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Justin Trudeau hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

Justin Trudeau hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

Canada says it will look at increasing its defence spending and tacked on 10 more Russian names to an ever growing sanctions list.

By Tonda MacCharles
Ottawa Bureau
Mon., March 7, 2022

Riga, LATVIA—On the 13th day of the brutal Russian bid to claim Ukraine as its own, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is showing up at the Latvian battle group led by Canadian soldiers, waving the Maple Leaf and a vague hint at more money for the military.

Canada has been waving the NATO flag for nearly seven years in Latvia as a bulwark against Russia’s further incursions in Eastern Europe.

Canada stepped up to lead one of NATO’s four battle groups in 2015 — part of the defensive alliance’s display of strength and solidarity with weaker member states after Russia invaded Ukraine and seized the Crimean peninsula in 2014. Trudeau arrived in the Latvian capital late Monday after meetings in the U.K. with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Earlier Monday, faced with a seemingly unstoppable war in Ukraine, Trudeau said he will look at increasing Canada’s defence spending. Given world events, he said there are “certainly reflections to have.”

And Canada tacked on 10 more Russian names to an ever-growing sanctions list.

The latest round of sanctions includes names Trudeau said were identified by jailed Russian opposition leader and Putin nemesis Alexei Navalny.

However, on a day when Trudeau cited the new sanctions, and Johnson touted new measures meant to expose Russian property owners in his country, Rutte admitted sanctions are not working.

Yet they all called for more concerted international efforts over the long haul, including more economic measures and more humanitarian aid, with Johnson and Rutte divided over how quickly countries need to get off Russian oil and gas.

The 10 latest names on Canada’s target list do not include Roman Abramovich — a Russian billionaire Navalny has been flagging to Canada since at least 2017. Canada appears to have sanctioned about 20 of the 35 names on Navalny’s list.

The Conservative opposition says the Liberal government is not yet exerting maximum pressure on Putin, and should do more to bolster Canadian Forces, including by finally approving the purchase of fighter jets.

Foreign affairs critic Michael Chong said in an interview that Ottawa must still sanction “additional oligarchs close to President Putin who have significant assets in Canada.”

Abramovich owns more than a quarter of the public shares in steelmaking giant Evraz, which has operations in Alberta and Saskatchewan and has supplied most of the steel for the government-owned Trans Mountain pipeline project.

Evraz’s board of directors also includes two more Russians the U.S. government identified as “oligarchs” in 2019 — Aleksandr Abramov and Aleksandr Frolov — and its Canadian operations have received significant support from the federal government.

That includes at least $27 million in emergency wage subsidies during the pandemic, as well as $7 million through a fund meant to help heavy-polluters reduce emissions that cause climate change, according to the company’s most recent annual report.

In addition to upping defence spending, the Conservatives want NORAD’s early warning system upgraded, naval shipbuilding ramped up and Arctic security bolstered.

In London, Johnson sat down with Trudeau and Rutte at the Northolt airbase. Their morning meetings had a rushed feel, with Johnson starting to usher press out before Trudeau spoke. His office said later that the British PM couldn’t squeeze the full meeting in at 10 Downing Street because Johnson’s “diary” was so busy that day. The three leaders held an afternoon news conference at 10 Downing.

But before that Trudeau met with the Queen, saying she was “insightful” and they had a “useful, for me anyway, conversation about global affairs.”

Trudeau meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Tuesday in Latvia.

The prime minister will also meet with three Baltic leaders, the prime ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, in the Latvian capital of Riga.

The Liberals announced they would increase the 500 Canadian Forces in Latvia by another 460 troops. The Canadians are leading a multinational battle group, one of four that are part of NATO’s deployments in the region.

Another 3,400 Canadians could be deployed to the region in the months to come, on standby for NATO orders.

But Canada’s shipments of lethal aid to Ukraine were slow to come in the view of the Conservatives, and the Ukrainian Canadian community.

And suddenly Western allies are eyeing each other’s defence commitments.

