Canadian Forces portrayal in news media

[Medic36Canada]

Bravo Zulu to the CDS its about time someone in charge told it like it is. We are an army not a bunch of swarmy policemen. The left wing in canada needs to stay away from the military they are just going to weaken it.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Here is the text of an E-mail I sent, just minutes ago, to Edward Greenspon, editor-in-chief of the Globe and Mail:

Dear Sir;

I usually write to compliment you and the Globe's writers.  Not today.

André Picard makes a despicable comparison in "Letting the health-care genie out of the bottle".  He suggests that Canadian military personnel are, somehow or other, members of an 'elite' - along with Prime Minister Paul Martin and Todd Bertuzzi - who get "privileged treatment."  What arrant nonsense!  What total, complete, unadulterated rubbish.

Canadian sailors, soldiers and aviators are required to be fit to fight in order to protect their greed and envy driven fellow citizens, like Picard.  Does he suggest they should wait in line to have their wounds treated?

Picard needs to get some sand in his shoes and some brains in his head.  The Globe should apologize to the hundreds of Canadians who have been wounded in action over the past few years and to those who risk life and limb now.

Picard's article is unworthy to line the bottoms of birdcages.

Yours truly

Edward Campbell
Old, broken down retired army colonel

The above was in response to this, from today's Globe and Mail at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050819/DOCTORS19/TPNational/Canada

From: Letting the health-care genie out of the bottle
By: André Picard

Finally, Canadians themselves, most notably the elite (including Prime Minister Paul Martin and corporate CEOs) have breached the social covenant by getting their care in the private, for-profit system, and by creating laws that give privileged treatment to patients with workers compensation claims, the military and the RCMP.

 

[Cloud Cover]

Well sir, it seems that Globe will have a pretty clear understanding of your thoughts on the matter. Personally, I find the Globe newsprint to be to waxy for the bird cage, but it works fine for lining the puppy kennel.

 

[Jungle]

Here is the text of an E-mail I sent, just minutes ago, to Edward Greenspon, editor-in-chief of the Globe and Mail:

Should you receive a reply from the editors of the Globe & Mail, would you please post it here ??

Just curious... 

 

[Edward Campbell]

Should you receive a reply from the editors of the Globe & Mail, would you please post it here ??

Just curious... 

Here it is:

Mr. Campbell:

Thank you for your note.

I hope you understand that Mr. Greenspon is unable to respond personally to every e-mail he receives, but he does read all mail in his inbox, and appreciates feedback from our readers, positive and otherwise.     

I would be glad to pass your letter to our Letters Editor if you meant it as a candidate for that page in our paper.

Respectfully,

Judith McGill
Executive Assistant to the Editor-in-chief

My response will be that I want her to pass it to Picard, for his edification.

 

[Maritime_Matt]

There's an interesting profile of some reservists on training excercises in today's Toronto Star. All together, a very positive depiction.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1125268507150&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home

--

Reservists love their double lives


BRUCE CAMPION-SMITH
OTTAWA BUREAU

CFB PETAWAWAâ ”Most work days, you can find John Hill on the 36th floor of BCE Place, overlooking Toronto's harbour, where he toils as a recruiter for Barrick Gold.

Jason Morische is at home in Toronto's courts, where he defends people accused of everything from fraud to impaired driving.

Adam Harmes is a self-described "left-wing economist" who lectures on international political economies.

Waheed Obaidi, Jammie To and Thanuja Rukman are all getting ready to hit the books.

But last week they smeared on the camouflage paint, picked up a rifle and went to war â ” in the wilds of central Ontario.

They all lead double lives, pursuing full-time careers or studies while also doing duty in Canada's army reserves.

"This is so much different from what I do during the day," Morische said.

Sipping coffee from a tin cup, dressed in green combat clothing with a C7 rifle slung over his shoulder, this 32-year-old army captain couldn't be farther from the downtown courts where he makes his living.

He joined the reserves in 1997, drawn by the physical and mental demands of army life. "I wanted to see if I could hack it," he said.

He was among 3,200 reservists from Ontario, including more than 400 from Greater Toronto, who gathered at this military base northwest of Ottawa for the biggest exercise of the year, dubbed Stalwart Guardian.

The exercise, which wrapped up yesterday, comes at a time when Canadian defence policy is putting greater emphasis on the reserves, with military brass looking to these part-time troops to take on a bigger role in overseas missions.

