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Military officials are preparing to scale back targets related to the number of women and visible minorities in uniform because they say the current goals are “unattainable,” according to a defence department audit.

This is despite the military having made some progress in increasing the proportion of both within its rank and file in recent years.

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At the same time, auditors have warned that the decision to close 12 military recruiting centres across the country to save money will hurt reserve units as well as aboriginal recruitment, which has been on the increase.

Despite an end to combat operations in Afghanistan and deep budget cuts, officials say the military needs more than 4,000 new recruits each year to offset attrition and keep 68,000 full-time troops in uniform.

As part of that, the Canadian Forces, like all federal government departments and agencies, is required by law to work towards increasing the number of women, visible minorities, aboriginals and people with disabilities within its workforce.