Canada moves to 2% GDP end of FY25/26 - PMMC

[Czech_pivo]

Great article in the Economist talking about DND/CAF planning driven by new threats emanating from the US. Not invasion. But things like a surge in migrants. Or the US not intervening when Russia lands in the Arctic.

https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2026/01/07/canadas-armed-forces-are-planning-for-threats-from-america

I don't see in the article where it suggests the US wouldn't intervene if Russia were to land in the Arctic. I'm pretty sure that under the "Donroe Doctrine" that if Canada were unable to respond to such an incursion that the US definitely would.

And then they just might not leave.

 

[Brad Sallows]

I don't see in the article where it suggests the US wouldn't intervene if Russia were to land in the Arctic. I'm pretty sure that under the "Donroe Doctrine" that if Canada were unable to respond to such an incursion that the US definitely would.

Trump could do it and then claim it as evidence that Canada doesn't deserve to own/control its Arctic.

 

[quadrapiper]

I don't see in the article where it suggests the US wouldn't intervene if Russia were to land in the Arctic. I'm pretty sure that under the "Donroe Doctrine" that if Canada were unable to respond to such an incursion that the US definitely would.

Equally, building a strategy and structure to handle Russians in the Arctic is a perfectly innocent way to discuss and prepare for defending Canadian soil from unwanted guests with a love of eagles and stars.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I don't see in the article where it suggests the US wouldn't intervene if Russia were to land in the Arctic. I'm pretty sure that under the "Donroe Doctrine" that if Canada were unable to respond to such an incursion that the US definitely would.

Based on his resolute and sterling response to other things RUS has done? We'll see ....

 

[Kirkhill]

Trump could do it and then claim it as evidence that Canada doesn't deserve to own/control its Arctic.

Agreed. We could lose it to any third party, have it taken from them by the Americans and lose it to them in perpetuity.

 

[ytz]

Full series of interviews of MGen Chris McKenna (Comdr 1 CAD) by The War Zone. And his interviews line up exactly with the projects being prioritized as I see at work. For those who want to know what's being pushed.

Canadian NORAD Commander's View On Future F-35 Fighter Force

Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna offers exclusive insights into what opportunities and challenges the F-35A will bring to his commands.

www.twz.com

Canadian NORAD Commander On What It Will Take To Defend The High North

Maj. Gen. McKenna offers exclusive insights into the growing threats to the Arctic from China and Russia, and what NORAD is doing about it.

www.twz.com

Canadian NORAD Commander Explains Urgent Need For Better Sensing

Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna offers exclusive insights on the need for new satellites, airborne radar jets, and the drone threat.

www.twz.com

 

[Halifax Tar]

And then they just might not leave.

Just like laws only being laws if they are enforced. What's ours is only ours if we are willing to defend it.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Just like laws only being laws if they are enforced. What's ours is only ours if we are willing to defend it.

What’s the old saying, procession is 9 tenths of the law.

 

[Halifax Tar]

What’s the old saying, procession is 9 tenths of the law.

Borders, Laws and Alliances are all just social contracts that depend on people getting a sense of value from so they continue following them.

All this can be blown apart and reestablished, and has been since Jesus was a cowboy.

We simply live in a part of the word that has been somewhat safe guarded from the instability and violence that is human history and that in fact most parts of the world have a living memory of or are still experiencing.

Hard times create strong men
Strong men create good times
Good times create weak men
Weak men create hard times <- You are here

 

[Brad Sallows]

What’s the old saying, procession is 9 tenths of the law.

But only 1/10th of a change of command parade.

 

[rnkelly]

Full series of interviews of MGen Chris McKenna (Comdr 1 CAD) by The War Zone. And his interviews line up exactly with the projects being prioritized as I see at work. For those who want to know what's being pushed.

Canadian NORAD Commander's View On Future F-35 Fighter Force

Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna offers exclusive insights into what opportunities and challenges the F-35A will bring to his commands.

www.twz.com

Canadian NORAD Commander On What It Will Take To Defend The High North

Maj. Gen. McKenna offers exclusive insights into the growing threats to the Arctic from China and Russia, and what NORAD is doing about it.

www.twz.com

Canadian NORAD Commander Explains Urgent Need For Better Sensing

Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna offers exclusive insights on the need for new satellites, airborne radar jets, and the drone threat.

www.twz.com

Very interesting interview. I got the sense that McKenna was pushing the envelope on various subjects. From threats & vulnerabilities to political subjects it was quite wide ranging and candid. Not sure that saying he needs ‘overmatch’ will be enough to get the desired outcome though. I’m not familiar with the website that did the interview but it’s strange; I feel like I understand the general’s intent more.

