Government hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Kirkhill]

Another geezer eruption, I'm afraid, but ...

Canada hasn't wanted to be serious country since the late 1960s.

I think that's understandable ... we never were a great power, but, briefly, we were a leader, maybe even the leader of the responsible, Western, 'middle powers.' But leadership came at a price - other middle powers were betiding generous welfare states while Canada, led by a fiscally prudent (downright fiscally conservative) Liberal government was spending on building - national microwave systems, great, world altering seaways, far North radar lines and transcontinental pipelines - was overly cautious about social spending. We, well, not even me, I was only a teenager when John Diefenbaker tossed the Liberals on to the opposition benches and began to restrain the previous government's foreign and defence programmes. I was an adult, a captain, actually, in 2RCR when the government-of-the-day (Pierre Elliot Trudeau's government) decided that we should not be leaders ... we should not, Saint Pierre said, even be good followers; we should be slackers and laggards and freeloaders because we had more serious problems to contend with: National Unity; building a "Just Society;" and maintaining a "harmonious natural environment" - there was a whole booklet about that in his in famous (1970) white paper Foreign Policy for Canadians.

Canadians, by and large, agreed with Pierre Trudeau. Brian Mulroney, Paul Martin Jr and Stephen Harper all wanted to do more but they all knew, with near absolute certainty, that Canadians didn't want an activist, principled foreign policy and Canadians really, really didn't want too pay for the sort of military force that such a policy needs to be effective.

I do not believe that the situation has changed. We can call it whatever we like, but only if we understand that the reason we are not a serious country is because we, most (maybe 85%+ of us) Canadians, are not a serious people who deserve such a country.

/rant

View attachment 74296

I presume you saw this -

The Canadian government works on two world stages.

In one, a decisive Canada identifies the developing dangers of the globe and acts boldly to deal with them. Unfortunately, that exists only in the imaginary world of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland’s foreign-policy speeches. In the other one, the real world, Canada vacillates aimlessly on tough choices without much of a foreign policy.

The speech itself was fascinating. The Deputy Prime Minister argued that the era of hoping that democracy and global rules would inexorably spread around the world is over. Now, democratic countries must recognize that their powerful authoritarian nations aren’t about to change, and those democracies will have to take steps to blunt the power and economic leverage of authoritarian rivals.

The implications are vast. This wasn’t just about sanctioning Russia for invading Ukraine. It was about taking steps to reduce economic dependence, not only on Russian energy but Chinese supply chains. Follow the logic, and it means dividing into two trading blocs.

But there’s no sign that bears any relation to Canada’s actual foreign policy. It is not clear that Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly agrees, or Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

In Ottawa, officials have been labouring on a new Indo-Pacific strategy, but the first hiccup was that the drafters couldn’t decide if they should have the audacity to mention China by name. The current draft is said to be too tough on China for Ms. Joly’s liking. At any rate, the Foreign Affairs Minister has indicated she is out to re-establish warmer ties with China. The European Union’s policy declared China a “strategic rival,” but Canada hasn’t said anything like it.

Yet Ms. Freeland is telling the world we have to wake up to the fact that we can’t always have “win-win” relationships with authoritarian states,

Chrystia Freeland issues a clarion call from Canada’s foreign-policy void

If you don’t whether the Deputy Prime Minister’s latest speech is the government’s foreign policy, it could be because in the real world, it hasn’t really got one

www.theglobeandmail.com

Campbell Clark doesn't seem to be holding his breath.

Musing.....


I wonder if the Westminster theatrics have got the good idea fairies fluttering in Ottawa?

It is kind of a piece with the LNG conundrum and Carbon Capture - good enough for Joe, good enough for Justin.

 

[Kirkhill]

Future Probable

We get to sell more Hydrocarbons to Europe when we jack our Defence Spending to 2.5% and our International Aid to 0.7%.

Kickbacks make the world go round.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Future Probable

We get to sell more Hydrocarbons to Europe when we jack our Defence Spending to 2.5% and our International Aid to 0.7%.

Kickbacks make the world go round.

Stranger things and all that ... we got Leopard tanks after Pierre Trudeau had a "walk in there garden" with Germany's chancellor; so who knows?

 

[PPCLI Guy]

There is no way these lightweights suddenly get a dose of realpolitik strong enough to burst the echo chamber bubble.

As Mr Campbell said, we are an unserious people in an unserious country who elect unserious governments.

And our long-suffering Allies and otherwise well-meaning friends are getting to the point that they will call us on it.

