Coast Guard into the Department of National Defence has kicked off officially with a cabinet order.
The Liberals promised in the spring election to give the Coast Guard a new mandate, outfit it for maritime surveillance operations and integrate it into NATO’s defence capabilities.
Today, the government says cabinet has issued the order-in-council to formally move the Coast Guard out of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and into DND.
Defence Minister David McGuinty says in a message to the defence team that this move reflects the “evolving security landscape†Canada faces.
He also says the Coast Guard will remain a civilian agency and that there are “no plans†to arm its personnel or ships.
The governing Liberals currently have legislation before Parliament, Bill C-2, which amends the federal Oceans Act to allow the Coast Guard to conduct security activities, such as patrols and intelligence gathering.
This report by °µÍø½ûÇø was first published Sept. 2, 2025.