 

[CadNav]

I seem to recall an awful lot of 40 minute classes in front of a chalkboard.

I recall fewer days in the field practicing practical skills

I recall a lot fewer days on the ranges.

I recall very few collective training events.

My friend (we are both infantry) calls the reserves a "failed experiment." The reason why my friend (and many others) think that PRes is a "failed experiment" is not for one reason, but rather a combination of a lot of bad factors. When you have Sgt's that have only been in for 4 years, they have no experience, and it looks bad. When you have 4 or 5 guys working in the QM, getting paid on class B (so 7 days a week full days), who just sit around and do nothing all day and get the INF Pte's to do their work, it looks bad. When I'm 5'4, and get a 70 size parka and a large ruck with no waist belt, and I have to duct tape a pants belt because nobody wants to give me 3 cent made in China belt buckle, it looks bad. When I'm on training and my (PPCLI) instructor, smartest guy I ever met, is telling me that a lot of the things I learnt on the job are wrong (the PPCLI guy was right), and that there's a "reservist way" and a "right way," it looks bad. This one makes me feel really bad because if I went on deployment, or if a war is called, because I'm Infantry, the consequence is that I could die and make other people die because of my mistake, so it's important to know how to do a section attack properly (my section was the only one who could do a flanking, and the only one who did the final mission properly). One section walked on the point we were supposed to recce, along the airstrip, where the terrorists were supposed to be (the Sgt was there, this is not a Pte's fault). Another section had 20kg sandbags in their rucks the entirety of the three weeks field ex. It felt like my section was the only one who learnt anything.
I think time in reserve is summed up in one experience: another section Sgt told us on our one week field ex not to bring an extra set of CADPAT, and then we went swimming in a 50cm deep by 10m long mud puddle, and then they didn't have any clothes to change, and had to wear that soaking wet set of clothes, except I didn't have that problem because my section disobeyed the Sgt. Now, what I've learnt from that experience is not to trust your Sgt, because if you do, you'll have to run around and do stand too in muddy crusty clothes.

I find that I should be doing PT and section attacks instead of helping the QM and screwing around in the mess. One time I had the same exact class, same powerpoint three LHQ's in a row.

One of my Sgt's told someone to use a knife to cut the rust off the gun. Now there's no more blueing on that gun. I think that sums it up. I think that it's okay to make a mistake, but as a Sgt those are not the type of mistakes you're supposed to make. Sometimes I don't even know why there is a reserves.

 

[Eaglelord17]

My friend (we are both infantry) calls the reserves a "failed experiment." The reason why my friend (and many others) think that PRes is a "failed experiment" is not for one reason, but rather a combination of a lot of bad factors. When you have Sgt's that have only been in for 4 years, they have no experience, and it looks bad. When you have 4 or 5 guys working in the QM, getting paid on class B (so 7 days a week full days), who just sit around and do nothing all day and get the INF Pte's to do their work, it looks bad. When I'm 5'4, and get a 70 size parka and a large ruck with no waist belt, and I have to duct tape a pants belt because nobody wants to give me 3 cent made in China belt buckle, it looks bad. When I'm on training and my (PPCLI) instructor, smartest guy I ever met, is telling me that a lot of the things I learnt on the job are wrong (the PPCLI guy was right), and that there's a "reservist way" and a "right way," it looks bad. This one makes me feel really bad because if I went on deployment, or if a war is called, because I'm Infantry, the consequence is that I could die and make other people die because of my mistake, so it's important to know how to do a section attack properly (my section was the only one who could do a flanking, and the only one who did the final mission properly). One section walked on the point we were supposed to recce, along the airstrip, where the terrorists were supposed to be (the Sgt was there, this is not a Pte's fault). Another section had 20kg sandbags in their rucks the entirety of the three weeks field ex. It felt like my section was the only one who learnt anything.
I think time in reserve is summed up in one experience: another section Sgt told us on our one week field ex not to bring an extra set of CADPAT, and then we went swimming in a 50cm deep by 10m long mud puddle, and then they didn't have any clothes to change, and had to wear that soaking wet set of clothes, except I didn't have that problem because my section disobeyed the Sgt. Now, what I've learnt from that experience is not to trust your Sgt, because if you do, you'll have to run around and do stand too in muddy crusty clothes.