And we, as Canadians, don't get to point fingers at the politicians. We did this. We are the vacuous. We are the unserious. We need only look in the mirror.

I suspect, however, that we will fiddle with our social media, watch Netflix, make well-intentioned and unrealistic if not unhinged pronouncements of our virtue, and make bigger car payments as we fail to even realise that it is all burning....

 

[Brad Sallows]

Too many Canadians are near-obsessed with setting themselves apart from Americans.

 

[FSTO]

Too many Canadians are near-obsessed with setting themselves apart from Americans.

While at the same time greedily sucking every drop of US culture as it washes across the border daily.

 

[Czech_pivo]

I agree; it is part of what they call, in there EU, the New Hanseatic League.

Neither the EU nor NATO is united in any meaningful way. There are three main European divisions:

1. The fiscally conservative Northerners - the New Hanseatic League+;​

2. The fiscally irresponsible Romans - France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and honorary member Greece; and​

3. The Eastern European rest.​

None of the three wants to upset the whole apple-cart ... yet ... but, equally, none of the three is happy with the status quo.

Add the Belgians to #2 and the Dutch to #1.
In #3 there’s a split; Poland, Czech Rep, Slovakia and the Baltics, with the Romanians lumped in with that group and then all the others - Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bulgaria in the other and the Hungary dangling in the wind.

 

[Czech_pivo]

I presume you saw this -

Chrystia Freeland issues a clarion call from Canada’s foreign-policy void

If you don’t whether the Deputy Prime Minister’s latest speech is the government’s foreign policy, it could be because in the real world, it hasn’t really got one

www.theglobeandmail.com

Campbell Clark doesn't seem to be holding his breath.

Musing.....


I wonder if the Westminster theatrics have got the good idea fairies fluttering in Ottawa?

It is kind of a piece with the LNG conundrum and Carbon Capture - good enough for Joe, good enough for Justin.

The one thing that Freeland sort of gets is the seriousness of VVP and his lot.
She’s lived in Ukraine during its birth and the dying days of the old SU, she’s seen this stuff first hand. She grew up listening to the ‘Evil Empire’ speeches from her Grandfather (plus or minus any lingering love of Nazi Germany that he may still have had). But somehow this has not translated into anything meaningful in terms of pushing for a renewed CAF. The years of living the good life in a utopian bubble here in Canada have damped, stifled everything else. She needs to spend 2-3 months back in Ukraine among her relatives to reawaken this knowledge that has been buried away.

 

[KevinB]

The one thing that Freeland sort of gets is the seriousness of VVP and his lot.
She’s lived in Ukraine during its birth and the dying days of the old SU, she’s seen this stuff first hand. She grew up listening to the ‘Evil Empire’ speeches from her Grandfather (plus or minus any lingering love of Nazi Germany that he may still have had). But somehow this has not translated into anything meaningful in terms of pushing for a renewed CAF. The years of living the good life in a utopian bubble here in Canada have damped, stifled everything else. She needs to spend 2-3 months back in Ukraine among her relatives to reawaken this knowledge that has been buried away.

I'm not sure it is a her problem (or solely a her problem) - but more of a Trudeau, Joy - rest of the LPC (and most of Canada) problem.
On can shout fire to their hearts content in an empty room, and have no one notice -- as they are all at the mall...

 

[ueo]

Every time the Reg F opens up options for CT, lots of well trained reservists migrate over there. The problem is that the CT door opens and closes with a mysterious irregularity that confounds the best of planning minds.

Why not triple the size of the A Res and have a continuous supply of troops moving in to the RegF, via CT, after they've finished their degrees at college and completed most of their trades training?

Then, after they do their Reg F service (in their early/mid-40s) they can CT back to their ARes units and serve until they hit CRA.

I would dearly like to hear from some one with pers/first hand knowledge of the actual nos by trade/rank today. PM and minister seem to be pulling pax out of thair bums. Any takers?

 

[Kirkhill]

I'm not sure it is a her problem (or solely a her problem) - but more of a Trudeau, Joy - rest of the LPC (and most of Canada) problem.
On can shout fire to their hearts content in an empty room, and have no one notice -- as they are all at the mall...

Similar problem for Anand and all the bright sparks that were reassigned to national security positions at the beginning of this government. It isn't lack of talent, or corporate knowledge or advice that prevents Trudeau and Joly acting on the Defence and Energy fronts. It is conviction. And that is worse.

 

[dapaterson]

I would dearly like to hear from some one with pers/first hand knowledge of the actual nos by trade/rank today. PM and minister seem to be pulling pax out of thair bums. Any takers?

