No other military has racial hiring quotas, virtually nonexistent grooming standards and mandatory tampons in men's rooms

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One of the stated goals of the Carney government is to rejigger Canada’s various military relationships. After decades of reflexively going along with the United States on defence issues, the Liberals are signalling a plan to make nice with Europe.

This week’s speech from the throne stated that Canada will be joining “ReArm Europe,” a massive planned buildup of the continent’s military strength, largely as a check against Russia.

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But as Canada strikes out to make new friends, these new allies may encounter a Canadian military that is slightly different than what they remember. Even for Western militaries that have embraced nostrums of equity and inclusion, in many ways Canada has gone further than all of them.

Canada’s military dress code is now the laxest on earth

It was in 2022 that the Canadian Armed Forces dramatically dropped its standards for dress and grooming. There are no longer any restrictions on hair length or colour and everything from hoop earrings to ear spacers to eyelash extensions can now be freely worn on parade squares.

Canada acknowledged at the time that nobody else was doing this. As Canada’s then top soldier, Wayne Eyre said at the time that Canada was “leading the way” on 21st century military dress codes. “We have … consulted with our allies, who have told us that we are several years ahead of them,” said Eyre.

Three years later, Canada is still an outlier in having units filled with beards, green hair, facial piercings and sideburns. All across Europe,