February 25, 2004
THE PILOT FISH (via Tom Morin)
'Bankrupt' Forces may shut 5 bases: Internal reports say $500M shortfall may cause closures from Winnipeg to Labrador (Chris Wattie, February 24, 2004, National Post)
Canada's army, navy and air force are facing a funding shortfall of up to half a billion dollars, defence sources told the National Post, and the military is recommending drastic measures to make up the difference, including closing some of the largest bases in the country.The federal government is stalling the release of internal documents that outline the looming financial crisis, but military sources said the reports indicate that in the fiscal year beginning on April 1, the air force expects to be $150-million short of funds needed to fulfill its commitments, the navy will be $150-million shy of its needs and the army will be as much as $200-million short.
The figures were submitted to General Ray Henault, the Chief of Defence Staff, last month by the heads of the land staff, the maritime staff and the air staff in anticipation of this year's defence budget.
The military sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the reports foresee a situation so dire that they recommend curtailing operations, dry-docking ships and mothballing vehicles or aircraft and closing at least four Canadian Forces bases.
Anyone remember back to the 1980's, when Canada was still a real nation, rather than a retirement village? Posted by Orrin Judd at February 25, 2004 8:21 AM
Why should Canada bother to have a military? There's only one military threat from which we won't defend it, half of Canada is probably hoping for that threat to materialize and the other half knows it will have a good year's worth of warning.
Posted by: David Cohen at February 25, 2004 8:51 AMThe US and Canada would do very well to have an arrangement that would allow US recruitment to take place in Canada, and offer joint citizens to those who honorably serve.
I know there are Candians left willing to serve the cause of freedom in an organization seriously dedicated to doing so (which Canada's military, alas, is not). The US would have an even larger recruitment pool, the mutual investment in defense would be strengthened, and Canada would have a de facto well-trained reserve should they need it for whatever reason.
Wins all around.
Posted by: Andrew X at February 25, 2004 9:31 AMWith the scandals going on up there, they could afford to keep all these open for at least another 4 years.
1. The cheap gun registry is now into the billions
2. Paul Martin might go down because it was his responsibility to know where the money went for a lot of things and he had no clue.
Daimnation has some good stuff, and so does Colby Cosh.
Posted by: Sandy P. at February 25, 2004 10:25 AMI feel safer already.
Posted by: Robert Duquette at February 25, 2004 10:47 AMI like Andrew X's idea. There are a lot of good uses for a foreign legion. It should be open to more than just Canadiens, with US citizenship at the end of the term of service.
Posted by: Brandon at February 25, 2004 11:00 AMI think you mean the 1950's. In the '80's Trudeau was slashing military budgets anually and making a fool of himself lecturing Reagan and Thatcher on peace and the dangers of challenging the Soviets. Carter liked him though.
Posted by: Peter B at February 25, 2004 11:11 AMMulrooney was punching above his (your) weight, but he was always side-by-side with Reagan, Thatcher, Kohl, Nakasone.
Posted by: oj at February 25, 2004 11:21 AMYes, he talked the talk, while making even deeper cuts to the military than Trudeau had.
Posted by: Peter Burnet at February 25, 2004 11:28 AMWhat Andrew said, but as part of the U.S. Military, not a foreign legion. They're not foreign enough, at those who might enlist.
Posted by: Genecis at February 25, 2004 11:56 AMI second what both Andrew IX and David said.
Posted by: Jeff Guinn at February 25, 2004 12:02 PMCanada is just a collection of ten badly run health care providers held together by a common addiction for stale donut shops.
Posted by: john at February 25, 2004 1:08 PM"Anyone remember back to the 1980's, when Canada was still a real nation, rather than a retirement village?"
Canadians who can't afford to go to Vancouver Island instead go to Florida to die.
Non-citizens have always been able to enlist. Back in the 1950s "permanent residents" could get drafted, too. Service also counted for one's residency requirement toward citizenship, even if you served in Korea or Europe, and the wait was reduced from seven to five years (in effect, two years service counted double).
Right Raoul, but why don't we actively recruit them and throw in the GI Bill as well.
Posted by: genecis at February 25, 2004 4:12 PMWhen I was a kid in my next door neighbors were a Quebecois couple, Pierre and Madeline Lemieux. Pierre enlisted in the U.S. Army and fought in Vietnam. He claims he did it because cigarettes were so much cheaper on this side of the border.
Posted by: Jason Johnson at February 25, 2004 7:40 PMjohn:
Hey, Tim Horton's is far from stale.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at February 25, 2004 11:55 PM