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

[Halifax Tar]

@dapaterson thank you! I appreciate your insight.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

So... It's complicated.

The majority of MFRCs are independent charities with agreements with DND/CAF and funded through payments through CFMWS.

And run by a board of volunteers.

 

[ytz]

Do Base Commanders not not have sway over their bases PSP/NPF functions, through CFMWS, which the MFRC is one of ?

As discussed further, they have limited away. And I get that. But isn't this what leadership is all about? You advocate for your people and bitch about it to every single person you can until it get fixed?

It's not that I don't think LCOLs and COLs on a base aren't sympathetic. I just don't think they necessarily understand how important this can be operationally. Unlike what I saw in the US.

 

[KevinB]

As discussed further, they have limited away. And I get that. But isn't this what leadership is all about? You advocate for your people and bitch about it to every single person you can until it get fixed?

It's not that I don't think LCOLs and COLs on a base aren't sympathetic. I just don't think they necessarily understand how important this can be operationally. Unlike what I saw in the US.

One large difference is that a lot of bases down here are ecosystems unto themselves. You can (and need) to do a lot of things differently with a base that houses a larger force than the entire Canadian Army.

The Joint Bases were an attempt at making the scale even more economical (and the Army really appreciated the benefits and customer service side aspect of the USN and USAF base mentalities expanding into the Army).

The CAF tying itself to the PS did a number of disservice’s to members, as while it helped with pay at some levels, it resulted in a total gut of support features and IMHO actually sat more members back than those who benefited.

 

[Halifax Tar]

As discussed further, they have limited away. And I get that. But isn't this what leadership is all about? You advocate for your people and bitch about it to every single person you can until it get fixed?

It's not that I don't think LCOLs and COLs on a base aren't sympathetic. I just don't think they necessarily understand how important this can be operationally. Unlike what I saw in the US.

I completely agree with you. I was just trying to clarify the reporting route for MFRCs for my own interest. My trade is taking over much NPF function so its an interesting adjacent topic atm.

 

[Cloud Cover]

So... It's complicated.

The majority of MFRCs are independent charities with agreements with DND/CAF and funded through payments through CFMWS.

I think it’s very important these MFRC are set up independently, with their own boards, insurance and budgets. DND contribution should be limited to funding and financial oversight. Having a base commander and the CoC in the line of sight for all of the legal liabilities of running a day care is an unnecessary distraction.

 

[PrairieFella]

I thought regiments were family.

They certainly can be. My reserve regiment will be sending volunteers to shovel my garage and sidewalk this winter so my wife doesnt have to while Im on deployment, theyll be doing checkins to make she's doing alright and the association sends a kickass care package about halfway through tour. Just like any regiment, it depends on the people and the effort they want to put in.

 

[PrairieFella]

Good news this morning - politico reporting Canada has been accepted into SAFE.

Canada clinches deal to join Europe’s €150B defense scheme

The deal concludes months of tough talks and will allow Ottawa to take part in procurements financed by the EU’s SAFE program.

www.politico.eu

 

[daftandbarmy]

They certainly can be. My reserve regiment will be sending volunteers to shovel my garage and sidewalk this winter so my wife doesnt have to while Im on deployment, theyll be doing checkins to make she's doing alright and the association sends a kickass care package about halfway through tour. Just like any regiment, it depends on the people and the effort they want to put in.

So that would be unlike my unit (a few years ago) that had a CO who mandated that any troop deploying on operations had to turn in their full DEU so, if they were KIA, the unit wouldn't have to go ask the bereaved family for their kit back.

 

[dapaterson]

So that would be unlike my unit (a few years ago) that had a CO who mandated that any troop deploying on operations had to turn in their full DEU so, if they were KIA, the unit wouldn't have to go ask the bereaved family for their kit back.

Kilted regiments, don't ever change.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Kilted regiments, don't ever change.

The best part was they way they 'harvested' the kit... after a big parade they just handed each of them a bag and invited them to fill it with their kit before they left that night

 

[Cloud Cover]

Good news this morning - politico reporting Canada has been accepted into SAFE.

Canada clinches deal to join Europe’s €150B defense scheme

The deal concludes months of tough talks and will allow Ottawa to take part in procurements financed by the EU’s SAFE program.

www.politico.eu

Oh wow. McGuinty wont say how much we have to pay to join, so that we can buy European equipment and help to defend Europe.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we are in, but I'm sick and tired of seeing Ottawa agreeing to have this country continuously get hosed by Europe.

For all we have done for them in the past 100 years, we should be in without any fee and have priority on everything there is to be offered or sold. Feeling grinch towards the Eurotrash this morning.

