Defend Canada

The Canadian Armed Forces defend Canada by:

• Providing surveillance of Canadian territory and air and maritime approaches.
• Maintaining search and rescue response capabilities that are able to reach those in distress anywhere in Canada on a 24/7 basis.
• Assisting civil authorities in responding to a wide range of threats - from natural disasters to terrorist attacks

Defend North America

The Canadian Armed Forces contribute to the defence of North America by:

• Conducting daily continental operations (including through North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD))
• Carrying out bilateral training and exercises with the United States.
• Responding to crises.
• Remaining interoperable with the US military.

Contribute to International Peace and Security

The Canadian Armed Forces contribute to international peace and security by:

• Participating in multilateral operations through international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and through coalitions of like-minded countries.
• Supporting humanitarian-relief efforts and helping to restore conflict-devastated areas.
• Participating in confidence-building measures such as arms-control programs.

Support System

The Department of National Defence works as a support system for the CAF operations in its activities in Canada and elsewhere by providing:

• Local or base support services
• Operational support services
• Corporate support services