Government hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

I have long said that you could fund the CAF to 4 percent of GDP, but we would still lag behind in NATO and be much the same where we are.

It's never the money, it's politics. It's procedures. It's the pork-barreling in our defence spending that makes us a paper tiger in NATO.

My only hope in all of this for the CAF and the GoC, whatever the political stripe that may be, is that it will rouse them out of the "Peace Dividend" slumber. The world has been unstable since 1945. We have used geography, proximity, and association as a Defence Policy ever since. ICBMs don't care how close to the U.S. or how far from Russia/China we are.

Don't give us a dime more, but let us spend money on defence like it matters. The fact we follow the same rules for purchasing a fighter aircraft as we do for buying office furniture for a Service Canada office is disgraceful. Don't treat defense procurement as a stimulus package for Canadian Industry. There I said it.

We spend so much money, time, and effort trying to get that money to stay in Canada; be it by awarding contracts to companies with no capability to produce items without first "retooling" and"developing the production lines", or by hamstringing perfectly competent and competitive bidders by forcing the project to be made in St. Margaret de Poutain de Champignon, QC because the ruling government either lost the seat in the election, or won it with promises.

We spend so much money and staff hours jumping through TBS regulations that are great for other departments, but are terrible for defence procurement. Some items you have to sole source, because there are technologies and capabilities no one else makes. By doing the bid process, you get companies clamoring for a project they can't deliver on, but because they tick the bright boxes on the score sheet....

I truly and honestly belief we need to split from PSPC and legislate that its not beholden to TBS, only to the PBO/PCO. The guiding principles of this new Defence Procurement department should be "Off the shelf, from somewhere else" if there isn't an industry in Canada.

BOOTFORGEN has demonstrated how well we do when we are able to actually get what we need, instead of lining the pockets of a Canadian company that got lucky.

That, but with tanks, fighters, ships, weapons systems....

 

[Brad Sallows]

Fit is definitely more important than style when it comes to actual fighting.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

In fairness I think they by a large look professional and well put together on camp. They’re also much fitter on the average than we are. Especially when it comes to running, one of their Sgt’s mention run times being a very important factor in promotion for them.

I suspect that machismo and getting laid factor highly in the approach to all things military.

 

[DBNSG]

Well they brought a full combat team to Latvia with armour, atgms, engineers, and mortars. They also brought with them a very casual approach to the profession of arms and a deep appreciation of both Lycra pt gear and naps.

My Son mentioned that both Spain and Italy ate VERY well. Put Canadian rations to shame but he also agreed on the Mediterranean work ethic.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

My Son mentioned that both Spain and Italy ate VERY well. Put Canadian rations to shame but he also agreed on the Mediterranean work ethic.

Not necessarily a bad thing. We tend to confuse productivity with efficiency a lot in Western norms. The Mediterranean folks tend to focus on quality of time vice quantity if time

 

[markppcli]

My Son mentioned that both Spain and Italy ate VERY well. Put Canadian rations to shame but he also agreed on the Mediterranean work ethic.

The Spanish equivalent of a light meal combat is literally just a box of crackers.

 

[QV]

My Son mentioned that both Spain and Italy ate VERY well. Put Canadian rations to shame but he also agreed on the Mediterranean work ethic.

I visited every camp/base/fob under the ISAF banner in Afghanistan. Grading the food in each locale became a bit of a hobby. By far the Italians ate the best and the Brits the worst.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I visited every camp/base/fob under the ISAF banner in Afghanistan. Grading the food in each locale became a bit of a hobby. By far the Italians ate the best and the Brits the worst.

Despite conquering half the world, the Brits still refused to take cooking lessons from their subjects. I ate at the BATUS mess in the 1980's for a few weeks, interesting food preparation techniques. I never knew tea could have a oil spot on it......

 

[KevinB]

Despite conquering half the world, the Brits still refused to take cooking lessons from their subjects. I ate at the BATUS mess in the 1980's for a few weeks, interesting food preparation techniques. I never knew tea could have an oil spot on it......

I always credited the British Empires success’s where due to it’s troops (and Navy) where looking for good food.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Despite conquering half the world, the Brits still refused to take cooking lessons from their subjects. I ate at the BATUS mess in the 1980's for a few weeks, interesting food preparation techniques. I never knew tea could have a oil spot on it......

This was an exchange I had with our Brit LO when I brought home made calzone to our HQ potluck:

"Oh lord mate, that's got some heat I'd say. What you put in?"

"Garlic...."

"Oooh exotic..."

 

[daftandbarmy]

I always credited the British Empires success’s where due to it’s troops (and Navy) where looking for good food loot.

There, FTFY

 

[GK .Dundas]

The reason that salad bars never took off in Brit mess halls is that they couldn't figure out how to deep fry a salad.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

The reason that salad bars never took off in Brit mess hall is that they couldn't figure out how to deep fry a salad.

"How would you like your eggs, Sir?"
"Over easy, please"
"Right-o"
proceeds to crack eggs into the deep fryer

"Uh... on second thought... maybe some toast instead"

proceeds to drop bread into deep fryer

"Nevermind then....cereal?"

