While there is never a shortage of American military news (either true or completely falsified), gripping and pertinent news releases regarding the Canadian military are much harder to come by.
Why?
Yes, we have our beloved peacekeeping role; and now our duties on the world stage (Afghanistan has claimed 7 of our years, and 77 of our soldiers by now), but isn't the Canadian military just like....a ...joke? It seems it must be, the way the US airmen I live with laugh when any aspect of our Canuck infantry is mentioned. Or the completely impassionate and non-urgent response that's elicited by most Canadians I live with.
The Canadian military is small, relatively powerless, and reminiscent of a child playing dress up in Daddy America's work clothes.
But not for long?
The Harper government stealthily released a plan to get in the game & beef up military spending the eve of June 19th. This after a cryptic speech regarding the plan (technically known as Canada First Defense Policy) 6 weeks prior. Critics cite the method by which the plan was released (namely sans fanfare and political hoopla) as suspicious, and noteworthy. I say I couldn't care less about the motives behind the Harper government posting the information at 12am vs. 12pm. What interests me is the content. How novel, you all say in unison.
Yes. Quite. Now let's take a look.
The proposed action?
490 Billion dollars spent on our Canadian Military. Over 20 years, of course. Specifically, this means 60 billion on desperately needed new equipment; necessary if Canada wants to remain competitive in its missions, at home or abroad. 15 billion of the proposed 60 has already been approved, and announced. A large portion of the 490 will also go towards military personnel themselves: training, living expenses, recruitment, morale. With the added funding, Canada hopes also to augment its membership by approximately 12 000. Also on the docket? 'training and maintenance of equipment', and 'military buildings and infrastructure'. (1).
The document states:
"This strengthened military will translate into enhanced security for Canadians at home as well as a stronger voice for Canada on the world stage." (1)
Unquestionably.
Despite the arguments regarding more 'appropriate spending' for this money, I, for one, feel this is long overdue. I have always been fiercely proud to call myself a Canadian. I'm ecstatic that I'll be able to quote such growth and foresight by our military system when defending it to my American comrades. The state of the world has defined parameters which we must adjust to: a well-equipped, capable military is necessary in this day and age. Not just to perform a war-fighting function, but also to perform the other functions Canadians oftentimes take for granted. The peacekeeping, of course. But also natural disaster relief, National defense, and even, the support of major national events (Vancouver 2010, anyone?).
Some may scoff at the proposal to spend billions on our uniformed men and women, fearing 'enmeshment with American foreign policy'(1). But while we are definitely being influenced by our neighbours to the South, we are not suddenly morphing into a similarly war-hungry nation; squandering tax money purely on weapons designed to destroy. To fund the military is to fund a secure future. At home, and abroad.
We are giving our soldiers the opportunity to perform their jobs to the best of their capabilities. Considering their sacrifices (of which i am very personally acquainted), I hardly see any rationale behind disputing the need for this. I should think that, in the event any of our nation's tax payers should find themselves in the middle of an attack, natural disaster, or crises of any sort, they will be the last to complain about the enhanced capacity of the very military who will be offering them salvation.
God forbid, of course.
1. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/20/military-plan.html#socialcomments
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5 comments:
RE: "Canadian Military Plan: FINALLY!"
It's amazing how "quiet" this military plan has been kept! I had not heard about this prior to your post and I am glad that you decided to talk about this particular article.
So the Conservative government has decided to spend $490 billion over the next 20 years to ensure Canadian soldiers are "well-equipped, well-trained and highly active." I think it was kept quiet for a reason. I mean, $490 BILLION DOLLARS?! That is insane! This means approximately $50,000,000 of taxpayers dollars a year going towards military spending! I think if this was not kept quiet there would be a huge public outrage. The money is to go towards military equipment, training, maintanance, military buildings and infrastructure.
I personally believe that this is a good move since Canada is often criticized for not protecting our home front and not being prepared in times of threat. However,I think that $490 billion a little too much for the government to be spending on military spending when in fact we could be putting that money towards other important social programs. I think that this is where Harper's U.S influence comes in. We all know that the U.S spends LOTS AND LOTS of money on military spending and I think that Harper feels as though we need to move in the same direction as the U.S.
