National Defence Act
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| National Defence Act | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parliament of Canada | |
| |
| Citation | RSC, 1895, c. N-5 |
| Territorial extent | Provinces and Territories of Canada |
| Passed | 1922 |
| Commenced | 1 January 1923 |
| Bill citation | C-27 [1] |
| Status: Current legislation | |
The National Defence Act (NDA; French: Loi sur la défense nationale; LDN) is an Act of the Parliament of Canada, which is the primary enabling legislation for organizing and funding the military of Canada.[2] The Act created the Department of National Defence, which merged the functions of the Department of Militia and Defence with the Department of the Naval Service and the Air Board, after its passage in 1922 and its implementation on 1 January 1923. At that time, and until the passage of the National Defence Act of 1950, the Canadian army was still governed by the UK's Army Act.[3][4]
On 4 November 1966, Bill C-243, The Canadian Forces Reorganization Act, was introduced to amend the National Defence Act. The aim of the bill was to reorganize the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force, previously separate and independent services, under one umbrella. Following the debate in the House of Commons and further examination by the Defence Committee, the Bill was given a third and final reading in April 1967, clearing the way for unification. The Canadian Forces Reorganization Act came into effect on 1 February 1968, creating one organization responsible for the defence of Canada, the Canadian Forces, and amending the National Defence Act.