"Over there by the fried newspapers"

 

[daftandbarmy]

"How would you like your eggs, Sir?"
"Over easy, please"
"Right-o"
proceeds to crack eggs into the deep fryer

"Uh... on second thought... maybe some toast instead"

proceeds to drop bread into deep fryer

"Nevermind then....cereal?"

"Over there by the fried newspapers"

Correction: the correct terminology is 'Egg Banjo', mate.

Food of the Gods. Religiously consumed on return from a patrol in Northern Ireland, usually following the debrief, complete with black plakkie mug full of greasy, steaming tea... NATO standard. Brown sauce for me as well, ta...

'Why is it called an Egg Banjo?' you might ask.

Here is the mystery finally revealed

Ever wondered why it's called an 'Egg Banjo'?

The person who came up with this eggcellent snack should be knighted

www.forces.net

 

[RangerRay]

Correction: the correct terminology is 'Egg Banjo', mate.

Food of the Gods. Religiously consumed on return from a patrol in Northern Ireland, usually following the debrief, complete with black plakkie mug full of greasy, steaming tea... NATO standard. Brown sauce for me as well, ta...

'Why is it called an Egg Banjo?' you might ask.

Here is the mystery finally revealed

Ever wondered why it's called an 'Egg Banjo'?

The person who came up with this eggcellent snack should be knighted

www.forces.net

I will have to try that sometime!

 

[KevinB]

Correction: the correct terminology is 'Egg Banjo', mate.

Food of the Gods. Religiously consumed on return from a patrol in Northern Ireland, usually following the debrief, complete with black plakkie mug full of greasy, steaming tea... NATO standard. Brown sauce for me as well, ta...

'Why is it called an Egg Banjo?' you might ask.

Here is the mystery finally revealed

Ever wondered why it's called an 'Egg Banjo'?

The person who came up with this eggcellent snack should be knighted

www.forces.net

7RHA RIP’d 2 RCHA E Bty (Para) in Nicosia when the British took over the City Coy role. Our Troop house became impossible to eat at for the last 2 weeks I was there as the CAF cook was replaced by a Brit ‘cook’ as we started getting the Brit NCO’s and their Troop Commander. Everything went into the Deep Fryer, and I was surprised they were not constantly dropping dead from clogged arteries.

 

[Rifleman62]

Went on a blackout replen run (2RGJ) with a Gurkha "driver" to the main camp at BATUS. They woke up the duty cooks and we had steak, eggs and chips. All done in the deep fryer.

 

[GR66]

Canada's lack of commitment to defence spending is definitely being noted. It will be interesting to see how much pressure is put on Trudeau at next week's NATO summit.

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2023/07/06/vilnius_summit_will_determine_whether_nato_is_serious_about_deterrence_963738.html

A couple of key quotes:

Greater investment—by every NATO member—is essential if the alliance transition is to transition from one that seeks to deter through punishment to one which can deter by denial. The U.S. should work diligently to ensure to that each member does its part to make that transition a reality.

Three camps have emerged on defense spending: allies like Denmark and Germany are putting teeth into hitherto vague promises to attain NATO spending targets at an either indeterminate or variable future date.

Other nations (primarily in eastern Europe, where the danger posed by Russia is felt most acutely), already meeting NATO benchmarks, are supercharging their investments. Poland, for example, plans to raise defense spending this year to 4% of GDP, a rate even higher even than the U.S. Similarly, the Baltic States and Romania are increasing their defense investments beyond 2%. These nations are pushing for the current NATO investment benchmarks to be viewed as a floor rather than a ceiling.

The final group of allies continues to fail to make the sort of investments everyone now knows are necessary. Countries like Belgium, Canada, and Spain have yet to decisively turn the corner on defense.

Having every member state live up to its Article III treaty commitments to “maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack,” is the bedrock upon which transatlantic peace and prosperity is built. The Vilnius summit must assure that the positive trend toward increased capabilities continues, but with greater urgency and alliance-wide adoption.

To this end, the U.S. must work hard, cajoling and pulling allies to take the political decision to fulfill their obligations and invest in defense.

 

[daftandbarmy]

7RHA RIP’d 2 RCHA E Bty (Para) in Nicosia when the British took over the City Coy role. Our Troop house became impossible to eat at for the last 2 weeks I was there as the CAF cook was replaced by a Brit ‘cook’ as we started getting the Brit NCO’s and their Troop Commander. Everything went into the Deep Fryer, and I was surprised they were not constantly dropping dead from clogged arteries.

Glass half full: I've never seen a case of salmonella resulting from British Army cooking

 

[Kirkhill]

Glass half full: I've never seen a case of salmonella resulting from British Army cooking

Brown sauce sterilizes everything.

 

[OldSolduer]

Glass half full: I've never seen a case of salmonella resulting from British Army cooking

Deep frying in beef fat kills everything. Even the taste except for French Fries done to a light golden brown.

That's the dog's bollocks.....