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....

 

[Kirkhill]

Agreed, but my GDLS aspect for the London plant is more that Canada doesn’t need more LAV. It needs a more diverse Army equipment plan.

If GDLS wanted to build M1A3’s and their MICV candidate vehicles in Canada I’d be thrilled for that.

But…

You reckon that we would be allowed to build M1A3s and pursue our own independent policies?

 

[Kirkhill]

GDLS London can be spun up to build whatever we want them to build.

Yes. As long as it is to a novel Canadian design.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Yes. As long as it is to a novel Canadian design.

What would happen if the decision has made to buy outright, under a National Security decision, GDLS? Fair market value of course.

 

[ytz]

If Canada were denied access to modern weaponry, if we were embargoed by an unsympathetic neighbour and erstwhile allies occupied elsewhere and unwilling to agitate our neighbour what could we do other than filling molotovs.

If this happens, we aren't joining the fight. Simple as.....

In a situation where the Americans aren't sharing, and Europe wants us there, they'll have to share.

There's no point really preparing for some crazy scenario where it's Canada vs. the world.

We need to reduce dependency on the US (not just in defence) so that they have less leverage over us. That doesn't mean we need to achieve full autarky.

 

[ytz]

What would happen if the decision has made to buy outright, under a National Security decision, GDLS? Fair market value of course.

Nothing. That's what national security exceptions are for. The whole company can be expropriated if necessary. Or they co-operate and build what we want and enjoy their profits. Which is what they will do.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Anyone have Australia on their Bingo card? I certainly did not.

Canada to partner with Australia on early warning detection system in the Arctic​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/canada-early-warning-detection-arctic-1.7486640

 

[Kirkhill]

If this happens, we aren't joining the fight. Simple as.....

In a situation where the Americans aren't sharing, and Europe wants us there, they'll have to share.

There's no point really preparing for some crazy scenario where it's Canada vs. the world.

We need to reduce dependency on the US (not just in defence) so that they have less leverage over us. That doesn't mean we need to achieve full autarky.

My point remains, we will be walking a fine line between being a well armed vassal and an unarmed sovereign state.

Much like the person who craves freedom but must obey someone else to pay the mortgage.

We can boo the Americans as much as we like, and proclaim I am Canadian to the end of days but we will have to engage with them for a long time to come.

And in the words of my ancestors, "ca' canny" until we can build up our independent capabilities.

How many ball bearings do we make? How many commercial tire plants do we have? Where do we get precision castings in exotic alloys produced?

 

[Kirkhill]

Anyone have Australia on their Bingo card? I certainly did not.

Canada to partner with Australia on early warning detection system in the Arctic​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/canada-early-warning-detection-arctic-1.7486640

Who is this federal government of whom they speak? What authority do they have to rewrite the budget?

...

The Aussies have been operating the Jindalee Over The Horizon radar since the 1970s.

We shut down our efforts in the 1980s as too difficult and too expensive.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Who is this federal government of whom they speak? What authority do they have to rewrite the budget?

...

The Aussies have been operating the Jindalee Over The Horizon radar since the 1970s.

We shut down our efforts in the 1980s as too difficult and too expensive.

Here's some more info-

Turns out the cash - 6$ billion - has already been allocated in previous budgets so its not new money.

$6B missile detection system to confront threats from Russia and China​

• most of the $6.6 billion package is not new funding, but was previously approved under past budgets and not yet allocated.
• U.S. military leaders in Norad have already given the green light to the Australian purchase, because it is at a more advanced stage than American technology
• It will require the installation of poles or small towers along a 1.3 kilometre expanse, near Peterborough and near the Canadian Forces base in Borden. An official said much of the land has already been purchased for the 10-metre towers, and the federal government does not expect to have to flex its power to expropriate the rest. The official said the remaining parcels of land required do not have homes on them.
• Carney confirmed the $6 billion purchase on a call with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday before he left London
• Carney said this week Canada is overly reliant on the U.S. in terms of its defence industrial supply chains and its economic and security relations are “too concentrated” in the U.S.
• But Tuesday’s radar system purchase, according to the officials, is not intended as a signal of Ottawa’s push to reduce Canada’s supply chain independence from the United States.