I find that I should be doing PT and section attacks instead of helping the QM and screwing around in the mess. One time I had the same exact class, same powerpoint three LHQ's in a row.

One of my Sgt's told someone to use a knife to cut the rust off the gun. Now there's no more blueing on that gun. I think that sums it up. I think that it's okay to make a mistake, but as a Sgt those are not the type of mistakes you're supposed to make. Sometimes I don't even know why there is a reserves.

Wait until you meet some of the Reg force duds.

My favourite was the PO1 who would get put ashore during workups and brought back on immediately afterwards because the whole chain knew he couldn’t pass so better to have him not there. There is people in every part of the CAF who shouldn’t be where they are at and it is only becoming more common with the lack of personnel to choose from.

 

[CadNav]

Wait until you meet some of the Reg force duds.

My favourite was the PO1 who would get put ashore during workups and brought back on immediately afterwards because the whole chain knew he couldn’t pass so better to have him not there. There is people in every part of the CAF who shouldn’t be where they are at and it is only becoming more common with the lack of personnel to choose from.

I've met some RegF guys, like a demoted (Sgt to Mcpl) on my course. Called everyone f**s, didn't seem to do much of anything but whinge and complain. I don't think he knew either, because every time someone made a mistake he'd just say that they were stupid and not try to explain whatsoever.
Another thing is that the Reg Force guys I meet in the reserves are ones that got "offloaded" to the reserves. We get all the people who get in trouble...

My friends course had Sgt. Slappy, the guy who did bop-it with the C7 on Cpl news network. He punched a whole through the wall...

 

[Cloud Cover]

Borders, Laws and Alliances are all just social contracts that depend on people getting a sense of value from so they continue following them.

All this can be blown apart and reestablished, and has been since Jesus was a cowboy.

We simply live in a part of the word that has been somewhat safe guarded from the instability and violence that is human history and that in fact most parts of the world have a living memory of or are still experiencing.

Hard times create strong men
Strong men create good times
Good times create weak men
Weak men create hard times <- You are here

Jesus was not a cowboy. Having looked around Edmonton Garrison, he was clearly a Dragoon.

 

[childs56]

My friend (we are both infantry) calls the reserves a "failed experiment." The reason why my friend (and many others) think that PRes is a "failed experiment" is not for one reason, but rather a combination of a lot of bad factors. When you have Sgt's that have only been in for 4 years, they have no experience, and it looks bad. When you have 4 or 5 guys working in the QM, getting paid on class B (so 7 days a week full days), who just sit around and do nothing all day and get the INF Pte's to do their work, it looks bad. When I'm 5'4, and get a 70 size parka and a large ruck with no waist belt, and I have to duct tape a pants belt because nobody wants to give me 3 cent made in China belt buckle, it looks bad. When I'm on training and my (PPCLI) instructor, smartest guy I ever met, is telling me that a lot of the things I learnt on the job are wrong (the PPCLI guy was right), and that there's a "reservist way" and a "right way," it looks bad. This one makes me feel really bad because if I went on deployment, or if a war is called, because I'm Infantry, the consequence is that I could die and make other people die because of my mistake, so it's important to know how to do a section attack properly (my section was the only one who could do a flanking, and the only one who did the final mission properly). One section walked on the point we were supposed to recce, along the airstrip, where the terrorists were supposed to be (the Sgt was there, this is not a Pte's fault). Another section had 20kg sandbags in their rucks the entirety of the three weeks field ex. It felt like my section was the only one who learnt anything.
I think time in reserve is summed up in one experience: another section Sgt told us on our one week field ex not to bring an extra set of CADPAT, and then we went swimming in a 50cm deep by 10m long mud puddle, and then they didn't have any clothes to change, and had to wear that soaking wet set of clothes, except I didn't have that problem because my section disobeyed the Sgt. Now, what I've learnt from that experience is not to trust your Sgt, because if you do, you'll have to run around and do stand too in muddy crusty clothes.

I find that I should be doing PT and section attacks instead of helping the QM and screwing around in the mess. One time I had the same exact class, same powerpoint three LHQ's in a row.

One of my Sgt's told someone to use a knife to cut the rust off the gun. Now there's no more blueing on that gun. I think that sums it up. I think that it's okay to make a mistake, but as a Sgt those are not the type of mistakes you're supposed to make. Sometimes I don't even know why there is a reserves.

