Justin Trudeau hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

He is probably doing the best he can given the incompetent and corrupt current but temporary Liberal government.

I'm not convinced, unfortunately, that the next election will change much because collectively, Canadians have their head in the sand and seem to care not about the direction we have been and are heading.

If he resigned in protest, the truth is most Canadians would be like "what happened now? Who is he?" It wouldn't have the splash effect that it should.

The truth is, the current Armed Forces reflects the current Trudeau government total not give a $hit attitude about it which is an extension of Canadians "m'eh" attitude overall.

M'eh sums it up nicely. Unless it's about the Snowbirds when it comes to the CAF. We are like the mouthy kid in Grade 5 who thinks they can say whatever they want to any kid on the playground because our big brother is in high school and could kick their butt.

 

[dimsum]

I'm not convinced, unfortunately, that the next election will change much because collectively, Canadians have their head in the sand and seem to care not about the direction we have been and are heading.

I'd suggest that Canadians are aware and are concerned. But, their awareness and concern is centred around how their wages are not keeping up, housing is out of reach, and medical coverage is getting worse.

Most Canadians don't know anyone serving in the CAF - we are a small minority. The only time they see CAF members are either in the news, the Snowbirds, or bailing them out during OP LENTUS. Coupled with your point below about the kid in Gr 5, is it really surprising that most Canadians don't know/care about defence issues?

A question to all: If you (reading this) weren't in the CAF, would you know or care? I'm not sure I would, to be honest. I would think that like the healthcare shambles (I have many friends in that sector who are basically saying what we're saying here), it would be something I read every so often, get mildly outraged, then move on. Is it because we've experienced the deeper, systemic issues rather than the surface-level issues that most Canadians would only read about.

I'm unconvinced that even if the CPC wins, they will actually implement a substantial increase to Defence spending - after all, they are just campaign promises. The housing, wages, and medical concerns (yes those are primarily provincial jurisdictions) will be whatever governing party's big challenges.

M'eh sums it up nicely. Unless it's about the Snowbirds when it comes to the CAF. We are like the mouthy kid in Grade 5 who thinks they can say whatever they want to any kid on the playground because our big brother is in high school and could kick their butt.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I'd suggest that Canadians are aware and are concerned. But, their awareness and concern is centred around how their wages are not keeping up, housing is out of reach, and medical coverage is getting worse.

Those are some of them. Then there are the ones who care mostly about their TikTok image, free wifi on public transit and ignore all the real issues Canadians are and have been facing under the current govt...I'm not sure which group is the larger portion of voters anymore. Their numbers are growing, though, I suspect.

Most Canadians don't know anyone serving in the CAF - we are a small minority. The only time they see CAF members are either in the news, the Snowbirds, or bailing them out during OP LENTUS. Coupled with your point below about the kid in Gr 5, is it really surprising that most Canadians don't know/care about defence issues?

Agreed....

A question to all: If you (reading this) weren't in the CAF, would you know or care? I'm not sure I would, to be honest. I would think that like the healthcare shambles (I have many friends in that sector who are basically saying what we're saying here), it would be something I read every so often, get mildly outraged, then move on. Is it because we've experienced the deeper, systemic issues rather than the surface-level issues that most Canadians would only read about.

I'm unconvinced that even if the CPC wins, they will actually implement a substantial increase to Defence spending - after all, they are just campaign promises. The housing, wages, and medical concerns (yes those are primarily provincial jurisdictions) will be whatever governing party's big challenges.

And agreed.

 

[Halifax Tar]

I'd suggest that Canadians are aware and are concerned. But, their awareness and concern is centred around how their wages are not keeping up, housing is out of reach, and medical coverage is getting worse.

Most Canadians don't know anyone serving in the CAF - we are a small minority. The only time they see CAF members are either in the news, the Snowbirds, or bailing them out during OP LENTUS. Coupled with your point below about the kid in Gr 5, is it really surprising that most Canadians don't know/care about defence issues?

A question to all: If you (reading this) weren't in the CAF, would you know or care? I'm not sure I would, to be honest. I would think that like the healthcare shambles (I have many friends in that sector who are basically saying what we're saying here), it would be something I read every so often, get mildly outraged, then move on. Is it because we've experienced the deeper, systemic issues rather than the surface-level issues that most Canadians would only read about.

