Government hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

I have long said that you could fund the CAF to 4 percent of GDP, but we would still lag behind in NATO and be much the same where we are.

It's never the money, it's politics. It's procedures. It's the pork-barreling in our defence spending that makes us a paper tiger in NATO.

My only hope in all of this for the CAF and the GoC, whatever the political stripe that may be, is that it will rouse them out of the "Peace Dividend" slumber. The world has been unstable since 1945. We have used geography, proximity, and association as a Defence Policy ever since. ICBMs don't care how close to the U.S. or how far from Russia/China we are.

Don't give us a dime more, but let us spend money on defence like it matters. The fact we follow the same rules for purchasing a fighter aircraft as we do for buying office furniture for a Service Canada office is disgraceful. Don't treat defense procurement as a stimulus package for Canadian Industry. There I said it.

We spend so much money, time, and effort trying to get that money to stay in Canada; be it by awarding contracts to companies with no capability to produce items without first "retooling" and"developing the production lines", or by hamstringing perfectly competent and competitive bidders by forcing the project to be made in St. Margaret de Poutain de Champignon, QC because the ruling government either lost the seat in the election, or won it with promises.

We spend so much money and staff hours jumping through TBS regulations that are great for other departments, but are terrible for defence procurement. Some items you have to sole source, because there are technologies and capabilities no one else makes. By doing the bid process, you get companies clamoring for a project they can't deliver on, but because they tick the bright boxes on the score sheet....

I truly and honestly belief we need to split from PSPC and legislate that its not beholden to TBS, only to the PBO/PCO. The guiding principles of this new Defence Procurement department should be "Off the shelf, from somewhere else" if there isn't an industry in Canada.

BOOTFORGEN has demonstrated how well we do when we are able to actually get what we need, instead of lining the pockets of a Canadian company that got lucky.

That, but with tanks, fighters, ships, weapons systems....

 

[markppcli]

Many in the RCCS have asked. We have received a "hard no" from both MPC and the Sigs Mafia. Why? "Well it's out of trade and we need people doing the business...."

Yes. That's the point. Have people who know what the hell they're talking about sell the trades for what they are, not what someone thinks they ought to be; then maybe you'll have MORE people doing the business.

I mentioned IS Tech becoming a thing in a Facebook post 2019, and a friend who was a recruiter asked offline for an ELI5 from me because, shockingly, CFRG had no idea the Corps was restructuring and was still pushing ACISS as a thing.

I showed the recruiter in Canada Place, Downtown Edmonton, how to access ACIMS and what aitis was. “So I can see all the courses some one would go on?” “Yup” “wooowwwww”

 

[dapaterson]

CMP: "Hello, Navy, Army and Air Force. please give us your DP1 course schedules so we can work to align recruiting"

Listening silence.


Occ restructuring: Until a MSEIP is signed, the old occs remain. And recruiting SIP will be allocated based on the AMOR process. So, if the branch does not signal at AMOR the changes and their timeline to implement, all CFRG will see is the SIP.

"Why doesn't CFRG know things that the ECSes don't tell them?"

 

[OldSolduer]

CMP: "Hello, Navy, Army and Air Force. please give us your DP1 course schedules so we can work to align recruiting"

Listening silence.


Occ restructuring: Until a MSEIP is signed, the old occs remain. And recruiting SIP will be allocated based on the AMOR process. So, if the branch does not signal at AMOR the changes and their timeline to implement, all CFRG will see is the SIP.

"Why doesn't CFRG know things that the ECSes don't tell them?"

Does anyone talk to anyone in Ottawa? I mean beside the two Class B corporal clerks.....

 

[dapaterson]

Does anyone talk to anyone in Ottawa? I mean beside the two Class B corporal clerks.....

Short answer: sometimes.

Problems arise when people are incentivized to stay in their box, instead of reaching out and communicating.

 

[Kirkhill]

Reuters ...

Analysis: Canada pressured by allies to up military spending​

By Steve Scherer
June 29, 20234:03 AM MDTUpdated 2 days ago



[1/2]Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg near a Canadian Forces CF-18 Hornet fighter aircraft during their visit to CFB Cold Lake in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada August 26, 2022. Adam Scotti/Prime Minister's Office/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

OTTAWA, June 29 (Reuters) - Canada is expected to boost military spending after a government review next month, but the increase is unlikely to comfort allies facing new threats and it could further undermine the country's international military credibility, policy analysts said.
Canada's lagging military investments are well known, but threats have grown more serious with Russia waging war in Ukraine on the NATO alliance's doorstep and vast areas of the Arctic becoming more accessible because of climate change.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned after a visit to the Canadian Arctic last August that Russia and China were forming a strategic partnership that challenged the Western military alliance's values and interests.

At 1.29% of GDP in 2022, Canada's defense spending as a percentage of GDP is about the same as it was in the late 1990s, according to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and well below the 2% target for its members. The 2022 average spending for all of NATO was 2.58% of GDP.

Canada, a founding NATO member, is expected to pledge an increase in defense expenditure when it releases a broad assessment of military needs just before a July 11-13 NATO leaders summit in Lithuania. NATO is expected to push for even more spending during the summit.
"I'd be surprised if the defense review doesn't disappoint," said one former senior official in the defense department, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

In order to meet the NATO target, Canada would need to spend an additional C$13 billion and C$18 billion ($9.8-$13.6 billion) per year for five years, the parliamentary budget office estimated last year.

