Shift for the Reserves - National Post

[John Nayduk]

Reservists touted as terrorism fighters
Canada‘s long-neglected military reserves will be the first line of defence should terrorists mount an attack here like the Sept. 11 strikes, says the senior Liberal MP responsible for reservists.

http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/newsletter/story.html?id=30407dfb-d033-49b4-b6b8-221a777754d3

 

[dano]

Very interesting indeed!
Quite a few number of people probably have already realized that the reserve can do so much more than what it is doing now.

Though, now it is in "Ink and paper" with the parliamentary secretary to the Defense Minister.
It may give the Militia a broader more extensive resourceful role.

 

[Gunnar]

Let me get this straight....our primary armed forces is underfunded, has low morale and the government has been ignoring it for years. Our reserve is second place to the reg force in terms of funding, and in addition does everything part time. And, in case of terrorist attack, the reserves are going to keep us safe?

Sounds like more money, equipment, and training is necessary first....and if that is the case, why not give it to the regs first? Or will all this terrorist training fund the reserves to the detriment of the reg force?

Not really knocking the reserves per se...they are an organised and trained force that can be quickly mobilised in situ, are not part of the standard police/fire/ambulance apparat (and thus can operate more quickly, we hope, in case of an emergency)....it‘s just that I haven‘t heard the big announcement of a real increase to the Defence budget...and that would make news.

Broadening the role (and visibility) of the Reserve may help in the long run...I hope.

 

[onecat]

Maybe it‘s just me, but that has me very nervous as where Martin plans to take the CF. This could be his way of replacing the Reg Force with the reserve as the primary force. The Liberals have a long stand hate for anything Military, and this could be the out they are looking for. Under the cover of terrorist training, Martin can make himself look good to people who vote Liberal, but at the same time make canada a nation of part-time soldiers.

Not sure if this is the direction he is going to take and I sure hope it isn‘t the case, but over the last 10 years one thing I‘ve learned is don‘t trust the Liberals with Nation Defence..

 

[dano]

That is a good perspective yet interesting to look it.

But for the most part the public will not allow this to happen.

Up but foremost the US will have something to say about this as well.
As their patriotic selves, they will have indeed something to say, I just hope they do not take advantage of this.

 

[Roger]

We did at one time have a civil defence force, they where disbanded in the late 60’s or 70’s, I remember going by the building as a kid and see them practice. The Reserve ended getting there budget and where supposed to take over training and prepare to help us in need like Nova Scotia, BC fires and Ice storms in Quebec and Ontario. But because of the October crisis, they where mainly training for riot and or crowd control.

The one problem I can see is there is no protection for a reservist, if you ever get called you could get fired from you civilian job and be out of work. Even now many of you are in the same position as me, I cannot get the time off in summer to go on courses, hence I will not be promoted, the Reserves is part of my life and I love it but I need to feed myself.

First thing they should do is have a system like most European country’s and the USA, pass a law that would guarantee us some sort of job protection.

 

[Devlin]

Mr. Price wants the reserves to be able to both "back-stop" the regular Canadian Forces and be called out en masse in times of national emergency, such as the recent onslaught of Hurricane Juan on Nova Scotia or the blackout in southern Ontario.

Sure no problem there Mr. Price, lets go hoah and all that sh1t.

Just one thing big guy how about some job protection like our neighbours south of the 49th paralell.

 

[Korus]

Let me get this straight....our primary armed forces is underfunded, has low morale and the government has been ignoring it for years. Our reserve is second place to the reg force in terms of funding, and in addition does everything part time. And, in case of terrorist attack, the reserves are going to keep us safe?

Alrighty. If, for example, Vancouver gets attacked we can just wait for 1 or 3 PPCLI to fly out from Edmonton while the local reservists sit on their arses.

I think the (a?) point is that the reserves are spread out much more than the regular forces, and thus can be on location quicker for local emergencies. If something happened in Edmonton, as an example, there are both regular and reserve army units, and it‘s obvious that the regs would be able to react quicker, since they don‘t have to call up their troops at school/work.

 

[dano]

trap:"First thing they should do is have a system like most European country’s and the USA, pass a law that would guarantee us some sort of job protection."