 

[MilEME09]

Oh wow. McGuinty wont say how much we have to pay to join, so that we can buy European equipment and help to defend Europe.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we are in, but I'm sick and tired of seeing Ottawa agreeing to have this country continuously get hosed by Europe.

For all we have done for them in the past 100 years, we should be in without any fee and have priority on everything there is to be offered or sold. Feeling grinch towards the Eurotrash this morning.

so preferential access to 150B in potential work for canadian companies is getting hosed now? The deal isn't fully inked so once its 100% official and signed we will get the details, but its likely final negotiations are still on going thus why he wont comment

 

[Cloud Cover]

so preferential access to 150B in potential work for canadian companies is getting hosed now? The deal isn't fully inked so once its 100% official and signed we will get the details, but its likely final negotiations are still on going thus why he wont comment

Europe is where 95% of our lads are buried. We should never forgive Europe for that, never mind who started it and who dragged us in and whatever the arrangement in Europe are right now. It's their fault for letting things get to that point, and it always will be. We should never let them off the hook for that. I want our vaunted PM and Defence Minister to publicly make that clear, because if they do not then you know exactly who will. If he does not, it just looks like Europe is extorting money to be part of a club and that's no different behaviour than Trumps tariffs.

And they should always pay their respects and grant us extra consideration. No pushback, no talk back, no smug European BS. They should feel an obligation to open the door and forget the door charge. For once we need them, and it looks like they they want to charge a a multi billion dollar access fee that our government won't even admit of it's existence. It's complete BS, even the CBC has picked up on that.

 

[ytz]

So that would be unlike my unit (a few years ago) that had a CO who mandated that any troop deploying on operations had to turn in their full DEU so, if they were KIA, the unit wouldn't have to go ask the bereaved family for their kit back.

WTAF?

 

[Czech_pivo]

Europe is where 95% of our lads are buried. We should never forgive Europe for that, never mind who started it and who dragged us in and whatever the arrangement in Europe are right now. It's their fault for letting things get to that point, and it always will be. We should never let them off the hook for that. I want our vaunted PM and Defence Minister to publicly make that clear, because if they do not then you know exactly who will. If he does not, it just looks like Europe is extorting money to be part of a club and that's no different behaviour than Trumps tariffs.

And they should always pay their respects and grant us extra consideration. No pushback, no talk back, no smug European BS. They should feel an obligation to open the door and forget the door charge. For once we need them, and it looks like they they want to charge a a multi billion dollar access fee that our government won't even admit of it's existence. It's complete BS, even the CBC has picked up on that.

Well, I can tell you from first hand experience back in 93-94 into early 95 when I was flying into Schiphol airport in A'dam as a university student in Belgium and the Netherlands that I never had my CDN passport stamped once. When I'd get up to passport control and start handing over my passport the Agent would ask what I was doing in the Netherlands. When I said I was a student at Erasmus University he'd hand my passport back over without opening it or stamping it. Happened about a 1/2 dozen times over that time period.
And when visiting family lying in Bretteville sur Laize in Cintheaux Normandy, the people in that area would bend over backwards to make us feel welcome and respected.

It depends what part/area of Europe you talking about. Just like the US and Canada, Europe is a great big place - with alot more cultural and linguistic differences. I don't expect anyone in Germany or Austria or Switzerland or Spain, etc, etc, to have any need to be showing Canada or Canadians any real gratitude. There are a handful of countries where I would, but for the majority I don't. Ireland would be another that I'd expect zero gratitude from, if anything, depends on that Irish person's voting pattern, I'd expect some disgust from our lock step approval/support of Israel up until recently.

 

[ytz]

Europe is where 95% of our lads are buried. We should never forgive Europe for that, never mind who started it and who dragged us in and whatever the arrangement in Europe are right now. It's their fault for letting things get to that point, and it always will be. We should never let them off the hook for that. I want our vaunted PM and Defence Minister to publicly make that clear, because if they do not then you know exactly who will. If he does not, it just looks like Europe is extorting money to be part of a club and that's no different behaviour than Trumps tariffs.

And they should always pay their respects and grant us extra consideration. No pushback, no talk back, no smug European BS. They should feel an obligation to open the door and forget the door charge. For once we need them, and it looks like they they want to charge a a multi billion dollar access fee that our government won't even admit of it's existence. It's complete BS, even the CBC has picked up on that.

There's not that many left in Europe anymore who lived through WWII. So no, I wouldn't expect the same deference as we get further away from that time.

On the topic, we're rumoured to be paying in 1-2% and will get a proportional share back in business.

Canadians are about to discover that the European defence sector is next level on workshare politics, compared to the US.

 

[daftandbarmy]

WTAF?

Indeed... and these are the leaders who tend to do well