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Military budget squeeze limits paid Remembrance Day participation in Ontario

daftandbarmy

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Of course, because we don't want to look too good in public these days. I wonder if they'll bring back the pink paysheets, for unpaid attendance, just for old time's sake. ;)

Military budget squeeze limits paid Remembrance Day participation in Ontario​

Southwest Ontario reservists told attendance capped at 50 per unit, can attend unpaid​


A military reserve unit in southwestern Ontario has imposed a cap on the number of soldiers it is willing to pay to attend Remembrance Day services this year, CBC News has learned.

A series of leaked internal emails involving members of 31 Canadian Brigade show internal budget restraints imposed across the military have forced local commanders to limit paid attendance to 50 troops per unit.

The brigade, which is headquartered at Wolseley Barracks in London, Ont., has 13 units, which are sprinkled across the region, including St. Thomas, Waterloo and Hamilton.

As complaints from reservists filtered out and CBC News asked questions of the Department of National Defence, the chief of staff for the brigade — Lt.-Col. Anthony Ross — wrote a follow-up note on Oct. 27 describing the cap as necessary "in light of financial pressures."

He said it had come to his attention that some "personnel are speaking negatively to the media about this cap."

Ross emphasized that troops "are still free to attend ceremonies in uniform in the crowd on a voluntary unpaid basis."

 
This has absolutely got to be a comms frig-up at a much more local level. If this is sanctioned above CBG level I’d be amazed.
 
Of course, because we don't want to look too good in public these days. I wonder if they'll bring back the pink paysheets, for unpaid attendance, just for old time's sake. ;)

Military budget squeeze limits paid Remembrance Day participation in Ontario​

Southwest Ontario reservists told attendance capped at 50 per unit, can attend unpaid​


A military reserve unit in southwestern Ontario has imposed a cap on the number of soldiers it is willing to pay to attend Remembrance Day services this year, CBC News has learned.

A series of leaked internal emails involving members of 31 Canadian Brigade show internal budget restraints imposed across the military have forced local commanders to limit paid attendance to 50 troops per unit.

The brigade, which is headquartered at Wolseley Barracks in London, Ont., has 13 units, which are sprinkled across the region, including St. Thomas, Waterloo and Hamilton.

As complaints from reservists filtered out and CBC News asked questions of the Department of National Defence, the chief of staff for the brigade — Lt.-Col. Anthony Ross — wrote a follow-up note on Oct. 27 describing the cap as necessary "in light of financial pressures."

He said it had come to his attention that some "personnel are speaking negatively to the media about this cap."

Ross emphasized that troops "are still free to attend ceremonies in uniform in the crowd on a voluntary unpaid basis."


So, about that 2%.

I know people said we met it. I've been saying for a year, I don't see it at the coal face.
 
If this is true in its entirety (and I trust the reporter more than I trust the outlet he's working for), here's hoping nothing needing medical assistance happens to anyone who shows up unpaid ...

Meanwhile, bigger-picture take from the Sun.
 
I mean, we've been hearing about budget cuts for about a month now, I'm not surprised that it has finally hit the media.
 
Or someone has found an interesting way of bringing funding shortfalls to the public's attention.
I’m not prepared to believe anything nefarious about this situation. I think a realistic worst case is a questionable judgment call, probably somewhat spun up out of proportion in the rapid spreading of the narrative. Most of the time when someone steps on a rake they aren’t playing 4D chess.
 
He said it had come to his attention that some "personnel are speaking negatively to the media about this cap."

I think we all know what that tone means.
 
I think this is the Bde Comd’s initiative. Just a feeling .
In the article it mentions that a Div spokesman stood by the Bde Comd who is working within their budgetary means. Maybe its a nuclear option the Comd took to avoid cancelling something important, who knows. Someone buy the poor 2 Div PAFO a drink though, theyve needed it this month.

Ive never seen it this bad in my entire reserve career from the end of Afghanistan to now. I can confidently say morale is in the toilet ARes-wide. Lots of indispensable mid-level ranks (MCpl-WO, Lt) grumbling about releases lately. If things dont improve near-term I can see things getting hairy. Maybe thats exactly what NDHQ wants. Idk.
 
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