Article

2005-02-24 Great White North

Canada Budget May Raise Military Spending

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Posted by Steve White 2005-02-24 11:27:48 PM|| || Front Page|| [6 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Hmmm. $41 bil loonies on NHS over 10 years, $11.2 bil for the armed forces.

No to the defense shield, but yes to boots on the ground.

Posted by anonymous2u 2005-02-24 12:57:18 AM|| 2005-02-24 12:57:18 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 As far as I can tell, the opt-out of BMD is virtually meaningless. The NORAD agreement earlier in the year means we have access to all the radar sites we need in Canada. Had Canada made a financial contribution, it would not have been critical or relatively significant to the US. Instead, Canada starts to rebuild its military, a move that might have garnered opposition had it not been done under the cover of seeming to put Canada's thumb in the eye of the Great Bronze South.

If someone can explain to me the significance of the BMD decision, I'd like to understand it; but at this point it looks like a smokescreen to cover an increase, however minimal, in Canadian defence spending. Maybe we shouldn't militarize the border.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-02-24 9:21:03 AM|| 2005-02-24 9:21:03 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 $980 million to secure the 4,000-mile border. $245,000 per mile. That's a lot per mile, even in Canadian dollars. Why am I thinking it will still leak like a sieve? Perhaps it's because of that U.N./EU mentality -- 99% to bureaucrats and 1% for the benefit of the masses.

Posted by Tom 2005-02-24 9:40:00 AM|| 2005-02-24 9:40:00 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Well, it won't be Canada unless they spend at least $20 mil on diversity training for the troops.

Posted by BH 2005-02-24 10:15:10 AM|| 2005-02-24 10:15:10 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 The Canadian military is on the verge of self-extinction. Their equipment is old and constantly breaking down,and their more experienced NCOs are leaving in mass numbers.
After a string of embarrassing incidents involving the military the Pols are pretending to spend some money to try and keep from being thrown out at next election.(Leased junk Brit subs,that resulted in deadly accident;had no way of responding when Denmark sent a ship to claim a disputed island;had a disaster response team that couldn't be sent to help in Tsunami relief because had no way of getting them out of Canada;had only one infantry battalion that was deployable and stated when that batt. came home from Afghanistan it would be 18 months before it could be replaced;had to admit it had no way of patrolling its Northern borders.)
Note that the $11.2 for defence includes antiterrorism,and later defence is only $10.5bil and that prob includes still more antiterrorism funding,which will go to police,fire,rescue,etc. units,which means even less for actual military. Either way,foreign aid $2.7 bil/yr,Defence allegedly @$2.1bil/yr.-that tells us where Canada's priorities are.

Posted by Stephen 2005-02-24 11:06:31 AM|| 2005-02-24 11:06:31 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 Well, the Canadian senate did wake up and say if something happens in the US and they come via our border, we're toast since they're our biggest trading partner.

Posted by anonymous2u 2005-02-24 11:49:19 AM|| 2005-02-24 11:49:19 AM|| Front Page Top

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