Canada's top military leader is reconsidering her controversial plan to recruit federal and provincial public servants into military reserve forces following significant public criticism and questions about the proposal's viability.
Initial Plan for Reserve Expansion
Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan, alongside defence deputy minister Stefanie Beck, signed a directive on May 30, 2025 that outlined an ambitious strategy to bolster both the regular reserves and the Supplementary Reserve. The Supplementary Reserve currently consists of 4,384 personnel who are inactive or retired Canadian Forces members willing to return to duty if called upon.
According to the nine-page unclassified document obtained by the Ottawa Citizen, the mobilization plan envisioned expanding the Supplementary Reserve to 300,000 personnel during national emergencies. The document specifically stated that the program should initially prioritize volunteer public servants at both federal and provincial/territorial levels.
Controversial Recruitment Approach
The proposed plan suggested creating less restrictive entry criteria for the Supplementary Reserve compared to the regular Reserve Force, including relaxed age limits and reduced physical and fitness requirements. This approach was intended to accommodate both skilled and unskilled contributors while maintaining a distinction between those with previous military experience and new members.
The revelation that the Canadian Forces was counting on public servants to volunteer for military service as part of this reserve augmentation plan generated immediate public concern and criticism. Many questioned the practicality and appropriateness of expecting civilian government employees to take on military roles.
Sudden Change in Position
Following the public backlash, Gen. Carignan appears to have reversed her position on the initiative. In a November 11 interview with CTV, she stated that It is not focused directly to public servants and emphasized that Our public servants are already contributing extensively to the work we are doing in defence.
This new stance directly contradicts the written directive she co-signed just months earlier, which explicitly prioritized public servant recruitment. Gen. Carignan has not provided the Ottawa Citizen with any explanation for why she reversed course or why she now claims the plan was never focused on public servants despite documentary evidence to the contrary.
Broader Reserve Expansion Context
The mobilization document also indicated plans for a substantial increase in Canadian Forces reservists overall. The regular reserves consist of part-time volunteers who maintain active membership in military units and participate in year-round training, though they are considered part-time personnel.
The proposed expansion to 400,000 personnel across all reserve components represented one of the most significant military mobilization plans in recent Canadian history. The sudden shift in approach to public servant recruitment raises questions about how the Canadian Forces intends to meet its reserve strength targets moving forward.
