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National Post

Liberals considering arming the Coast Guard amid significant pivot towards new security mandate

OTTAWA — The Liberal government is mulling arming the Canadian Coast Guard as it launches a significant reform of the civilian maritime agency to give it a bigger role in the country's security apparatus. Article content The move is one of many significant changes that the Liberals are planning for the chronically underfunded Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) that Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to equip with new gear and a new security mandate. Article content Article content Article content On the same day Carney announced his plan to accelerate defence spending this year, his office told National Post Monday that the CCG — which currently reports to the minister of fisheries — would shift to the minister of national defence's portfolio. Article content Article content The move away from the fisheries minister makes it both likely easier for the CCG's budget to be included in Canada's defence spending in the eyes of NATO and is part of Carney's desire to pivot the 63-year-old civilian agency towards a more security-oriented role. Article content 'Canadians elected our new Government on a strong mandate for change — to protect our borders and defend our sovereignty with increased focus and investment. To that end, the Prime Minister will soon initiate the process of moving the Canadian Coast Guard to the leadership of the Minister of National Defence,' PMO spokesperson Emily Williams said in a statement. Article content 'The change will permit the Coast Guard to fulfill better both its civilian and security responsibilities.' Article content Article content The statement did not say when the changeover would happen, with Williams promising that 'more details will come in due course.' Article content Article content A senior Liberal source also told National Post that the government is considering arming the CCG, though they stressed that no decision has been made yet as officials continue to chart the reform. Article content Arming the CCG, which would be a massive — and costly — change for the special agency that has always been an unarmed civilian organization.