Nothing that's open source.

But on DWAN the data vis tool can be instructive about actual current numbers.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

There is indeed a place for the professional - the person that is paid explicitly for the task they are asked to undertake - as opposed to the amateur - the person that does the same thing for the love of the thing.

So you'll not sell me on the merits of the professional attitude.

It's one thing to be proud of your trade and your accomplishments. Its another entirely to think that others can't perform equally as well without the paper.

The Canadian Rugby Union Team would challenge your last assertion.

 

[Kirkhill]

There used to be a difference between Union and League - other than just the number of players on the field.

 

[Halifax Tar]

The Canadian Rugby Union Team would challenge your last assertion.

Point of clarity, then Men's Canadian Rugby Union side. I would completely fold the international men's side, it's GD disgrace.

The women's side is world class.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Point of clarity, then Men's Canadian Rugby Union side. I would completely fold the international men's side, it's GD disgrace.

The women's side is world class.

Yah, my point was really to illustrate the gulf between professional vs amateur sides. The Men's Team current predicament is a result of the prevailing attitudes that "our amateurs will give them a good run for their money"

 

[Halifax Tar]

Yah, my point was really to illustrate the gulf between professional vs amateur sides. The Men's Team current predicament is a result of the prevailing attitudes that "our amateurs will give them a good run for their money"

Oh I understood you. I just wanted to make sure we didn't lump the ladies in with your flailing men's side.

I played rugby for over 25 years. Where we were when I started to where we are now is a disgrace. But its actually a good example of your point.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Oh I understood you. I just wanted to make sure we didn't lump the ladies in with your flailing men's side.

I played rugby for over 25 years. Where we were when I started to where we are now is a disgrace. But its actually a good example of your point.

Oh yah, I played for 20 years. I remember Canada running Italy close in 2003 and acquitting themselves well. They also beat Scotland and Italy in the lead up to that tournament and tied Ireland.

It was after that tournament though that the gulf between amateur and the now fully professional sides grew. It's only gotten larger since then and if you don't have a professional competition, you're players aren't going to cut it at Test level.

It's why Canada is now not only getting smashed by the traditionally weaker test nations but also getting crushed by the likes of Romania, Georgia, Spain, Uruguay, Chile, Portugal, etc.

 

[Kirkhill]

I agree; it is part of what they call, in there EU, the New Hanseatic League.

Neither the EU nor NATO is united in any meaningful way. There are three main European divisions:

1. The fiscally conservative Northerners - the New Hanseatic League+;​

2. The fiscally irresponsible Romans - France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and honorary member Greece; and​

3. The Eastern European rest.​

None of the three wants to upset the whole apple-cart ... yet ... but, equally, none of the three is happy with the status quo.

Thinking about this....

One might be excused from thinking somebody is actively engaged in upsetting apple carts.

The US apple cart is going through its regularly scheduled upset - Jacksonians seem to be trending upwards
The UK apple cart is experiencing some uncharacteristic turbulence - Hanseatic Brexiteers and Roman Remainers are engaged in a grudge match
The French apple cart is experiencing its usual instability - Yet another government threatening strike (Ho Hum)
The Italian apple cart has been upset by its new nationalist PM - who seems to be actually quite steady
The German apple cart is being upset - the Pro Russian factions in the government, security services, business and economic departments are threatened with a repeat of the 1945 deNazification policies

And the EU in Brussels - is trying to pretend that it is still in control of the situation

My money is on Poland and the Easterners - once they get Hungary sorted.

Is this another "spontaneous" eruption - like 1848 or 1968? Or is it something other?

 

[Czech_pivo]

Thinking about this....

One might be excused from thinking somebody is actively engaged in upsetting apple carts.

The US apple cart is going through its regularly scheduled upset - Jacksonians seem to be trending upwards
The UK apple cart is experiencing some uncharacteristic turbulence - Hanseatic Brexiteers and Roman Remainers are engaged in a grudge match
The French apple cart is experiencing its usual instability - Yet another government threatening strike (Ho Hum)
The Italian apple cart has been upset by its new nationalist PM - who seems to be actually quite steady
The German apple cart is being upset - the Pro Russian factions in the government, security services, business and economic departments are threatened with a repeat of the 1945 deNazification policies

And the EU in Brussels - is trying to pretend that it is still in control of the situation

My money is on Poland and the Easterners - once they get Hungary sorted.

Is this another "spontaneous" eruption - like 1848 or 1968? Or is it something other?

Canada: "Wait, you guys have an apple cart!"