Canada's military ceasing to exist

[Desmond Hawkins]

Queen's University is releasing a study (hit most of Canada's newspapers this morning), that shows that due to Paul Martin's massive cutbacks on military spending in the 90's with a corresponding increase in Canadian deployments is driving the military to extinction. The CF-18s are expiring, and we will have nothing to replace them with. The navy is being FAR overstretched, and the Army's old equipment is making it irrelevent. With Paul Martin due to become Prime Minister next election (lets not kid ourselves, he is probably a shoe-in), he may be reaping what he sowed.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20031203.wxdefence03/BNStory/Front/

Air Force May Vanish By 2013

Some doves may like this idea, but Canada will not even be able to effectively exert control over its own territory. If they don't someone will...

 

[Xen]

Originally posted by Sobieski II


Some doves may like this idea, but Canada will not even be able to effectively exert control over its own territory. If they don't someone will...

just wait till the U.S finds its own Julius Caesar

 

[Azadre]

Julius Caesar should've been stabbed at birth... I don't like the Roman Empire...

 

[Constantine]

But many national surveys have placed armed forces after education, health and other social services. I argee that funding needs to be increase and efficeny increased.

 

[andrewgprv]

I don't know if I'd feel comfortable in a country with no armed forces. Not to mention if my next door neighbor was the world's super power.

 

[The Yankee]

Canada has a military? Just kidding.....but yeah, it's getting stretched to the breaking point. Rubber bands can only stretch so far before it snaps and falls apart....

I don't know how likely aid to the armed forces will come.

 

[Constantine]

Paul Martin the next PM IIRC promised increased funding for them at the Liberal convention in November. He takes office Dec. 12

 

[Fier Canadien]

Originally posted by andrewgprv
I don't know if I'd feel comfortable in a country with no armed forces. Not to mention if my next door neighbor was the world's super power.

Precision : and if we have an MPP with that superpower, does that help?

 

[Xen]

Originally posted by Azadre
Julius Caesar should've been stabbed at birth... I don't like the Roman Empire...

then I suppose you be at odds with me, the forums modern Roman nationalist most of the time.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

It is of the utmost importance that we maintain at least a strong DEFENSIVE posture. I do not feel comfortable being next to a country that is increasingly idealogically opposed, and that also wants what we have (resources), and is also the most powerful country in history, without force that at least shows we exist.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Originally posted by Constantine
Paul Martin the next PM IIRC promised increased funding for them at the Liberal convention in November. He takes office Dec. 12

There are, however, many intangibles that cannot be fixed by a simple cash infusion, such as personnel loss.

It is odd to think, that the damage was caused by a 2 billion dollar a year cut by Martin (he was Finance Minister), and now, to get us just back to where we were before it will cost at least 5 billion a year.

 

[Al Zan]

wait how big is Canada army now?

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Originally posted by Al Zan
wait how big is Canada army now?

15 000-18 000 regulars, and 15 000 reservists. That is not the issue as much as equipment and funding though.

 

[The Yankee]

And if you check the other thread, all the military committments are issues as well.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Originally posted by The Yankee
And if you check the other thread, all the military committments are issues as well.

Very much so. The problem is only exacerbated by the fact that the troops are all going abroad. Canada needs to bring them home and regroup.

 

[The Yankee]

At least. The way things are going, providing funds to allies is also a great asset aside from manpower.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Originally posted by The Yankee
At least. The way things are going, providing funds to allies is also a great asset aside from manpower.

Maybe, but the funds would be better spent providing our OWN defence. As much as peaceful coexistence is appealing, one must remember that the one that you rely on to defend your existence, essentially owns you.

 

[stratego]

Is it too late to rebuild it slowly? The US doesn't have a good reason to invade it, and no other country has the ease of land invasion, it's not too late to invest more in military.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Originally posted by stratego
Is it too late to rebuild it slowly? The US doesn't have a good reason to invade it, and no other country has the ease of land invasion, it's not too late to invest more in military.

It is never too late really. Even without popular support, the government is likely to put at least much of the required funding in, as without a military, the government itself loses lots of legitimacy. However, there will be a long lag time before personnel levels, and military capability catches up with funding increases.

The problem is largely that we will have no projection capacity (and minimal defence capacity) in 10 years, which will be an absolutely critical time in terms of the balance of the worlds powers.

 

[andrewgprv]

Originally posted by stratego
Is it too late to rebuild it slowly? The US doesn't have a good reason to invade it, and no other country has the ease of land invasion, it's not too late to invest more in military.

The US does have good reason to push you around though. What if the US decides that it doesn't like the pot being smuggled through the Canadian border? What if they decide to go into your own country the way they have done with many S. American countries? What if the US reinstates the draft and americans flee to Canada, that will once again give the US incentive to butt in on Canadian buisness. If you want to decide your own laws and not have the big boys telling you what to do a military is imperative.