At the Downing Street news conference, Rutte noted the Netherlands will increase its defence budget to close to two per cent of GDP. Germany has led the G7, and doubled its defence budget in the face of Putin’s invasion and threats. Johnson said the U.K. defence spending is about 2.4 per cent and declined to comment on Canada’s defence spending which is 1.4 per cent of GDP.

But Johnson didn’t hold back.

“What we can’t do, post the invasion of Ukraine is assume that we go back to a kind of status quo ante, a kind of new normalization in the way that we did after the … seizure of Crimea and the Donbas area,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to recognize that things have changed and that we need a new focus on security and I think that that is kind of increasingly understood by everybody.”

Trudeau stood by his British and Dutch counterparts and pledged Canada would do more.

He defended his government’s record, saying Ottawa is gradually increasing spending over the next decade by 70 per cent. Then Trudeau admitted more might be necessary.

“We also recognize that context is changing rapidly around the world and we need to make sure that women and men have certainty and our forces have all the equipment necessary to be able to stand strongly as we always have. As members of NATO. We will continue to look at what more we can do.”

The three leaders — Johnson, a conservative and Trudeau and Rutte, progressive liberals — in a joint statement said they “will continue to impose severe costs on Russia.”

Arriving for the news conference from Windsor Castle, Trudeau had to detour to enter Downing Street as loud so-called Freedom Convoy protesters bellowed from outside the gate. They carried signs marked “Tuck Frudeau” and “Free Tamara” (Lich).

Protester Jeff Wyatt who said he has no Canadian ties told the Star he came to stand up for Lich and others who were leading a “peaceful protest” worldwide against government “lies” about COVID-19 and what he called Trudeau’s “tyranny.”

Elsewhere in London, outside the Russian embassy, other protesters and passersby reflected on what they said was real tyranny — the Russian attack on Ukraine. “I think we should be as tough as possible to get this stopped, as tough as possible,” said protester Clive Martinez.
 
This is the thing that the CAF seems to be missing right now. The CAF can never be corporate Canada, people don't join the military for a job if they have other options. They choose the military because they want to do Military things and there isn't any other game in town.
Yes. I will agree with that. With one caveat.

People also join the mitary with the belief that the military will provide for them while they are asked to do the Military stuff. We are asked to do monumental things, with scant resources, in some of the worse places on earth. In days of Yore, we took care of our people and their family by providing housing, amenities, and a marginally good quality of life at the rate of compensation we were allowed to by the GoC.

Then we lost it all. Housing was a taxable benefit and RHU numbers are dwindling due to poor maintenance and divestment. We have a lack of single quarters that are derelict or non-existant for members in our lowest pay brackets. Our dining halls are charging members 700 CAD a month, only to have boxed lunches on weekends because the kitchen is too short staffed and the SWE is prioritized to other things. MFRCs became daycare centres and not much else. Our messes are no longer about serving those who pay dues, but are run militantly by CFMWS in pursuit of "revenue neutral" events vice providing services.

So what happened? The CAF moved off base. We moved our families into communities with infrastructure and supports we no longer were receiving on base. That all costs members much more than if the CAF stepped up and provided them. That cost being downloaded to our members means our competitive pay for crappy work conditions doesn't go nearly as far as TBS et al like to believe.

So yes, members are saying "pay us more." Why? The cool military shit is now coming with personal costs; both financially and domestically. That shouldn't have been the deal in the first place, but after being penny wise and pound foolish, we have outsourced supports to our members and the bill is due, figuratively, because everyone who would join knows the score thanks to the internet and places like reddit.

People want to join to do the cool military stuff, but not when the administrative impacts of service become infeasible. Logistical mismanagement has crippled armies in battle, and now, certainly will have an effect on people's willingness to be recruited and retained.
 
