DND will fund Afghan mission out of its own budget next year

[Edward Campbell]

...

3.  As to too many people speaking?  It is an institution of people.  People speak.  To argue that people speaking is indicative of a lack of control is in the same league as arguing that people who survive in a controlled communist economy by barter don't understand capitalism and trade.  Communication, trade and barter:  It is who we are and what we do.  You can't change human nature.  You just have to work with it.

...

I have, gradually shifted position away from my long held view that the military (the CDS and his most senior henchmen) should be seen but not heard. I accept, albeit reluctantly, that:

1. The senior military staff has a duty to -

a. Tell the men and women in the CF what's going on, and why. The media is the best (most efficient and effective) way to do that. I may wish for the good old days when we stood around in cold, windy hollow squares to hear a few words from some old general, but I'm convinced Rick Hillier is doing the right thing the right way, and

b. Speak, through parliamentary committees or press briefings, to all Canadians - about what the CF is doing, how it does it, how much it all costs, and so on - but not why, that's a politician's job; and

2. The senior bureaucrats have a duty to explain defence policy and strategy and the concomitant financial and procurement matters to Canadians - through parliament and the Auditor General.

I see it as the duty of politicians to tell Canadians why they send our sailors, soldiers and aviators here and there to do this or that.

I don't object to many voices, nor should the PCO, but I hope each stays in his own lanes, as we say here.

 

[Kirkhill]

But, Kirkhill, I suggest that is exactly the problem: DND is, simultaneously:

1. A political portfolio - with a seat at the cabinet table;

2. A large, big spending department of government; and

3. The Canadian Forces.

That being said, it is not, must not be, I suggest, unreasonable to expect that DND will have one, single, relatively short and clear priority list (for each of policies and expenditures) which reflects, in some sensible order, political, bureaucratic and military priorities. It is equally reasonable, in my universe, to expect DND to put most of its efforts (time and money) into most of the items at/near the top of its list.

I think that most Canadians would see the DND as a collection of Soldiers first and foremost.  Bureaucrats are either there to serve the soldiery (co-opted and untrustworthy) or the politicians and the PCO (evil buggers intent on preventing Soldiers doing their jobs).  It may be true that DND IS actually just another Grey Flannel organization in Ottawa but the perception is decidedly Green.

Beyond that, I agree entirely, it is NOT unreasonable to expect a short, succinct, mutually acceptable list of priorities.  However, equally, it should not be impossible (although history suggests the contrary) to devise a short, succinct list of capabilities that are mutually acceptable to the soldiery, politicians and bureaucrats.  And I also agree that once priorities are established then, commonly, the joint effort is focused on the priorities.

Edit:  With respect to people staying in their lane - as you say we can only hope.  The remedy round about here seems to a large number of very loud voices yelling "Get back in your lane".

 

[retiredgrunt45]

The job of the privy council on defence matters as stated below. I got it from the privy council website itself.

http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/default.asp?Language=E&Page=InformationResources&Sub=publications&doc=Role/role2007_e.htm#6.1

8.0 FOREIGN AND DEFENCE POLICY ADVISOR TO THE PRIME MINISTER
The Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister supports the Prime Minister in his or her dealings with other heads of government and heads of state. This involves a variety of tasks ranging from providing policy advice to handling correspondence and arranging visits to Canada and foreign travel. The Advisor also communicates directly, on behalf of the Prime Minister, with foreign government representatives in Canada and senior officials of foreign leaders’ offices.

The Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister provides advice to Cabinet on major foreign policy and defence issues. In addition, he or she shares accountability with the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister for the effective operation of the Cabinet Committee for Foreign Affairs and National Security. Two secretariats (Security and Intelligence and the International Assessment Staff) report through the Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor to the National Security Advisor.

The Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat works with the Department of Finance, the Treasury Board Secretariat, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, the Canadian International Development Agency and National Defence on key policy and related funding issues. It also participates in or coordinates interdepartmental work on issues related to Canada’s international relations.

The PM gets advice right from Mr. Lynch and I will uphold my previous observation in saying that the privy council wants to put the brakes on military spending. I think that the biggest fear here to the council is giving the military what they need, "not what they want". There's a big difference. Giving the military what they need will cost plenty, but given the neglect over the past 30+ years, the council have no one to blame but themselves. After all it was they who gave advice to previous PM's on defence spending. That's not to say the PM has to follow that advice, but history shows us they most likely did. Some of the blame here also has to be with the PM. He being a economist himself, is probably reading from the same page as Lynch. So to quote Mr. Lynch's own words "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler". To this end the simplest thing would be to shut of the tap on defence spending.
Mean while the EI fiasco has a surplus of $54,000,000,000.00 "yes that's 9 zero's" of our money in a bank account. Isn't this also the privy councils responsibility as the head of the public service to monitor these matters. I haven't heard "Boo" about this from the council. I'd say they need to stop complaining about military mismanagement and start looking at the "quagmire" which is the public service and start by getting the rest of their house in order, before they go pointing fingers at the military for mismanagement. Because it would seem, their is an ample supply of mismanagement within the public service itself to go around. I state again that Lynch is targetting the military, because he would rather see it than hear it. With the war in Afghanistan, it is no only seen but heard, in a large part, thanks to a vocal CDS. This is what Lynch doesn't like, he would rather to see the by gone days, when the military took what they were given and were silent. Sorry Mr. Lynch but those days are hopefully gone.

 

[Edward Campbell]

I don't want to be put in the position of being Milnet.ca's defender of the political centre because, heaven knows, I've been a pretty verbal critic of the centre - here on Army.ca and elsewhere. But, I think we ought to recognize that there is an organizational/management malaise within DND, too. There has to be a reason that the mistrust of DND has been going on for so long that it is, for all intents and purposes, institutionalized.

I think there is some merit in all three of the complaints to which I referred a bit ago.

Because this is Milnet.ca, not Civilservice .ca, I feel more comfortable focusing on reforms which DND might make to itself rather than reforms someone might wish to make to the PCO.

 

[Kirkhill]

I don't want to be put in the position of being Milnet.ca's defender of the political centre .....

I think you have a ways to go before you need worry about that.  ;D

 

[retiredgrunt45]

I agree in part that DND is mismanaged to a point. But my point is this; it's no worse mismanaged than any other sector of the PS. This is what gets me hot under the collar when the council continues to point there dirty little fingers at DND, when many other sectors of the PS are no better managed than DND, but they don't get put under a microscope. Until some one can give me a definitive answer why this is, I rest my case.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Just start laying off base workers and decide to close some bases, I am sure the funding will be reviewed shortly theafter.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Well, not really. We used to joke that the baseline organization of the CF was 1R22eR in CFB Summerside. Summerside is no more. Ditto places from Moncton to Naniamo. The government can find the courage to be efficient, now and again.


Edit: typo - fixed superscript

 

[observor 69]

Well, not really. We used to joke that the baseline organization of the CF was 1R22[supe[/sup]R in CFB Summerside. Summerside is no more. Ditto places from Moncton to Naniamo. The government can find the courage to be efficient, now and again.

Well I was in Summerside during a number of attempts to close it down. Minister flies in, makes big base closure announcement, PEI Premier and MP's get on plane and fly to Ottawa, decision is reversed. I agree it was finally closed down but it was kept alive for years for purely political reasons and serves as a good example of the standard inefficiencies that DND is saddled with.
The fact that we were able to buy the C-17 off the shelf stands out as a rare rational move.