How It Works

An interdepartmental committee, the Military Assistance Steering Committee (MASC) oversees the program’s management. The MASC is composed of officials from the Department of National Defence (DND), the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and other governmental departments, as required. DMTC reports annually to the MASC on the program’s strategic and operational achievement as well as on its financial administration.

During fiscal year 2005–2006, DMTC initiated a three-year planning cycle to allow the Program to adjust to strategic policy shifts. The resulting increase in flexibility maximizes DMTC’s effectiveness, makes sure that decisions meet foreign and defence policy objectives in a timely fashion, and ensures that requests for membership are processed in a predictable, transparent, and systematic way. The year 2010–2011 marks the last of the current three-year cycle.

MTCP membership

Applications for MTCP membership can be channeled through regional Canadian Defence Attachés, who refer the requests to DMTC. Potential MTCP members are selected by the MASC.

Essentially, DMTC aims at encouraging long term and sustainable strategic results, necessitating the prioritizing of countries eligible for assistance on a three-year cycle. DMTC meets these strategic results by accepting new member countries, subject to approval through the MASC, that:

• Meet Canadian Defence and Foreign Policy strategic interests
• Have historic bilateral relations with Canada
• Are non-oppressive and in line with human rights considerations
• Do not threaten their neighboring nations
• Demonstrate the ability to accept and absorb Canadian assistance
• Meet Canadian Forces’ operational goals and interests
• Demonstrate political/military relevance to Canada
• Participate in peace support operations
• Have a per capita GDP of US $15,000 per year or less