1) "This summer, @AnitaAnandMP made significant announcements regarding @NORADCommand
modernization. How will these be implemented? @AndreaCharron
speaks to BGen McKenna, BGen Sabourin, Cheri Crosby, and Martin Tomkin on this episode of "DefenceDeconstructed" (Oct. 25)

2) Video of interview with CDS Gen. Eyre by US CSIS, Nov. 2:

Mark
Ottawa
 
Must be Remembrance Day. Defence is apparently “one of” Canadas top priorities. Until Monday.
Canada’s Defence Minister Anita Anand says boosting and protecting the country’s armed forces is a “top priority” amid a changing global geopolitical landscape, recruitment problems and ongoing efforts to address sexual misconduct in the military.
Defence minister says Canada's military is 'top priority' amid worries about 'darker' world

<remembers half of 19th C armoury being put out of bounds due to roof and other collapses and resulting leaks and safety hazards>
 
Must be Remembrance Day. Defence is apparently “one of” Canadas top priorities. Until Monday.
Canada’s Defence Minister Anita Anand says boosting and protecting the country’s armed forces is a “top priority” amid a changing global geopolitical landscape, recruitment problems and ongoing efforts to address sexual misconduct in the military.
Defence minister says Canada's military is 'top priority' amid worries about 'darker' world

Lies No GIF
 
Must be Remembrance Day. Defence is apparently “one of” Canadas top priorities. Until Monday.
Canada’s Defence Minister Anita Anand says boosting and protecting the country’s armed forces is a “top priority” amid a changing global geopolitical landscape, recruitment problems and ongoing efforts to address sexual misconduct in the military.
Defence minister says Canada's military is 'top priority' amid worries about 'darker' world

Her top priority, not necessarily the GoC's top priority.

Which, as MND, makes sense that the military would be her top priority :sneaky:
 
Rumour - unsubstantiated, just rumour, but from a source that I think is both "plugged in" and trustworthy - says that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's brief visit to Canada a couple of weeks ago was to deliver a fairly rude "dressing down" to Prime Minister Trudeau, DPM Freeland and Foreign Minister Joly. The same rumour says that MND Anand and her DM and their CDS were warned, a few weeks before the visit, of both the content and the tenor of Blinken's message.

The rumour says that Blinken delivered a stern warning that Canada must either shape up, including in defence spending and readiness, or risk being booted out of the Five Eyes and the G-7.
 
Rumour - unsubstantiated, just rumour, but from a source that I think is both "plugged in" and trustworthy - says that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's brief visit to Canada a couple of weeks ago was to deliver a fairly rude "dressing down" to Prime Minister Trudeau, DPM Freeland and Foreign Minister Joly. The same rumour says that MND Anand and her DM and their CDS were warned, a few weeks before the visit, of both the content and the tenor of Blinken's message.
Good. Needed to be done. Hard to claim to be a valued world partner in security and diplomacy when you are a laggard to defense commitments globally, and especially in the defence of your own air, sea, and dare I say land approaches.
The rumour says that Blinken delivered a stern warning that Canada must either shape up, including in defence spending and readiness, or risk being booted out of the Five Eyes and the G-7.
That might get Le Dauphin to pull his head out of his ass.

Prestige and platform mean more to him than doing the right thing. I hope we see action in this and not continued handwringing
 
I think that we are seeing, right now, a major, actually a complete 180° (3200 mils) course correction on the Indo-Pacific file. Barton will still get a seat at the table but his voice will go unheard. There will be a sop to the Trudeauites about working with China to combat climate change but, essentially, a team of policy professionals will Canadianize a strategy made in Washington, DC.

I also suspect that the CDS' Reconstitution programme is designed to "strike while the iron is hot" and Team Trudeau has little choice but too get on board the Biden Express which looks, to progressive Canadians, distressingly, like the Trump Express but, this time, with some oomph behind it.

Team Trudeau's trip to visit ASEAN is timely and a step in the right direction - part of the strategic fallout from Putin's misadventures in Ukraine is that ASEAN is going to become more and more important to both China and India and, therefore, more important to the US-led West, too.
 
I think that we are seeing, right now, a major, actually a complete 180° (3200 mils) course correction on the Indo-Pacific file. Barton will still get a seat at the table but his voice will go unheard. There will be a sop to the Trudeauites about working with China to combat climate change but, essentially, a team of policy professionals will Canadianize a strategy made in Washington, DC.