Mark Carney says Canada will buy $6B missile detection system to confront threats from Russia and China

The federal government will spend more than $6 billion to buy an Australian early warning radar missile detection system and $420 million to expand Canada’s northern military presence year-round to

www.thestar.com

 

[Kirkhill]

Ahhh!

Now I understand the need for a high speed train from Ottawa to Peterborough....

 

[GK .Dundas]

Works for me, I too would want to be able to get out of Ottawa as quickly as humanly possible...

Ahhh!

Now I understand the need for a high speed train from Ottawa to Peterborough....

 

[Czech_pivo]

Carney et al are talking now in Iqaluit

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/canada-early-warning-detection-arctic-1.7486640

 

[Brad Sallows]

GDLS London can be spun up to build whatever we want them to build.

For clarity, "whatever we PAY them to build".

As I've observed elsewhere, there is hardly an agency or union or organization involved with providing public and social services that isn't calling for more money and people and insisting that their occupations need higher pay. Meanwhile two of the federal parties are mostly expanding the reach of public agencies with new programs which inevitably are structured to increase demand without addressing supply. ER closures and child care lotteries and other symptoms of shortages due to the inability of politicians to say "no" aren't going to work themselves out. In view of what has been shown to be necessary to start effecting real change, we're going to need a political disruption and reset on the scale of what the US has experienced. The incumbent political establishments should make sacrifices to head that off if they truly value moderation, but that's unlikely. They'll keep snouts in the trough until kicked out, and then they'll whine about the replacements.

 

[Kirkhill]

For clarity, "whatever we PAY them to build".

As I've observed elsewhere, there is hardly an agency or union or organization involved with providing public and social services that isn't calling for more money and people and insisting that their occupations need higher pay. Meanwhile two of the federal parties are mostly expanding the reach of public agencies with new programs which inevitably are structured to increase demand without addressing supply. ER closures and child care lotteries and other symptoms of shortages due to the inability of politicians to say "no" aren't going to work themselves out. In view of what has been shown to be necessary to start effecting real change, we're going to need a political disruption and reset on the scale of what the US has experienced. The incumbent political establishments should make sacrifices to head that off if they truly value moderation, but that's unlikely. They'll keep snouts in the trough until kicked out, and then they'll whine about the replacements.

And Trump's disruption is "enabling" other disruption.

Starmer faces down Labour rebels to drive through £6bn benefits cuts

The Prime Minister is expected to unveil measures that will affect around a million people claiming personal independence payments

www.telegraph.co.uk

Government’s cuts ‘will fail to solve benefits crisis’, say economists

Liz Kendall’s welfare reforms “lack vision and ambition” and will fail to solve Britain’s benefits crisis, economists have warned.

www.telegraph.co.uk

This is a once-in-a-generation moment for the security of our Continent

Labour will take the right decisions to keep our country safe as our defence spending commitments show

www.telegraph.co.uk

Why even Labour has realised the benefits system needs to be torn apart

Welfare spending squarely in the Work and Pensions Secretary’s sights amid suspicions PIP is being gamed by unscrupulous claimants

www.telegraph.co.uk

Germany expects economic stagnation in 2025 as coalition collapse stalls reforms

www.cleanenergywire.org

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/05/germanys-fiscal-u-turn-could-be-a-game-changer-for-the-countrys-sluggish-economy-analysts-say.html

Macron’s U-turn against EU green rules triggers internal revolt

The French president’s anti-regulation push has thrown his environmental legacy into doubt and angered many in his own party.

www.politico.eu

...

Money that was going to benefits, to heat pumps, to net zero... all going to defence and security.

 

[KevinB]

And Trump's disruption is "enabling" other disruption.

