I just want to state for the record that Conservatives stand with Ukraine. We support the government's support for Ukraine and everything you've done. We actually just ask you to do more. That is unwavering. Ukraine must win this war.
I also want to echo your words to the great men and women serving in the Canadian Armed Forces for the work they're doing here in Canada and in Operation Laser, Operation Lentus and Operation Vector. It's been just outstanding and something we all take pride in but, as a committee, we've seen the guys working in Operation Unifier training Ukrainian soldiers in the camp there. We've seen our guys and the great job they're doing in leading EFP Latvia.
We're certainly grateful for each and every one of them, but we have a problem with getting and keeping new recruits in the Canadian Armed Forces. It's been eight years now that the Liberals have been in power, and I don't think we've ever had troop strength so low. We've heard at committee here that it's around 16,000 short. I know that when I sent in an Order Paper question back in April, which Mr. May actually signed, troop strength was only about 8,000.
What is the actual number? How short are we with respect to the number of members we have in the Canadian Armed Forces today?