I'm unconvinced that even if the CPC wins, they will actually implement a substantial increase to Defence spending - after all, they are just campaign promises. The housing, wages, and medical concerns (yes those are primarily provincial jurisdictions) will be whatever governing party's big challenges.

I think you're probably right. Defence spending doesn't win elections, and defence scandals don't bring down governments. So really they need not pay more than lip service.

 

[FSTO]

I was listening to this podcast: #54 The Backbench Live: A Year in Review
and one of the guests, Quebec Journalist Emilie Nicolas (Haitian decent) mentioned that she was worried that the Canadian Army was going to invade Haiti. To me that encapsules the absolute ignorance most Canadians have of our military. That she (a very intelligent journalist) thinks that the CAF has the people, equipment, and capability to mount such an operation shows the lack of rudimentary knowledge of our military.

 

[Halifax Tar]

I was listening to this podcast: #54 The Backbench Live: A Year in Review
and one of the guests, Quebec Journalist Emilie Nicolas (Haitian decent) mentioned that she was worried that the Canadian Army was going to invade Haiti. To me that encapsules the absolute ignorance most Canadians have of our military. That she (a very intelligent journalist) thinks that the CAF has the people, equipment, and capability to mount such an operation shows the lack of rudimentary knowledge of our military.

I used to like Canadaland. I don't find it very balanced and have given up on it.

If you know of any good Canadian Political PCs I'd love to hear them.

 

[FSTO]

I used to like Canadaland. I don't find it very balanced and have given up on it.

If you know of any good Canadian Political PCs I'd love to hear them.

I hear you and I yell at Jesse much more than I nod in agreement. But it is good to hear what the leftish folks are talking about.

Good podcasts:

David Herle (a Sask liberal). I never thought I'd like his stuff but he gets great guests who challenge his dogma

The Herle Burly Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher.

www.theherleburly.com

Curse of Politics | AQM

Politics. It's a blessing and a curse.

www.airquotesmedia.com

Jenn Gerson and Matt Gureny - The Line

The Line

Commentary for Canadians. Click to read The Line, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of readers.

theline.substack.com

The Big Story

The Big Story Podcast

Join host Jordan Heath-Rawlings for an in-depth look at the news, culture, politics and personalities shaping Canada today.

thebigstorypodcast.ca

 

[Fabius]

Random thought, if the CAF is short 8-10,000 personnel from total authorized where is the department and CAF redirecting the excess funding that would be paying salaries, allowances etc.?
Is it going to recruiting, modernization, O&M, piling up or returning to the centre?

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Random thought, if the CAF is short 8-10,000 personnel from total authorized where is the department and CAF redirecting the excess funding that would be paying salaries, allowances etc.?
Is it going to recruiting, modernization, O&M, piling up or returning to the centre?

 

[JLB50]

I was listening to this podcast: #54 The Backbench Live: A Year in Review
and one of the guests, Quebec Journalist Emilie Nicolas (Haitian decent) mentioned that she was worried that the Canadian Army was going to invade Haiti. To me that encapsules the absolute ignorance most Canadians have of our military. That she (a very intelligent journalist) thinks that the CAF has the people, equipment, and capability to mount such an operation shows the lack of rudimentary knowledge of our military.

Not sure if I’m staying on topic or not but peacekeeping is vastly overrated and is often a quagmire for those countries that participate. Maybe I’m just an old fart but if the people of Haiti, Syria, Central America, Venezuela and numerous other countries around the world were willing to stand up to aggression in their homelands the way the Ukrainians are doing, then there wouldn’t be nearly the refugee problem that exists today. For the most part, the United Nations has proven to be ineffective if not downright corrupt in dealing with aggressions over the last 40 years (and perhaps even longer).

Should Canada go into Haiti, nothing will change. Sure, the gangs and bad guys will go into hiding. And maybe, just maybe there will be a few minor skirmishes so that the Canadian media and politicians can show how CAF participation is helping to free the world from tyranny. But I think most of us know that eventually Haiti will go back to being the same country it has always been. Again, I say quagmire...not something worth risking Canadian lives.