We should maintain our peacekeeping role meaning that we should create conditions for our the peace we have already sustained for many years. Are we now moving towards a peace building nation instead? Will we be fighting America's war with this money instead of our own? I think so, I think this is a plan to further our alliance with the U.S. Once our troops are built will this money, they will be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan to fight America's "war against terrorism." I think that this only creates a stronger U.S, not a stronger and more powerful Canada. I think that the Conservative Party needs to sort out its priorities and determine what is more important: military spending or other social programs. Where is this money even coming from? Is it coming from tax dollars? Nonetheless, this money, or even a small percentage of it
should go towards lessening our dependance on fuel or towards research in finding cheaper fuel alternatives. I think that the Conservative Party should focus on the issues that are affecting us NOW and not 20 years from now.. Yes, our current military is small and powerless but when have we ever had to go to war.. this is Canada people not the U.S! We do not need to fix something that isn't broken.
SOURCE: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/20/military-plan.html#socialcomments
I fully agree with Rosy.
I don’t enjoy the statement you quoted out of the new document proposing new investments in Canadian military. Specifically, the new investments giving Canada a stronger voice on the world stage.
Firstly, if Canada makes this investment to upgrade equipment, facilities and training, what is that really saying? I find this only provides intimidation to other countries. A way of asserting ourselves as ever powerful and a country to be feared.
You stated that a well-equipped military is necessary due to the current state of the world. While I believe our military necessitates certain upgrades just like every other department, $490 billion is grossly unnecessary if our goal is preparedness.
Currently, I’m not ashamed of our military and no American military personnel could make me feel that way. What I do find shameful is spending money a country doesn’t have on continued war measure that increase “protection.”
I guess some may find this comments dated and unrealistic. I guess I'm just a firm believer in peace. As the saying goes, "I will believe in war when as much money is spent on peace and it fails."
I'm also glad that you posted on this topic, as it's not something that I have heard about! Sneaky how the government releases some info, eh?
I'm going to have to agree with the general sentiments of the original poster on this one. Any government support of the military always seems to be controversial, yet whether we want to admit it or not, it is definately necessary. I think it's very important to give the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting, defending and maintaining peace the most up to date equipment to be able to effectively do their job. While I'm not intimately familiar with how things are now, I do have the impression that Canada's military is in desperate need of an upgrade.
I'm also going to have to say that I do not believe that Canada investing in the military will make us look like a war hungry people, or like we're trying to cozy up to the United States. The US is not the first country in history to invest scads of money into its military. It's also not uncommon at all for a country to put resources into their army, for various reasons that others have already mentioned. In fact, it's something civilizations have been doing since the beginning of time. Have we evolved past the need for armed forces? Definitely not. Peace is a great ideal, but unfortunately it is only an ideal. Canada should be prepared to be able jump in and aid other countries in times of crisis (ie WWII), as well as protect our own. I can't help but wonder if perhaps some of this new investment will be directed towards the whole protecting the Arctic issue?
I'm not condoning war or the horrors that it brings, nor do I believe that Canada should jump onto any US agenda of "bringing democracy" to countries that never asked for it. The amount of money being spent does seem obscene at first glance, but in the greater scheme of things $50 mil a year isn't the highest level of allotment in the current budget by any means. Especially considering the high level of cost of high tech equipment and such. Here's a link to the 2008 Budget for your perusal: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2008/pamphlet-depliant/pamphlet-depliant1-eng.asp
Anyway, I hope this ramble hasn't sounded too pessimistic. I do believe that Canadians should feel free to support their country and their country's armed forces without being concerned of sounding too "American". We're not American, we have differences, and investing in military will not change that.
When I first read this article I was appalled and outraged. The 490 billion dollars that will soon be invested in our military (over the next 20 years) seems not only suspicious but incredible excessive. What I couldn’t understand was why this sudden investment was being made.
At first I was under the impression that we are boosting our military for the war in Afghanistan (which we shouldn’t be taking part in anyways), but it doesn’t make sense why we would do that seven years in, there must be another reason.
Then I thought that maybe the money is going to be invested in our military, not to help the US but to defend ourselves from the states because of the potential disputes over the need for Canada to share its abundance of natural resources. But then I realized that the Free Trade agreement makes it so that we have no choice but to share, so there would be no need for a war.
Then I thought that once our economy starts going down hill (just as the states) we would rely on a war to help bring us back to a time of prosperity. But then I realized that we don’t have enough youth to recruit.
Finally, I realized why it is that the investment is going to take place. For entirely too long Canada has depended on the states for its defense, and now that they are losing their superpower position, Canada will be forced to stand on its own two feet for the first time. This means that Canada has to play catch up after all those year where it has ignored the upgrades that should have been made to have our army in a half decent condition.
Harper probably kept this so hush hush because he knew the reaction it would elicit from a large portion of the Canadian population. Although 490 billion dollars seems like a lot of money, it’s not only justified but well overdue.
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