Canada will maintain a scaled-back military presence in Afghanistan at least until the summer of 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin said on Wednesday.

A 600-member battle group, equipped with light-armoured Coyote reconnaissance vehicles, will be sent to replace the current contingent of 1,700 soldiers when their tour of duty ends in August.

An extra 200 air force personnel will serve as a support group.

Paul Martin

In a speech to troops at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick, Martin also announced that the tax exemption for soldiers serving in Afghanistan will be extended to all overseas deployments, which currently include Bosnia and Haiti.

Martin used the occasion to repeat pledges in last month's budget about $4-billion in new spending on military equipment, including modern fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, marine helicopters, three naval supply ships and mobile gun systems to replace the aging Leopard tank fleet.

"When we ask our men and women to stand in harm's way, we must ensure that they have the equipment to do the job effectively and safely," he said.

Jay Hill

Martin said a defence policy review, to begin by the end of the year, will "ensure that we are capable of protecting Canada's interests both at home and abroad."

Conservative defence critic Jay Hill called the announcement a "public relations stunt" to recycle old and previously announced expenditures.

He said bringing Martin and his entourage to Gagetown was a waste of money and a pre-election ploy designed to shore up the local Liberal candidate.