Starmer faces down Labour rebels to drive through £6bn benefits cuts

The Prime Minister is expected to unveil measures that will affect around a million people claiming personal independence payments

www.telegraph.co.uk

Government’s cuts ‘will fail to solve benefits crisis’, say economists

Liz Kendall’s welfare reforms “lack vision and ambition” and will fail to solve Britain’s benefits crisis, economists have warned.

www.telegraph.co.uk

This is a once-in-a-generation moment for the security of our Continent

Labour will take the right decisions to keep our country safe as our defence spending commitments show

www.telegraph.co.uk

Why even Labour has realised the benefits system needs to be torn apart

Welfare spending squarely in the Work and Pensions Secretary’s sights amid suspicions PIP is being gamed by unscrupulous claimants

www.telegraph.co.uk

Germany expects economic stagnation in 2025 as coalition collapse stalls reforms

www.cleanenergywire.org

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/05/germanys-fiscal-u-turn-could-be-a-game-changer-for-the-countrys-sluggish-economy-analysts-say.html

Macron’s U-turn against EU green rules triggers internal revolt

The French president’s anti-regulation push has thrown his environmental legacy into doubt and angered many in his own party.

www.politico.eu

...

Money that was going to benefits, to heat pumps, to net zero... all going to defence and security.

I wouldn’t necessarily credit President Trump with that. Even with a stable America, the world is a lot more dangerous than the West has been willing to admit for a while.

The Axis of Evil is pushing as hard as they can, and the wants and desires of the West need to govern to the NEEDS.

 

[PrairieFella]

Great news on the new DEW line upgrades. I didn't realize Australia had more advanced radars than the Americans. Neat. This is exact kind of defence diversification we need, why not find better equipment frommore like-minded sources?

 

[Kirkhill]

I wouldn’t necessarily credit President Trump with that. Even with a stable America, the world is a lot more dangerous than the West has been willing to admit for a while.

The Axis of Evil is pushing as hard as they can, and the wants and desires of the West need to govern to the NEEDS.

the world is a lot more dangerous than the West has been willing to admit for a while.

Regardless of the plan or intent the effect has been a change in that willingness. I don't think that willingness would have eventuated had Biden or any other Bush-Obama president been in office.

The man may be loathsome. He may be unpredictable. His methods may be reprehensible. His intentions, at best, unclear. And perhaps his PER shouldn't get a leading change credit. He may not be leading change. But change is happening as a result of him.

 

[Cloud Cover]

A Venn diagram of Trump’s and Carney’s interests in China would be…interesting.

It would be a map of economic, scientific, political, financial and security threats. Hopefully someone is working on that.

 

[daftandbarmy]

It would be a map of economic, scientific, political, financial and security threats. Hopefully someone is working on that.

Speaking of Venn diagrams, this one makes Canada look pretty good....

Venn diagram comparing opportunities and barriers that each studied country is facing for blast furnace ironmaking. Countries within steel production set have iron and steel industry that has been identified as significant on the global market, those within bioenergy set as containing sufficiently large sustainably sourced biomass resources for iron making application, and countries with supporting national policies for adaptation of alternative fuel uses have been enclosed in the policy set. ​

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/enn-diagram-comparing-opportunities-and-barriers-that-each-studied-country-is-facing-for_fig4_325500632

 

[Kirkhill]

Some things we could be spending money on.

Poland and Baltic states lift bans on landmines​

Poland and the Baltic states have announced they are withdrawing from the global ban on anti-personnel mines, over the growing threat from Russia.

Poland said it had quit the 1997 Ottawa Treaty – as had its fellow Nato members Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – in order to stockpile landmines to protect its borders.

The move is a blow to anti-landmine campaigners, whose cause was famously championed by Diana, the late Princess of Wales.

Anti-personnel mines are considered a particular risk to children who find them unexploded, because they can be mistaken for toys.

But since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, they have been widely used by both sides and are acknowledged to be an effective way of slowing an enemy’s advance.

During the course of the Russo-Ukrainian War, objections have been raised by some NATO members which had signed the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, including Germany, France and the United Kingdom. However neither Ukraine nor the United States have signed the agreement. Several other NATO member states, including Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Poland, Romania, and Turkey, are also not signatories of this agreement, nor is Russia. Human Rights Watch has reported that at least 10 types of cluster munitions are already being used on the battlefield, including munitions which were left over from USSR weapons stockpiles, and including the use of cluster munitions by Russia since 2014. It is reported, though officially denied, that Turkey has provided other types of cluster munitions to Ukraine in the past.

Dual-purpose improved conventional munition - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

...

Are we going to get serious?