# Stand By for Navy Appreciation Day 2012!



## The Bread Guy (25 Oct 2012)

> The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, issued the following statement today in advance of Navy Appreciation Day 2012 to be marked on Tuesday, October 30. The event, organized by the Navy League of Canada, is intended to publicly recognize the work performed by Canada’s naval personnel every day at home and abroad:
> 
> “As the Minister of National Defence, I wish to thank the Navy League of Canada for organizing an event recognizing the outstanding work accomplished by our Canadian naval personnel. This is an important recognition coming from an organization that has always been a strong advocate of the importance of the sea for Canadians, and always taken pride in the accomplishments of our Navy and its personnel. Each and every year the Navy League’s contribution in informing and educating the public on maritime affairs is most noteworthy, particularly in sponsoring the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets, one of Canada’s finest youth organizations.
> 
> ...


DND Info-machine, 25 Oct 12


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## jollyjacktar (25 Oct 2012)

And yet, the memo from the PM to MND to cut deeper.  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-letter-to-mackay-your-defence-budget-cuts-arent-deep-enough/article4651375/


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## The Bread Guy (25 Oct 2012)

jollyjacktar said:
			
		

> And yet, the memo from the PM to MND to cut deeper.  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-letter-to-mackay-your-defence-budget-cuts-arent-deep-enough/article4651375/


So young to be so cynical .....


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## daftandbarmy (26 Oct 2012)

Why did they pick Halloween instead of Trafalgar Day?  ;D


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## cupper (26 Oct 2012)

They could combine it with various award ceremonies. Ship's Company assembles with pillow cases in hand and they go from one ship to another.

Trick or Treat ;D


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## jollyjacktar (26 Oct 2012)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> So young to be so cynical .....


Ha! My wife tells me I was born middle aged.


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## daftandbarmy (26 Oct 2012)

It already seems there is a sizeable community celebrating sailors in Halifax at the Maritime Museum:


http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mmanew/en/home/whattoseedo/hellosailor.aspx

Dang... the smiley I want to use is X-rated  ;D


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## dapaterson (27 Oct 2012)

To celebrate the the Navy, on Tuesday I will drink rum.













I will, however, forego the other two traditions...


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## cupper (27 Oct 2012)

dapaterson said:
			
		

> I will, however, forego the other two traditions...



Won't that take all the fun out of it?  ;D


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## cupper (27 Oct 2012)

On a more somber note If I may be allowed.

A salute to the members who served on HMCS Kootenay on 23 October 1969 who responded to danger in the manner expected of all Canadian Sailors; ability and professionalism of the highest level. And to also honour the memories of the 9 crew members that lost their lives.

Bravo Zulu.


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## jollyjacktar (27 Oct 2012)

cupper said:
			
		

> On a more somber note If I may be allowed.
> 
> A salute to the members who served on HMCS Kootenay on 23 October 1969 who responded to danger in the manner expected of all Canadian Sailors; ability and professionalism of the highest level. And to also honour the memories of the 9 crew members that lost their lives.
> 
> Bravo Zulu.



Bravo, well said.     (It's time for a poppy smiley again.)


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## cupper (27 Oct 2012)

jollyjacktar said:
			
		

> Bravo, well said.     (It's time for a poppy smiley again.)



Thanks. I have a personal stake, as my father was aboard the Kootenay that day.

Puts a lot of things into perspective when the difference between growing up with a father and being an orphan was 5 minutes and a cup of coffee.


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## aesop081 (27 Oct 2012)

jollyjacktar said:
			
		

> And yet, the memo from the PM to MND to cut deeper.  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-letter-to-mackay-your-defence-budget-cuts-arent-deep-enough/article4651375/



Read past the headline.



> did not cut deep enough on the administrative side of National Defence.





> “It is important that we reduce the current overhead in regular force military and civilian personnel, and in those activities that do not directly contribute to operational readiness,” he wrote.





> Mr. Harper remains convinced the savings can be had in the bureaucracy


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## daftandbarmy (28 Oct 2012)

dapaterson said:
			
		

> To celebrate the the Navy, on Tuesday I will drink rum.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I think I've just heard half the population of downtown Toronto breathe a sigh of relief  ;D


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## Pat in Halifax (28 Oct 2012)

Maybe next time after a storm, Toronto's Mayor should call in the Navy instead of the Army!!! We could bring Along the 'Navy Bus'! Do you guys really think we use it for Recruiting!!!


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## jollyjacktar (28 Oct 2012)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> Read past the headline.


I did.  Cuts are still cuts.


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## aesop081 (28 Oct 2012)

jollyjacktar said:
			
		

> I did.  Cuts are still cuts.



So what ?

DND is bloated in the overhead and admin realms. No need to demonize the PM for insisting the situation be rectified.


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## jollyjacktar (28 Oct 2012)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> So what ?
> 
> DND is bloated in the overhead and admin realms. No need to demonize the PM for insisting the situation be rectified.


So, we both lived through the 90's and the cuts.  I believe it's going to come to that again.  Cuts are like potato chips, you can't eat just one.  

As for demonizing, I was just pointing out the irony of the pat on the back at the same time as the hand in the pocket.  Sorry I didn't use the sarcasm face...


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## aesop081 (28 Oct 2012)

jollyjacktar said:
			
		

> I was just pointing out the irony of the pat on the back at the same time as the hand in the pocket.



If the pocket is the BS that goes on in 101, i'm all for it.

The PM wants the CF to stop spending money on BS. Nothing wrong with that.


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## jollyjacktar (28 Oct 2012)

Agreed.  I have no quibble about cutting the junk food out of the diet.


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## Edward Campbell (28 Oct 2012)

jollyjacktar said:
			
		

> Agreed.  I have no quibble about cutting the junk food out of the diet.




Unfortunately some, maybe much of the _junk food_ is mandated by government to support this, that or the other 'objective,' often related to _social engineering_.' Those parts will be hard to cut out. Some more is deeply entrenched and much loved by some quite senior people inside DND and that, too, will be hard to cut. As discussed elsewhere (and following) there are very real risks that we will cut muscle and leave the fat in place (and happy).


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## jollyjacktar (29 Oct 2012)

E.R. Campbell said:
			
		

> Unfortunately some, maybe much of the _junk food_ is mandated by government to support this, that or the other 'objective,' often related to _social engineering_.' Those parts will be hard to cut out. Some more is deeply entrenched and much loved by some quite senior people inside DND and that, too, will be hard to cut. As discussed elsewhere (and following) there are very real risks that we will cut muscle and leave the fat in place (and happy).


Agreed.  I have no doubt that it will be mostly muscle that gets cut out.  I truly feel the 90's are going to come back again with a vengance and we are going to get kicked in the goolies for that "peace dividend" that comes of these periods.  

That being said, I could not quibble at the thought of the junk needing to be done away with as CDN stated.


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