For reservists, this nine-day drill, which is costing $5 million, is a chance to put all those nights and weekends of training to the test.

"Some people join because they need a job. The outdoorsy types are here.

"Some people want to serve ... their country," said Hill, who's the major in charge of Foxtrot company, about 126 soldiers.

The big appeal of the reserves, he said, is that the soldiers can maintain their involvement while pursuing a career.

"When you're younger, it's money, a part-time job.

"When you're older, you get more responsibility and it's good leadership training," Hill said.

Unlike reservists in the United States, Canada's part-time soldiers are not obligated to serve on missions. Going to places like Bosnia or Afghanistan is completely voluntary.

That has prompted some grumbling from troops in the regular forces, who can be dispatched at any time to a global hot spot.

Still, there is fierce competition for the overseas duties open to reserves, even though it typically involves a nine-month commitment â ” three months of training plus the six-month tour.

The Toronto Star spent two days in the bush with Hill's company, a unit comprising two Toronto-area regiments, the 48th Highlanders and Queen's Own Rifles, both based at the Moss Park armoury.

This is no easygoing summer camp. It's a gruelling slice of army life, with long days spent marching and drilling and short nights spent sleeping in the forest, sheltered by only a bivouac â ” along with tough discipline imposed by senior soldiers.

The soldiers dine on military rations, and while the food has gotten better in recent years, it's still a far cry from a home-cooked meal.

"When you've been in the army a while, you get a better appreciation for the little things in life â ” a hot meal, warm coffee, tea, a bed and sleep," chuckled Lt. Ben Lee, 21, who is studying history and political science at the University of Toronto.

One day last week, Hill's troops were given the tough task of capturing a bridge from enemy forces. It wasn't quite like A Bridge Too Far. But for these weekend warriors, it was real enough.

With the attack in full flight, the forest's serenity was shattered by staccato bursts of blanks fired from machine guns, the barked orders of commanders and loud bangs of explosives simulating artillery fire.

It was enough smoke and noise to do a Canada Day celebration proud.

Pte. Andrew Kyron, a 22-year-old studying business administration at Humber College, got a harsh lesson in the military meaning of "strategy" and "objectives."

An umpire â ” who decides which soldiers are "dead" and "injured" â ” took him out of action during the initial assault.

"He said I was standing up too long," Kyron said, clutching a red card that read: "Gun shot, left arm."

Cpl. Tony Scotta wasn't so lucky. The 14-year reserve veteran, who works as a civil engineer in Toronto designing commercial and industrial buildings, was nailed by an enemy sniper.

But Scotta was still able to boast that he took out an armoured vehicle with his Carl Kustav, a heavy anti-tank weapon.

And though his "life" had ended, Scotta was beaming as the machine guns fired all around him.

"Love it," he said, grinning. "The adventure, the camaraderie, learning about warfare."

Cpl. Thanuja Rukman, of Markham, made it across the bridge, blazing away with her C7 rifle, only to buy the farm on the other side.

Like many students, she initially joined the reserves for the money. It helped pay her tuition.

"Here I am, four years later," said Rukman, a political science major at York University.

And while there are other ways to make money, "none are as much fun," she said, resting on the forest floor, propped up against a tree stump.

Pte. Jammie To, a health sciences student at the University of Waterloo, had the heavy task of slogging a bulky C6 machine gun.

But To's efforts paid off. The weapon, capable of spitting out 1,000 rounds a minute, kept enemy heads down during the attack.

"It's a completely different experience. Being a student, you sit around on your ass a lot," she said.

"My dad was surprised when I joined. He's proud that I've managed to stay in for so long."

Many of the young recruits acknowledged that they joined for the money â ” a private's pay starts at $77.90 a day â ” and the adventure. But many said a sense of duty and patriotism contributed to their decision as well.

"When I first joined, I was just in it for the pay. But now it means so much more, when it comes to brotherhood, serving your country, making friends," said Obaidi, 19.

Born in Afghanistan and a speaker of Farsi, the young private says he was partly inspired to join this past spring by Canada's military commitment to his war-torn homeland. It's his dream to do a tour with Canadian troops now serving in Afghanistan.

He admits to having been a "goofball" in the past, but says a summer in the army has changed all that.

"You learn discipline; you become more mature," said Obaidi, who will be studying criminology at the University of Guelph in September.

