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....

 

[dapaterson]

Elevated cost of living, unwillingness to pay a competitive wage.

 

[Furniture]

Was up there visiting friends a couple of weeks ago. Apparently they simply can't find anyone to work the afternoons. No students are willing to take the job.

When do schools get out? What other jobs are available and pay more? Most importantly, how many potential students employees are in the area?

It's easy to dump on lazy kids, but what are the factors that actually impact the lack of staff?

 

[Czech_pivo]

On a different note, Trudeau and Sophia announced that they are calling it quits.

 

[GR66]

When do schools get out? What other jobs are available and pay more? Most importantly, how many potential students employees are in the area?

It's easy to dump on lazy kids, but what are the factors that actually impact the lack of staff?

Sorry...I missed the part where I said or implied that the laziness of students was the reason that they were unwilling to take the job.

 

[GK .Dundas]

On a different note, Trudeau and Sophia announced that they are calling it quits.

Tell you what , let's pretend to be decent Human beings and not mention it or his kids .
Maybe although it's unlikely we could start a trend .

 

[Czech_pivo]

Tell you what , let's pretend to be decent Human beings and not mention it or his kids .
Maybe although it's unlikely we could start a trend .

Interesting thought.

 

[KevinB]

When do schools get out? What other jobs are available and pay more? Most importantly, how many potential students employees are in the area?

It's easy to dump on lazy kids, but what are the factors that actually impact the lack of staff?

Well there are many more summer residents in the area than full year. I was pretty sure last year it was open inside. As I saw CRPG staff and students who stopped for lunch one day I was up there getting more and more stuff for my boat.

 

[Furniture]

Sorry...I missed the part where I said or implied that the laziness of students was the reason that they were unwilling to take the job.

I'd say about here...

No students are willing to take the job.

Maybe you didn't mean to imply laziness, but it's a pretty safe assumption that is what is being implied 99% of the time when referring to students and willingness.

 

[Spencer100]

On a different note, Trudeau and Sophia announced that they are calling it quits.

Worst kept secret ever!

hmmm how did Sophia get Covid again?

 

[GR66]

I'd say about here...

Maybe you didn't mean to imply laziness, but it's a pretty safe assumption that is what is being implied 99% of the time when referring to students and willingness.

Based on the experience of my son I'd say that laziness is only an issue with some kids (just as it's an issue with some adults). His experience in a market that supposedly is "desperate" for workers is that young people are often only offered very limited PT hours (not enough to really put any money away for school, etc.) and scheduling is extremely inconsistent and erratic making it almost impossible to try and juggle more than one job.

Many other "full time" positions are only offered through employment agencies at minimum wages with no job security, no hope of benefits and little support/interest from the full-time staff at the work locations because they have no long term investment in the casual labour so they are given the dirtiest/most mind-numbing jobs.

My son's been lucky enough to get on with a golf course irrigation system company where he's making a slightly better wage and actually learning a few things, but unfortunately like many of the reasonable jobs available to young people these days it's a seasonal position and he's going to be looking again once the fall comes.

 

[WLSC]

Worst kept secret ever!

hmmm how did Sophia get Covid again?

The worst kept secret goes before she got Covid. I heard it before the first Reconciliation Stat day.

 

[RangerRay]

Based on the experience of my son I'd say that laziness is only an issue with some kids (just as it's an issue with some adults). His experience in a market that supposedly is "desperate" for workers is that young people are often only offered very limited PT hours (not enough to really put any money away for school, etc.) and scheduling is extremely inconsistent and erratic making it almost impossible to try and juggle more than one job.

Many other "full time" positions are only offered through employment agencies at minimum wages with no job security, no hope of benefits and little support/interest from the full-time staff at the work locations because they have no long term investment in the casual labour so they are given the dirtiest/most mind-numbing jobs.

My son's been lucky enough to get on with a golf course irrigation system company where he's making a slightly better wage and actually learning a few things, but unfortunately like many of the reasonable jobs available to young people these days it's a seasonal position and he's going to be looking again once the fall comes.

Add to that that instead of raising wages to attract employees, many employers are taking advantage of temporary foreign workers to work in low paid, low skill jobs.

The temporary foreign worker program was first introduced to fill highly skilled positions where there were very few qualified Canadian-born workers. Now it’s used as a way of suppressing wages in the low-skill sector.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Well there are many more summer residents in the area than full year. I was pretty sure last year it was open inside. As I saw CRPG staff and students who stopped for lunch one day I was up there getting more and more stuff for my boat.

We are thinking about retiring in that area....if not that town. Had a great week in Whitney this summer

 

[lenaitch]

Even more off topic, Barry's Bay must have the only Tim Horton's in the world that closes at 3pm.

It's the Madawaska Valley. The batteries can only last so long.

 

[lenaitch]

We are thinking about retiring in that area....if not that town. Had a great week in Whitney this summer

A buddy of mine cashed out when the early-Covid house prices in Barrie went nuts and bought just outside of Barry's Bay on the water.

The only thing that would concern me is proximity to healthcare/hospital. Living 'back of beyond' use to appeal to me but not so much as I get older.

 

[lenaitch]

When do schools get out? What other jobs are available and pay more? Most importantly, how many potential students employees are in the area?

It's easy to dump on lazy kids, but what are the factors that actually impact the lack of staff?

It used to be that tourism-oriented small towns thrived on teens and students staying at the family cottage and staffing the restaurants, marinas, lodges etc. all summer. I don't know what has changed.

On the flip side, I find that many small town Tim's employ a lot of older residents, perhaps to supplement or provide retirement income.

 

[Furniture]

It used to be that tourism-oriented small towns thrived on teens and students staying at the family cottage and staffing the restaurants, marinas, lodges etc. all summer. I don't know what has changed.

On the flip side, I find that many small town Tim's employ a lot of older residents, perhaps to supplement or provide retirement income.

I think what happened is the people born between 1955 and 1995 moved out of the small towns, so their teens aren't living there now to work at the local businesses. People don't vacation "back home" as much as they did in the past, they take a trip to Mexico or Cuba in the winter instead, and many parents don't push their kids out to work to pay for their entertainment.

 

[Good2Golf]

You can't give your 2 cents as Canada doesn't have pennies. You're going to have to give your 5 cents worth.

Give a ‘shiny beaver?’

 

[lenaitch]

I think what happened is the people born between 1955 and 1995 moved out of the small towns, so their teens aren't living there now to work at the local businesses. People don't vacation "back home" as much as they did in the past, they take a trip to Mexico or Cuba in the winter instead, and many parents don't push their kids out to work to pay for their entertainment.

For sure, the resident population of small towns in rural Canada is aging, although there are still public and high schools so . . . kids, but maybe not enough to maintain the seasonal industry. There are thousands of seasonal and year-round cottages in places like Muskoka, Haliburton, and Madawaska. It used to be common for one parent (usually mom) and the kids would summer up there and dad would show up on weekends. That's not likely happening as much, and I imagine parents would be reluctant to let teens stay up there alone so they could work. I know some employers in a few areas were providing accommodations in order to try and attract seasonal staff. It's likely easier if there is a larger workforce, like a ski resort or lodge, as opposed to a restaurant of coffee shop.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I'd say about here...

Maybe you didn't mean to imply laziness, but it's a pretty safe assumption that is what is being implied 99% of the time when referring to students and willingness.

My oldest just had her first real job as a School Councillor for a private high school. She is utterly unimpressed with her peers and many of the people up to 25 years old. She came back venting about their total lack of professionalism and plain work ethic. Twas a proud parent moment.....