So, Justin, definitely increase our budget. Give us the people and the military resources Canada needs. But just don’t intend for it to be spent on peacekeeping…not when Russia and China are too hell bent on domination. Singing ”Kumbaya” around a campfire isn’t enough. Why? Because it’s 2023…we’ll, almost.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Random thought, if the CAF is short 8-10,000 personnel from total authorized where is the department and CAF redirecting the excess funding that would be paying salaries, allowances etc.?
Is it going to recruiting, modernization, O&M, piling up or returning to the centre?

 

[Brad Sallows]

What Canadians mostly seem to care about is living well at someone else's expense. Almost everyone has his hand out for something. If you're getting some kind of subsidies or have been lucky enough to benefit from compensation gains above inflation without increasing your productivity for the past few decades, you're part of the problem.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I was listening to this podcast: #54 The Backbench Live: A Year in Review
and one of the guests, Quebec Journalist Emilie Nicolas (Haitian decent) mentioned that she was worried that the Canadian Army was going to invade Haiti. To me that encapsules the absolute ignorance most Canadians have of our military. That she (a very intelligent journalist) thinks that the CAF has the people, equipment, and capability to mount such an operation shows the lack of rudimentary knowledge of our military.

If she actually believes that ANYONE in the world is interested at all in invading the backwards, impossible to govern (unless you are a dictator) country amongst the poorest in the world that is Haiti, she doesn't only lack rudimentary knowledge of our military, she lacks rudimentary knowledge of human life on this planet - period.

I live in Montreal, and have contacts with some people in the Haitian diaspora here. They are the most conceited people when it comes to their country of origin, with this great belief that Haiti actually matters in the world and that the world actually cares about what goes on in Haiti. Only people in Canada who actually care (outside that diaspora) are the Liberals, and only to the extent that it can get them votes in esat-end Montreal ridings.

 

[Kirkhill]

The housing, wages, and medical concerns (yes those are primarily provincial jurisdictions) will be whatever governing party's big challenges.

You may have put your finger on the problem there. Federal and Provincial jurisdictions.

All the things are really matter to Canadians are Provincial responsibilities. That is a feature not a bug. That is the Constitution by design.

The role of the Feds was to deliver a trans-Canada railway and maintain friendly relations with the United States seeing as how Britain wasn't willing to pick a fight on our behalf.

1914 and the Feds get dragged into WWI by the Brits and the government has to implement conscription and the income tax to fund the war.

Neither of which make the Feds popular with the average taxpayer.

1939 and the Feds get dragged into WWII by the Brits and the government has to implement conscription and rationing as well as hiking taxes.

Again the Feds are not popular.

The British Labour Party saves the Canadian Federal Government. Their cradle to the grave socialism system cracks open a seam for MacKenzie King. King can't intervene with a National Health Plan because that is a Provincial responsibility. As is housing. He can, however, influence income. He has the accepted income tax to work with. He can now put money back into the pockets of taxpayers directly and proceeds to do so by instituting the Baby Bonus - paying $5 to $8 monthly to all parents of children under 16 - Canada's first universal welfare programme.

The taxpayer now sees a personal value in the existence of a federal government.
That value increased with the addition of the Canada Pension Plan in 1966,

These build on more targeted values provided by the Canadian Wheat Board (1935), Unemployment Insurance (1940) and the Canadian Dairy Commission (1967).

By the end of the Pearson era, the beginning of the Trudeau era, Canadians were looking to the feds to solve their problems by showering them with money.

With that established it then becomes a fight between the feds and the provinces to see who can spend more and who gets the most credit for that spending.

Nobody gets credit for wars. Nobody gets credit for spending on wars.

 

[FSTO]

You may have put your finger on the problem there. Federal and Provincial jurisdictions.

All the things are really matter to Canadians are Provincial responsibilities. That is a feature not a bug. That is the Constitution by design.

The role of the Feds was to deliver a trans-Canada railway and maintain friendly relations with the United States seeing as how Britain wasn't willing to pick a fight on our behalf.

1914 and the Feds get dragged into WWI by the Brits and the government has to implement conscription and the income tax to fund the war.

Neither of which make the Feds popular with the average taxpayer.

1939 and the Feds get dragged into WWII by the Brits and the government has to implement conscription and rationing as well as hiking taxes.

