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

[Kirkhill]

So long as those broader, loftier goals are baked into the CAF recruiting and training systems, then good.

Absolutely. It is a benefit to society. The cost should be borne by society. There will be a cost to the Forces but it should be financed appropriately.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

It depends if you see training young minds as a benefit to society.

And if you see the forces as a contributor to that process.

Wolf Cub, Boy Scout, Cadet....Militiaman, Soldier, Tech, Officer?

Pretty much was my exact trajectory.

The only difference I see in my own kids is that there is a general nihilism in Gen A after the last decade of turmoil, both internationally and domestically.

I grew up in the 90s. There was still a lot of hope towards the future. There was a country and a world worth being a good citizen for.

Most folks between the ages of 18 and 25 have grown up with the Afghan > Iraq > Syrian> Ukrainian > Iran world conflict raging. Most Canadian kids that age were school age for the "post-national" non-sense, the "Every Child Matters" Orange Shirt Days, and seeing how horribly we throw others to the wolves during the COVID19 pandemic.

Kids leaving high-school thisnyear face a potential World War, a shrinking job market due to AI, some of the highest CoL in history, in a system they have been taught isn't worth putting faith into.

If we want to raise a civic-minded youth into a civic-minded adult (or wince "citizen soldier"), we need to be a nation worth giving a shit about.

I like to think that for all its faults, "Canada Strong" and "Elbows Up" have done something to change this narrative (even if its mostly bluster).

 

[DBNSG]

Pretty much was my exact trajectory.

The only difference I see in my own kids is that there is a general nihilism in Gen A after the last decade of turmoil, both internationally and domestically.

I grew up in the 90s. There was still a lot of hope towards the future. There was a country and a world worth being a good citizen for.

Most folks between the ages of 18 and 25 have grown up with the Afghan > Iraq > Syrian> Ukrainian > Iran world conflict raging. Most Canadian kids that age were school age for the "post-national" non-sense, the "Every Child Matters" Orange Shirt Days, and seeing how horribly we throw others to the wolves during the COVID19 pandemic.

Kids leaving high-school thisnyear face a potential World War, a shrinking job market due to AI, some of the highest CoL in history, in a system they have been taught isn't worth putting faith into.

If we want to raise a civic-minded youth into a civic-minded adult (or wince "citizen soldier"), we need to be a nation worth giving a shit about.

I like to think that for all its faults, "Canada Strong" and "Elbows Up" have done something to change this narrative (even if its mostly bluster).

I think we Canadians have supercharged our ability, no National sport, of chopping the Tall Poppy by absolutely not giving two FUCKS about Trump or the MAGA twits that elected him. It has confirmed in many Canadians minds the worst of what many Canadians think of Americans. Boomers leading the way. The younger Generations will hopefully put down their phones and re connect . To something.