"We say nice things but do not invest," said the former defense official, and allies now say: "Show us the money."
Daniel Minden, spokesperson for Defence Minister Anita Anand, said Canada has the sixth largest defense budget in the alliance and that the country would "continue to make landmark investments to equip our Armed Forces".

At stake is Canada's credibility among partners as it seeks to bolster its heft internationally with a new focus on the Indo Pacific, and as it promotes itself as a preferred global supplier of resources such as critical minerals used in electric vehicles.
"Canada can't afford to continue along the path of doing the minimum possible to sustain its military," said Roland Paris, professor of international affairs at University of Ottawa and a former adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau's Liberal government has committed more than C$1 billion ($759 million) in military assistance to Ukraine and his government this year finalized the purchase of 88 F-35 jets from Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) in a C$19 billion project. It has also said it will spend C$38.6 billion over 20 years to modernize the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
But a leaked Pentagon assessment obtained and reported by the Washington Post in April said Trudeau had told NATO officials Canada would never meet the alliance's target.

Trudeau has not commented directly on the news report, but when asked about it in April, he said Canada would "continue to invest" and would be a reliable partner.

A senior diplomat from a NATO country, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said European nations in particular were unhappy with Canada's failure to meet the expenditure target.
"For Europeans, this is an existential issue. Russia is close by. But Canada is across the Atlantic Ocean and this is not pressing. And you don’t get elected in Canada by promising to increase defense spending."
The cost of living, affordable housing and healthcare tend to be issues of most concern to the Canadian electorate.

​

Canada's exclusion from AUKUS, a security pact between Australia, the UK and the U.S. in 2021 to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines, was an indication that allies have shrinking regard for Canada's armed forces, policy analysts said.
It was "a signal from countries saying you are not serious," said Christyn Cianfarani President and CEO of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), the country's main military industry lobby. The move is allies telling Canada: "We don't want to hear the words anymore. We want to see money."

Canada is a member of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing pact with all three countries, and while it is not currently looking for nuclear submarines, it has started the process to replace its own conventional fleet.

David Perry, President of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, also said it was time for Canada to step up.
"We're like the 40ish-year-old, former high school hockey star who's cruising on memories of the good times, while everybody else has got a job and kids and a house."

 

[PuckChaser]

CMP: "Hello, Navy, Army and Air Force. please give us your DP1 course schedules so we can work to align recruiting"

Listening silence.

Last time I looked, Army National Calender is open to everyone and has RQ1 courses listed. I mean, it's easy to throw arms up and complain it's someone else but we need more people that are willing to do a bit extra to fix it.

I'm sure somewhere in CMP there's someone that knows someone who works at Fleet/2CAD/CTC and could just send them a link instead of firing an email into the HQ cloud.

 

[Rifleman62]

Key word in the article is "pledge" not spend.

 

[McG]

Will we hear something about defence plan update before the NATO summit?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1676317851467104257

 

[Weinie]

Will we hear something about defence plan update before the NATO summit?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1676317851467104257

More likely at the NATO summit. The jungle drums are beating.

 

[markppcli]

Will we hear something about defence plan update before the NATO summit?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1676317851467104257

Pressure is mounting, but I have my doubt that’s any change will produce any results.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Pressure is mounting, but I have my doubt that’s any change will produce any results.

Pay to play comes into force soon I imagine.

"Canada, great hustle, but you're no longer an Alternate Captain. Ride the pine. Denmark, you're leading the aFP Bde in Latvia..."

 

[OldSolduer]

Pay to play comes into force soon I imagine.

"Canada, great hustle, but you're no longer an Alternate Captain. Ride the pine. Denmark, you're leading the aFP Bde in Latvia..."

Better yet don't even dress. Pick up your brass and get off the firing point. Don't let the range 2 I/C kick your on the ass on the way out.

 

[markppcli]

Pay to play comes into force soon I imagine.

"Canada, great hustle, but you're no longer an Alternate Captain. Ride the pine. Denmark, you're leading the aFP Bde in Latvia..."

Really it should be Spain, they had the greater initial commitment and frankly their work rest cycle seemed far more enjoyable to follow than ours.

 

[OldSolduer]

Really it should be Spain, they had the greater initial commitment and frankly their work rest cycle seemed far more enjoyable to follow than ours.

The difference the Spanish bring? I've never seen them so my knowledge is zero.

 

[markppcli]

The difference the Spanish bring? I've never seen them so my knowledge is zero.

Well they brought a full combat team to Latvia with armour, atgms, engineers, and mortars. They also brought with them a very casual approach to the profession of arms and a deep appreciation of both Lycra pt gear and naps.

 

[OldSolduer]

Well they brought a full combat team to Latvia with armour, atgms, engineers, and mortars. They also brought with them a very casual approach to the profession of arms and a deep appreciation of both Lycra pt gear and naps.

You may find this funny but I agree with Lycra and naps.

 

[Halifax Tar]

You may find this funny but I agree with Lycra and naps.

You're not the one wearing the Lycra though right ?

 

[Brad Sallows]

Don't forget the tight trousers and unbuttoned collars.

 

[OldSolduer]

You're not the one wearing the Lycra though right ?

Actually I wear Under Armor stuff that is like Lycra. It does help.

 

[markppcli]

Don't forget the tight trousers and unbuttoned collars.

In fairness I think they by a large look professional and well put together on camp. They’re also much fitter on the average than we are. Especially when it comes to running, one of their Sgt’s mention run times being a very important factor in promotion for them.