Again the Feds are not popular.

The British Labour Party saves the Canadian Federal Government. Their cradle to the grave socialism system cracks open a seem for MacKenzie King. King can't intervene with a National Health Plan because that is a Provincial responsibility. As is housing. He can, however, influence income. He has the accepted income tax to work with. He can now put money back into the pockets of taxpayers directly and proceeds to do so by instituting the Baby Bonus - paying $5 to $8 monthly to all parents of children under 16 - Canada's first universal welfare programme.

The taxpayer now sees a personal value in the existence of a federal government.
That value increased with the addition of the Canada Pension Plan in 1966,

These build on more targeted values provided by the Canadian Wheat Board (1935), Unemployment Insurance (1940) and the Canadian Dairy Commission (1967).

By the end of the Pearson era, the beginning of the Trudeau era, Canadians were looking to the feds to solve their problems by showering them with money.

With that established it then becomes a fight between the feds and the provinces to see who can spend more and who gets the most credit for that spending.

Nobody gets credit for wars. Nobody gets credit for spending on wars.

So true. The LPC is always in the shorts of the provinces because that is their route to power in this country. With that attitude, external affairs ( the real role of the federal government) is given the shaft. The Conservatives (both PC and their Reform brothers) were/are more respective of the designated responsibilities of the Provinces and the Feds and they suffer from that.

 

[Edward Campbell]

...

I'm unconvinced that even if the CPC wins, they will actually implement a substantial increase to Defence spending - after all, they are just campaign promises. The housing, wages, and medical concerns (yes those are primarily provincial jurisdictions) will be whatever governing party's big challenges.

I'm pretty sure you're right. All political parties poll assiduously and their polls often ask the right questions, too. The answers they get are pretty much what you said: bread and butter/pocketbook issues - food, housing, healthcare and so on. Most Canadians, way over 75% of them at an educated guess, put national defence down near the bottom of their GaF list - down near support for symphony orchestras and ballet companies.

 

[dapaterson]

I'm pretty sure you're right. All political parties poll assiduously and their polls often ask the right questions, too. The answers they get are pretty much what you said: bread and butter/pocketbook issues - food, housing, healthcare and so on. Most Canadians, way over 75% of them at an educated guess, put national defence down near the bottom of their GaF list - down near support for symphony orchestras and ballet companies.

Bands and the Snowbirds (and Ceremonial Guard) resemble that implication.

 

[kev994]

Random thought, if the CAF is short 8-10,000 personnel from total authorized where is the department and CAF redirecting the excess funding that would be paying salaries, allowances etc.?
Is it going to recruiting, modernization, O&M, piling up or returning to the centre?

RCAF was trying to use it for Class B but they seem to have found a different way to give everyone topups so I’m not sure if they’re still trying to do that.
Edit: RCAF relies heavily on people who are double dipping to keep things running.

 

[dapaterson]

Random thought, if the CAF is short 8-10,000 personnel from total authorized where is the department and CAF redirecting the excess funding that would be paying salaries, allowances etc.?
Is it going to recruiting, modernization, O&M, piling up or returning to the centre?

Short answer is "yes".

Longer answer gets into reprofiling, ARLU, addressing pressures both in-year and flagged in Level 1 business plans... ADM Fin staff could bend your ear for days talking about how things like that are managed.

 

[FJAG]

With that established it then becomes a fight between the feds and the provinces to see who can spend more and who gets the most credit for that spending.

I think that, to an extent, there is a legitimate national purpose in redistributing wealth between the provinces in order to ensure an equal minimum standard of essential services, however, you are bang on and we are no longer at just that task but in a campaign of buying the vote through largesse. I have a hard time seeing how universal child care and dental care is a federal issue.

Most Canadians, way over 75% of them at an educated guess, put national defence down near the bottom of their GaF list - down near support for symphony orchestras and ballet companies.

And based on the recent questionnaire I received from Poilievere on what concerns me as a citizen and voter, and the total absence of anything remotely resembling national defence or security in it, it's not even on his GaF list. The party does have a 2% of GDP mandate in its policy paper but the rest of that is so screwed up that it's incoherent and offers no hint of what the extra $ would be spent on. - My guess, more cubicles in Ottawa.