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PM's agenda ignores Forces: critics
Retirement delay, focus on social programs will slow defence spending, lobbyists fear
Tim Naumetz
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, August 28, 2002
Advocates for the Canadian Armed Forces are concerned that political uncertainty created by Prime Minister Jean Chré'©en's 18-month retirement schedule may hinder crucial new defence funding.
About a dozen defence lobbyists and representatives of interest groups that support the military conveyed that message to Defence Minister John McCallum during a private meeting yesterday.
Mr. McCallum, who has held the portfolio since May, appeared to agree the Defence Department's $12-billion annual budget should be expanded, three of the advocates said following the three-hour session.
However, the lobbyists were uncertain whether Mr. McCallum can convince cabinet that new defence spending should be a priority, said retired lieutenant-general Richard Evraire.
"He is looking for arguments, the best arguments possible, to use to convince the government that it should spend more on the Forces," said Gen. Evraire, who is also chairman of the Conference of Defence Associations.
"He obviously is intent on doing the best for the Forces that is possible. I made the point that the current political climate may be a little difficult in advancing the best interests of the Forces."
Mr. McCallum told the group, which included retired peacekeeper Gen. Lewis MacKenzie, he plans to seek the financial support outside military experts have recommended.
The Conference of Defence Associations has called for $1 billion more in spending every year over the next five years, while the House of Commons defence committee has recommended an increase of $6 billion over the next three years.
Last week, Mr. Chré'©en announced he will resign in February 2004 after the Liberal party chooses a new leader to succeed him as prime minister.
Some critics have said the plan makes Mr. Chré'©en a lame duck who will have difficulty controlling his divided caucus and cabinet ministers who might challenge for his job.
Other critics have expressed concern over possible new spending involved in a legacy agenda, centred on new social programs, which Mr. Chré'©en has announced he will unveil this fall.
Mr. McCallum acknowledged the uncertain political situation may make it difficult to squeeze new defence funding from a cabinet preoccupied with the leadership issue and Mr. Chré'©en's social agenda, said Gen. Evraire.
"Obviously, he admitted that it would be a difficult task to go for a large amount of money, but he is gearing up do that and we will support him in every attempt that he makes," he said.
Gen. MacKenzie added the group was concerned about the absence of defence spending from Mr. Chré'©en's list of items he plans to focus on during his last 18 months in power, including new programs to lower child poverty, help natives, the environment, research and development and health care.
"We expressed a concern that in the discussions of the prime minister's legacy, none of us had recognized the term defence, and certainly that was agreed to by everyone around the table," said Gen. MacKenzie, who suggested Mr. McCallum also agreed with the point.
Retired brigadier-general Don Macnamara, president of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute, said support for Canada's defence and sovereignty is the most important part of any social agenda.
"We talk about the social agenda in the newspaper, see that being the legacy, but the first and most important social service a government can render is the safety and security and sovereignty of the country and its people, their values and assets," said Gen. Macnamara, a senior fellow at Queen's University in Kingston.
Retirement delay, focus on social programs will slow defence spending, lobbyists fear
Tim Naumetz
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, August 28, 2002
Advocates for the Canadian Armed Forces are concerned that political uncertainty created by Prime Minister Jean Chré'©en's 18-month retirement schedule may hinder crucial new defence funding.
About a dozen defence lobbyists and representatives of interest groups that support the military conveyed that message to Defence Minister John McCallum during a private meeting yesterday.
Mr. McCallum, who has held the portfolio since May, appeared to agree the Defence Department's $12-billion annual budget should be expanded, three of the advocates said following the three-hour session.
However, the lobbyists were uncertain whether Mr. McCallum can convince cabinet that new defence spending should be a priority, said retired lieutenant-general Richard Evraire.
"He is looking for arguments, the best arguments possible, to use to convince the government that it should spend more on the Forces," said Gen. Evraire, who is also chairman of the Conference of Defence Associations.
"He obviously is intent on doing the best for the Forces that is possible. I made the point that the current political climate may be a little difficult in advancing the best interests of the Forces."
Mr. McCallum told the group, which included retired peacekeeper Gen. Lewis MacKenzie, he plans to seek the financial support outside military experts have recommended.
The Conference of Defence Associations has called for $1 billion more in spending every year over the next five years, while the House of Commons defence committee has recommended an increase of $6 billion over the next three years.
Last week, Mr. Chré'©en announced he will resign in February 2004 after the Liberal party chooses a new leader to succeed him as prime minister.
Some critics have said the plan makes Mr. Chré'©en a lame duck who will have difficulty controlling his divided caucus and cabinet ministers who might challenge for his job.
Other critics have expressed concern over possible new spending involved in a legacy agenda, centred on new social programs, which Mr. Chré'©en has announced he will unveil this fall.
Mr. McCallum acknowledged the uncertain political situation may make it difficult to squeeze new defence funding from a cabinet preoccupied with the leadership issue and Mr. Chré'©en's social agenda, said Gen. Evraire.
"Obviously, he admitted that it would be a difficult task to go for a large amount of money, but he is gearing up do that and we will support him in every attempt that he makes," he said.
Gen. MacKenzie added the group was concerned about the absence of defence spending from Mr. Chré'©en's list of items he plans to focus on during his last 18 months in power, including new programs to lower child poverty, help natives, the environment, research and development and health care.
"We expressed a concern that in the discussions of the prime minister's legacy, none of us had recognized the term defence, and certainly that was agreed to by everyone around the table," said Gen. MacKenzie, who suggested Mr. McCallum also agreed with the point.
Retired brigadier-general Don Macnamara, president of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute, said support for Canada's defence and sovereignty is the most important part of any social agenda.
"We talk about the social agenda in the newspaper, see that being the legacy, but the first and most important social service a government can render is the safety and security and sovereignty of the country and its people, their values and assets," said Gen. Macnamara, a senior fellow at Queen's University in Kingston.