The reserves, explained Brig. Gen. Gary O'Brien, are the "people's army."

"These soldiers are everything from lawyers to students to factory workers to white-collar workers ... You'll find almost every occupation is represented," said O'Brien, who is a reservist himself. Out of uniform, he's a manager with General Dynamics Land Systems Canada.

"These are great Canadians. These are people who are willing to contribute a significant amount of time learning something very unpleasant like war fighting in order to protect their fellow citizens," O'Brien said.

The reserves may once have been considered "amateur" soldiers and poor cousins of the regular forces, he said, but they're taken seriously now.

"We've seen great improvements in our equipment; we've seen a new focus on our training and a new focus from senior leadership," said O'Brien, the officer conducting this week's drill.

And he said the reservists take the role seriously too â ” and the potential risks that go with it.

"They are not playing at this. The soldiers that are here are focused on developing a real capability," O'Brien said.

"They're focused on making sure their training is relevant to protecting Canadians and to protect people around the world," he said.

It's perhaps a testament to their skills that 250 of the reservists taking part in this week's exercise are expected to volunteer to join Canada's dangerous duties in Afghanistan over the coming year.

 

[the 48th regulator]

A brilliant article,

Couldn't have picked a better regiment, and the fellow interviewed top notch, in fact Jason Morische is a member here!!

Should have plugged us, Will talk to him about that.

dileas

tess

 

[patrick666]

I think he's the kick in the ass we needed... I don't know too much about him but that article definitely sums up his perspectives and I'd have to agree with 'em..

Cheers

 

[Armymedic]

Excellent article.

 

[hayterowensound]

that article makes me even more excited to get back in.

 

[Ranman]

Kind of an info capsule on the Forces. CF for civillians, perhaps? Also lots of interesting links. Seems to further perpetuate the myth of "Canada as peace-keeper"- although being a mouthpiece for the gov't, I suppose this is to be expected.

--

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/cdnmilitary/

As long as blue paint and rifles are cheap the Canadian Goverment will keep pulling the peace keeper con on the Canadian public.

The Canadian Goverment spends its money on one thing. To get re-elected.

When you live next door to a super power you can take a unethical advatage.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Notwithstanding the merits of Martin's argument re: sole source procurement in today's Globe and Mail, the tone of the comment is designed to stir up the loony left.  I suspect that Redneck Rick will stick.

There is a near-perfect case for sole source for new Hercs and Chinooks (I have no technical opinion on the airplanes) based on cooperative logistics and (re)training.  The case for sole source for a SAR AC is much weaker.  I'll leave it to the folks in the Fixed wing SAE replacement forum - http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/23889.180.html - to sort out which aircraft is 'right' but if, big IF, Bombardier does want a piece of the action then they'll probably get it because  Québec contracts have, consistently, outgunned operational requirements since 1967.

The point of Martin's article, however, is not to attack the operational requirements, it is to discredit the military and defence spending.  He wants Martin, the other Martin, to follow Chrétien's popular path of starving the forces and being slightly anti-American; to pander, in other words, to the very large minority of Canadians who share those views.  Martin (the Globe's Martin) wants Martin (the one at 24 Susses Drive) to win a majority and he thinks that spending $6 billion on DND will hurt the Liberals.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050901.wxcomartin01/BNStory/National/

The big-bang (one bidder) procurement plan

BY LAWRENCE MARTIN

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 UPDATED AT 3:50 AM EDT
FROM THURSDAY'S GLOBE AND MAIL

Last we heard from General Rick Hillier, he was calling the enemy "detestable murderers and scumbags." Since our military chiefs are usually a few shades less colourful, Redneck Rick triggered a storm.

Now the good general has got the town buzzing again -- this time with a big-bang plan to overturn Ottawa's sloth-ridden procurement practices and fast-track the acquisition of a new fleet of 50 planes at a cost of $6-billion.

The plan is to ram a deal favouring mainly American companies -- no other bidders need apply -- through cabinet before Christmas.

Makes sense, say the boys at the Defence Department. The new planes -- heavy-lift helicopters, search and rescue aircraft, and cargo vehicles -- are badly needed to replace our creaking craft, especially when we've got grunts in Afghanistan who are vulnerable without the right stuff. The planes they're using now are three and four decades old.

Go the usual procurement route, supporters of the proposal say, and you wait for almost a generation. Indeed, the Defence Department did a study a while back. Average time for a military purchase from the concept stage to actual acquisition? Seventeen years!

