Yesterday, the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, visited Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Winnipeg, to meet with Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members.
CFB Winnipeg is home to the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) 17 Wing, 1 and 2 Canadian Air Divisions, 402 "City of Winnipeg" Squadron, and 435 "Chinthe" Transport and Rescue Squadron. It also houses the Canadian Forces School of Survival and Aeromedical Training and the RCAF's Barker College, which furthers RCAF capability development through a variety of professional development programs.
Minister McGuinty met with the Commander of 2 Canadian Air Division (CAD), who leads RCAF training and education, to discuss the recently announced raise in pay and benefits for CAF members. During the visit, Minister McGuinty reaffirmed the Government of Canada's dedication to supporting CAF members and their families with a competitive compensation package.
This enhanced support includes making changes to posting allowances to follow a more equitable scheme based on the number of moves, and enhancing the Imposed Restrictions benefits to help offset the additional costs associated with living apart and maintaining a second household.These benefits exist to compensate CAF members whose duties expose them to adverse conditions not always experienced by others, even in the military.
These investments support the well-being, resilience, and effectiveness of CAF members, recognizing the unique challenges they face, including frequent relocations, extended separations from their family, and the demands of 24/7 readiness. This approach provides compensation and benefits that are more reflective of modern realities of military service while encouraging CAF members' participation in key training activities.
During his time at CFB Winnipeg, Minister McGuinty also visited with members of 402 and 435 Squadrons and toured the site of the future RCAF Aircrew Training Centre.