These issues are not a Failed Reserve Force., it is a failed leadership at multiple levels.

If a unit Regular Force or Reserve is being run poorly that is on the COC, I have seen what a well tuned unit looks like along with what a badly run Unit is. Both Reg and Reserve. They both share a very similar traits. Good or poor leadership.

 

[CadNav]

These issues are not a Failed Reserve Force., it is a failed leadership at multiple levels.

If a unit Regular Force or Reserve is being run poorly that is on the COC, I have seen what a well tuned unit looks like along with what a badly run Unit is. Both Reg and Reserve. They both share a very similar traits. Good or poor leadership.

Maybe in Ontario, but where I'm from I don't see anything else. All (except maybe 1) of the units I know of were this way.
I know that there are good and bad units, but a reservist is trained to go on deployment, and when I see DP1 qualified guys not know how many are in a section or platoon, not know how to do section attack, and so on, it looks bad and I feel bad if they go on deployment and some RegF sgt has to explain to them how many are in a platoon.

Maybe it's that I live in a small town or something, but I find if at McDonald's, no matter where, you'll have (usually) the same quality of service, the military, especially infantry, should be able to do it...

 

[childs56]

Maybe in Ontario, but where I'm from I don't see anything else. All (except maybe 1) of the units I know of were this way.
I know that there are good and bad units, but a reservist is trained to go on deployment, and when I see DP1 qualified guys not know how many are in a section or platoon, not know how to do section attack, and so on, it looks bad and I feel bad if they go on deployment and some RegF sgt has to explain to them how many are in a platoon.

Maybe it's that I live in a small town or something, but I find if at McDonald's, no matter where, you'll have (usually) the same quality of service, the military, especially infantry, should be able to do it...

That's funny because Basic Training use to teach that stuff on numbers in sections etc. They would teach the very basic level of a section attack. One would have a bit of idea when they moved onto their trades training ie Infantry, Armored etc.
Some of the best Soldiers I ever worked with were Reservists. Maybe things have changed, there has always been a bit of a divide between Regular Force and Reserves. If the training is not up to a minimum level that falls back on the COC. It may not fall directly at the Sgt level in the unit, it more then likely goes up to Brigade as they have a responsibility to ensure standards are taught maintained and kept. That is if things are bad as you are saying they are.

 

[CadNav]

That's funny because Basic Training use to teach that stuff on numbers in sections etc. They would teach the very basic level of a section attack. One would have a bit of idea when they moved onto their trades training ie Infantry, Armored etc.
Some of the best Soldiers I ever worked with were Reservists. Maybe things have changed, there has always been a bit of a divide between Regular Force and Reserves. If the training is not up to a minimum level that falls back on the COC. It may not fall directly at the Sgt level in the unit, it more then likely goes up to Brigade as they have a responsibility to ensure standards are taught maintained and kept. That is if things are bad as you are saying they are.

They were Infantry DP1 trained... maybe it's a training thing, because on my DP1 I had courses thaught straight from the EO/PO's verbatim, obviously first time reading it... I think it was something about brass hitting the ground, and like you were supposed to know how far away someone was from the speed of sound, and then there was a math equation or something... how are you gonna hear brass hitting the ground when people are shooting at you???

On my BMQ we learnt the old drills too, because the instructor called the new drills "srupid", and we did also did scenes from various movies, for some reason (or we were supposed to, anyways)

Also, on BMQ, we had a guy with no beret because there were no berets, and his unit had the RQ... and he'd been working FTSE for about two months... and another guy no Canada flag. I just think no matter what regiment you are, especially in combat arms, when people ask you if you're in the military, you can affirmibly say "yes," because personally my body wants to say "no because military issues berets."

Also, on our PWT3 regimental exercise, two guys passed... they were both privates... all the sgts and mcpls failed...

 

[ytz]

Blackhawks about to be announced for SOF.

Article link removed by moderators IAW site policy not quoting a specific reporter due to past legal action.

And hopefully soon after Seahawks as the Cyclone replacement. Nice win-win way for both sides to get out of the Cyclone.

Interesting ideas emerging for nTACS. Especially if you consider that the only Canadian helicopter builder is the one building the Future Vertical Lift winner in the US. And that program calls for both medium lift and attack-reconnaisance platforms.