I also suspect that the CDS' Reconstitution programme is designed to "strike while the iron is hot" and Team Trudeau has little choice but too get on board the Biden Express which looks, to progressive Canadians, distressingly, like the Trump Express but, this time, with some oomph behind it.

Team Trudeau's trip to visit ASEAN is timely and a step in the right direction - part of the strategic fallout from Putin's misadventures in Ukraine is that ASEAN is going to become more and more important to both China and India and, therefore, more important to the US-led West, too.
When the CBC talking heads are taking the Trudeau Liberals to task for their China Policy you know there has been a shift in the tide.
 
When the CBC talking heads are taking the Trudeau Liberals to task for their China Policy you know there has been a shift in the tide.
Wait until Blinken’s next trip when he tells Le Dauphin to throttle back on state-run media, lest one be forced to look longingly at the G6 and wish you were still part of the club… 😉
 
Wait until Blinken’s next trip when he tells Le Dauphin to throttle back on state-run media, lest one be forced to look longingly at the G6 and wish you were still part of the club… 😉
When you're taking policy tips from the CCP, you're no longer an ally; you're a liability.

He'll the Huawei debacle was grounds enough for us to no longer receive FVEY status on things. This is a long time coming and I hope it sees the 3200mils backbearing @Edward Campbell speaks of.
 
I think that we are seeing, right now, a major, actually a complete 180° (3200 mils) course correction on the Indo-Pacific file. Barton will still get a seat at the table but his voice will go unheard. There will be a sop to the Trudeauites about working with China to combat climate change but, essentially, a team of policy professionals will Canadianize a strategy made in Washington, DC.

I also suspect that the CDS' Reconstitution programme is designed to "strike while the iron is hot" and Team Trudeau has little choice but too get on board the Biden Express which looks, to progressive Canadians, distressingly, like the Trump Express but, this time, with some oomph behind it.

Team Trudeau's trip to visit ASEAN is timely and a step in the right direction - part of the strategic fallout from Putin's misadventures in Ukraine is that ASEAN is going to become more and more important to both China and India and, therefore, more important to the US-led West, too.
Does this mean we were told to get a handle on Beijing’s influence operations? Because I sure wasn’t impressed with the PM’s response to the CSIS report on election interference here…
 
I also suspect that the CDS' Reconstitution programme is designed to "strike while the iron is hot" and Team Trudeau has little choice but too get on board the Biden Express which looks, to progressive Canadians, distressingly, like the Trump Express but, this time, with some oomph behind it.

If only the RCN would get onboard with the CDS direction; I genuinely worry that we are driving are ships/crews so hard that we will break the fleet doing low impact sailing. Not having enough time to get the ships up to basic SOLAS standards by having time for things like maintenance and adequate crew sizes means they won't be up to snuff if they need to go to any kind of combat standard.
 
Rumour - unsubstantiated, just rumour, but from a source that I think is both "plugged in" and trustworthy - says that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's brief visit to Canada a couple of weeks ago was to deliver a fairly rude "dressing down" to Prime Minister Trudeau, DPM Freeland and Foreign Minister Joly. The same rumour says that MND Anand and her DM and their CDS were warned, a few weeks before the visit, of both the content and the tenor of Blinken's message.

The rumour says that Blinken delivered a stern warning that Canada must either shape up, including in defence spending and readiness, or risk being booted out of the Five Eyes and the G-7.
Just as I suspected something like that would happen.

I hope it was given in a rude condescending fashion. Yeah I am an asshole I know.
 
Wait until Blinken’s next trip when he tells Le Dauphin to throttle back on state-run media, lest one be forced to look longingly at the G6 and wish you were still part of the club… 😉
That message will, I suspect, be delivered by this lady, and she may not even bother coming to Ottawa to deliver it.

Her "mandate" is: "to spur good-paying jobs, empower entrepreneurs to innovate and grow, and help American workers and businesses compete." Guess whose actions threaten the competitive status of American workers and businesses?
Gina_Raimondo.jpg
 
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