[Azure]

OTTAWA -- Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan will set the stage today for the Liberals' much-anticipated defence policy by casting a glaring light on what senior defence sources say is a massive "hole" in military spending.

The hole has been caused by years of under-investment in the Canadian Armed Forces, the sources argue, and resulted in little-to-no money for the replacement of essential, but aging, equipment.

The list, known in defence circles as the "Key 18," includes new logistical vehicles and engineering equipment, surveillance aircraft, and communications satellites for the Arctic.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity.

The shortfall, which adds up to tens of billions of dollars, also includes upgrades to the military's current fleet of search-and-rescue helicopters and training for aircrews.

The result is that work that should have already been underway to buy 18 core pieces of equipment and services that the military needs has been stalled, the sources said, if it has started at all.

The extent of the problem hasn't been understood outside National Defence, said the sources, and caught the Liberals by surprise when they took office in November 2015.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/sajja...licy-1.3395649

Bit of a different spin than what earlier articles had.