Enter Redneck Rick, the blunt Newfoundlander with a bolder military vision than peacekeeping. "We are the Canadian Forces," he said, "and our job is to be able to kill people."

Gen. Hillier has experience working with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and other places. He also has experience working with Paddy O'Donnell, a former vice-chief of the defence staff who now heads CFN Consultants, the lobby group trying to sell the Liberal government on the new aircraft. When Gen. Hillier headed up the National Defence Headquarters Secretariat, he reported directly to Mr. O'Donnell.

The connections -- there are others between CFN and key players in the defence boardrooms -- have aroused some suspicions. Opponents of the big-bang plan see a cozy old boys' network trying to get Defence Minister Bill Graham to approve it.

It's rare to have no competitive bidding -- sole sourcing, as it's called -- on the purchase of one type of aircraft, let alone three. Competitive bidding would likely save at least $1-billion on the new planes, and that's no small change.

Competition might also give Canada's Bombardier a chance at the contract on one of the aircraft -- the fixed wing search and rescue. Bombardier's representatives say the company would be able to modify one of their aircraft, the Dash 8, to fit the requirements. Why give the jobs to the Americans, they say, after what they've done to
Canada on softwood lumber? Other potential bidders on the contracts are Europe's Airbus, which is producing a military transport craft, the A400M.

You can avoid other bidders by using an old trick: You make the technical requirements for the planes so specific that only the company you have in mind can fulfill them.

"The military has basically decided what aircraft they want," a senior Defence Department source said. "They don't want a competitive process."

A lobbyist for one of the companies being overlooked was not amused. "Any other defence minister would look these guys in the eye and say bull. It wouldn't even get to the table."

Mr. Graham has yet to state a preference. But the pressure is building. Yesterday, the Defence Department staged a briefing for top bureaucrats from other departments to try to bring them on board.

Gen. Hillier, who is, indeed, a breath of fresh air, has some support among the politicians. His argument -- We're in Kandahar and I don't have this and I don't have that and we can't wait forever -- is a strong one for accelerating the procurement system. On that issue, there appears to be agreement. Mr. Graham has long favoured procurement reform.

But is ramming through a $6-billion deal without competitive bidding the way to go?

© Copyright 2005 Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved. ​

CFN is a consulting firm in Ottawa - caveat lector: a few of my friends work there, a couple (retired generals and ADMs) are pretty high up.  It is named after a retired ADM(Mat) (Crutchlow), a retired (AF Engineer) general (Friedel) and a retired DM of DND (Nixon); three clued in, exceptionally well connected guys who did (and the company still does) good work.  There is no doubt that the relationship between CFN and NDHQ is close, incestuous is probably not too strong a word.  The CFN guys have Access, with a capital A.

Martin, Lawrence Marin, is plugged in too and this piece is a really well aimed shot at DND.  The counter-offensive has begun.

 

[Infanteer]

Wierd, the guy says Gen Hillier is a breath of fresh air, that the CF needs these aircraft in a bad way, and that the "take no prisoners - we know what we want" approach will save the taxpayer (and the military) a billion bucks, but he still shits on it with a "counteroffensive"?

Talk about letting the tail wag the dog.

 

[George Wallace]

He's just trying to please 'all' the people, 'all' the time, to sell papers...

 

[Mr.PhatRat]

In reference to the CBC Viewpoint articles, since they are still locked out you can find similiar articles now in the Ottawa Sun, and other interest articles in October of Esprit de Corps.
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/2005/09/16/pf-1219218.html
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/2005/09/24/1233140-sun.html

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Bit of a shamless plug offering your articles up in the third person isn't it? :

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

and in October for Esprit de Corps

... and this guarantees I won't be reading.  :

 

[George Wallace]

Bit of a shamless plug offering your articles up in the third person isn't it? :

George says this could be a bad sign.   Perhaps he needs to see a 'Doc' right away?   Talking to oneself isn't too bad if under stress; it is when you start carrying on conversations with yourself that gets people really worried.    ;D

 

[Mr.PhatRat]

That third person offering was for people who didnt realize it was me !!  :threat:  And as for talking to myself, heck I do that all the time, dont you??

 

[George Wallace]

.....   And as for talking to myself, heck I do that all the time, dont you??

;D  Could be the company you keep.  ;D