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
Federal government begins to transfer Coast Guard to National Defence
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 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.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
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 The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2025.
Politics Headlines Newsletter
Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening
Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request.
There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again.
You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our and . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google and apply.
Politics Headlines Newsletter
You’re signed up! You’ll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon.
Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation