From what i can see in the news(never having served in the military but am in the final stages of selection for infantry officer training) I think the best path to follow for military reform would be too take the example of the Australians. They are a nation of similar makeup(post-colonials), population(slightly smaller than ours), a similar environmental layout(large amount of unarable landm theirs being desert ours being tundra). Looking at this they have been able to field a well trained, portable, sustainable fighting force centred on the idea that the threat to the homeland has now diminished and a military more globally designed than nationally designed. For example the continual building and purchasing of amphibious warfare ships(soem surplus american vessels having been purchased), off the shelf designs(they don‘t seem to suffer from an "if it‘s not made in Quebec, we don‘t buy it" frame of mind), and the idea of purchasing the best/reliable/battle-tested equipment on the market. The example of the Australian Military at work in East Timor clearly illustrates what I mean, and what I fel our military should be able to do: quick response, troops in country in under a week with follow forces within a month, combat troops that are girded for war, not peace keeping, amphibious capability(according to Tom Clancy 65% of the world‘s population lives within 300km of major water way) allowing for force projection from the sea.
A concept i have always toyed with in my mind(most of you will probably think it ludicrous) was to create some form of Royal Canadian Marine Corps/Commandos, basing it on a good mix of the ideas behind the American, British, and French Marines. Possibly buying surplus American amphibious warfare ships(I believe several Tarawa Class vessels are currently mothballed or up for sale from the American government), retrofitting them for our needs and basing one on each coast to act in times of emergency to deliver a battalion of troops to a hot spot within two-three weeks.
I know this all sounds pretty naive, but some feedback would be appreciated.