That would be a stature worth having, but

It simply can‘t be as easy as passing/changing laws. When is it moral to pass/change laws to fit the needs or wants of others?

In my opinion, passing/changing laws is just another way of exploiting what we have and don‘t have so human life is more ample(speaking generally).

It has become a game, for example Bush

SHIFTING AGENDA: Bush‘s changing priorities since he took office:

2001

• Across-the-board income-tax cut
• Overhaul federal education policy to emphasize more-rigorous testing
• Faith-based initiative to increase church involvement in social services

2002
• Pursue Osama bin Laden and surviving al Qaeda operatives
• Extend anti-terror war to address"axis of evil," including Iraq, Iran and North Korea
• Create federal department of Homeland Security

2003
• Rally domestic and international support for military action against Iraq
• Avoid military action, seek United Nations help in stopping North Korean nuclear program
• Economic-growth package featuring abolition of taxes on stock dividends

These are the starting points of which more will come.

Simply creating, passing and changing laws amply is not what law is about.

No one agrees with all of them, nevertheless, simultaneously no one disagrees with all of them as well.

(I‘m not flaming you Trap. I‘m just making a statement)

 

[Korus]

Soo... since Bush has had changing policies, Canadian politicians shouldn‘t pass any laws for job protection for Canadian reservists?

You where saving that, and just waiting for a topic to post it in, wheren‘t you.

On the topic of job legislation,
http://www.dnd.ca/site/minister/eng/restructuring/e-p4-c14.html

 

[kurokaze]

That‘s all well and good, but I‘m not holding my breathe to see job-protection anytime soon...

 

[Gryphon]

me neither

 

[dano]

It is a illustrative instance.

I did not imply nor think that we can‘t have Job protection. I used Job protection as an example.

I think that just by changing laws considerably ample in general is not moral.

Bush is just an example of changing laws/procedures to meet his own agenda goals in war time.

 

[Roger]

Changing a law for us in Canada for job protection is a need.

You can not compare it to passing a law "Extend anti-terror war to address"axis of evil"

If it ever comes to a point in Canada that you are called up for a emergency, get permission from your employer then when you get back you get a pink slip there is nothing you can do and that is not right.

If we tell friends, co-workers, relatives, our member of parliment then maybe the law will change. The new policy of saying we think it would work better for the reserves not to have the law is a copout.

On a last note, if they had the law we could be called to go somewhere and not have a choice and have to go.

 

[Jungle]

On a last note, if they had the law we could be called to go somewhere and not have a choice and have to go.

That is the big point: you can‘t have that kind of legislation without a commitment from the part of Reservists.

 

[Gunnar]

Korus, it‘s not that the reserves are useless, or that there isn‘t a purpose to a reserve army (read the second half of my post which points out the rapidity of deployment argument you make later), but that when the PRIMARY force is underfunded, and the SECONDARY force is by its very nature funded less than the primary: Where the **** is the coin coming from?

Further, by funding the secondary force in preference to the primary, you demean the primary and leave the reserve open to being commanded not by generals, but by civilian authorities...soon, we have a great big police force.

I too fear what someone else suggested on this thread...that the CF will be made completely into a reserve force to satisfy some Liberal‘s dream of a Utopian world where everybody loves one another, and spends their days singing Sesame Street "cooperation" songs...

 

[dano]

*Shivers*

 

[onecat]

"On a last note, if they had the law we could be called to go somewhere and not have a choice and have to go. "

"That is the big point: you can‘t have that kind of legislation without a commitment from the part of Reservists."

What‘s the problem with that. If you join a force who has the primary goal of defening national interests you going to be sent places you might not like. If they did past that legislation then you you should be sent: teh commitment is made when you sign on the dotted line.

 

[Jungle]

The problem is that there is no obligation to serve once a kid joins the Reserves. They can quit anytime they want, and a lot do when it gets too hard or they don‘t get what they want. If job protection legislation is passed, then people should sign a contract when joining the Reserves.

 

[dano]

Here is an article to support my example.

http://www.guerrillanews.com/war_on_terrorism/doc3686.html