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In a video posted Monday on the RCN’s YouTube channel, the officer stated that the Canadian navy was in critical conditions due to the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group's failure to deliver on the personnel intake over the past 10 years.
"The RCN faces some serious challenges right now that could mean we fail to meet our force posture and readiness commitments for 2024 and beyond. The situation is serious, but our problems are not unique. I know that the air force and the army are faced with similar challenges," the official stressed in the video. "The RCN is in a critical state. Many occupations are experiencing shortages at 20% and higher," Topshee added.
The vice-admiral said that although the RCN’s overall attrition is "good," a marine technician leaves every two days, something notably affecting Canada’s west coast fleet, where major shortages are observed in the area, which in turn limits the ability to maintain and operate ships.
The Canadian military has been facing several challenges over the past years, including in its recruitment objectives, a problem that was exacerbated by COVID-19 and the vaccine mandate.