OTTAWA — The federal government's decision to boost entry-level pay for Canadian Armed Forces members is being praised by expert observers as long overdue.

On Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government will hike entry-level pay for Canadian Armed Forces privates by 20 per cent for the regular force and 13 per cent for reservists.

The new pay hikes will be retroactive to April 1 this year.

Fen Hampson, a professor of international affairs at Carleton University, said the pay increases were a long time in coming, especially at the lower level.

He said that if the government is going to be spending a lot more money on defence, boosting pay — particularly at the entry level — is "a good way to do it."

Given the Canadian Armed Forces' struggles with recruitment and recent repor

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