Fixing Canada’s Defence Issues | Your Morning

[@kevindelaney1951]

My years of service 1967-96. 3rd Generation of my family to serve. Neglected military for the past 20 years? Try the past 35+ years. Both traditional governing parties neglected our military. Why? Well the Canadian voting public never made the status of our military a priority. Both traditional governing parties 1) reduce our military strength when in power;2) both neglected replacing worn equipment;3) both didn’t fix a broken procurement system; 4) both cut & clawed back budgets;5) both neglected veterans & 6) both always felt America would pick up the tab. Canada is now being called out by a very obnoxious debt collector. Canada set itself up for this moment.

[@deanbusch2727]

I served 10 years its been an issue since the we pulled out of Europe.

[@richardrobinson5633]

Agreed. But even worse, didn't Trudeau pander hard to get the vet vote, and then literally told injured vets on live tv that we just don't have anymore to give right now? (Who tf says that?)Right after he's started blasting huge debts and destroying our economy?

[@denisepoirier4669]

@@deanbusch2727 it was an issue long before

[@WTBooge]

No one discuss the garbage leadership in military culture? I'm not saying the hierarchy system is bad, but a lot of people in the leadership positions are so incapable at their jobs (aka shit pumps). They were promoted based on a stupid point systems, seniority and obedience rather than actual ability to lead and care for people below. Also, it is impossible to lay off useless people. I can say many active members are just leeching the organization for guaranteed salary.

[@lakyAMT]

wow . good topic to discuss at RMC .. 💂‍♂💂💂‍♀

[@uniroyalbarrie]

Shit pump lol long lost word

[@abdcontractingltd]

Give our forces the 6B gst "holiday" funds instead! $250 cheques doesn't even cover a week of groceries for a family.

[@Finness894]

Or give our military the $40 Billion wasted on One Way Reconciliation.

[@DJC-it2sw]

This is, and has been, a civilian leadership issue. It can be understandable that the voters don't pay too much attention to peacetime military, just like they don't worry about maintenance on sewers and bridges. The issue comes when the government doesn't do their job and drive training/procurement/maintenance and things fall apart. You can paint both political parties in the same colour going back to the 80's. Harper had the chance to fix it with Afghanistan ongoing. Trudeau should have fixed it with the NATO 2% agreement and the Ukraine invasion. And Poilievre ignores the topic as our allies turn their backs on us.

[@jamesdiaz793]

No it is not just a civilian leadership issue. Decades of gutless senior officers including Chiefs of defence staff who have put their career, pension and promotion ahead of principal have been every bit accessories to this failure. Their silence, complacency, incompetence, laziness and moral cowardice have contributed to this deterioration every bit as deleteriously as incompetent civilian leadership.

[@ekimeno3061]

@@jamesdiaz793 Can you explain what you mean for those of us unfamiliar with what you're speaking of.

[@kevindelaney1951]

True words.

[@chrisburke624]

​@@jamesdiaz793THIS

[@jarrettbobbett5230]

​@@jamesdiaz793 Harper's the one that cut Canada 's defense spending to less than 1% of GDP. Also in 2016 180 billion was invested into infrastructure like your sewers and bridges. Could we use more probably. But blame Harper and his recession conservative government for the dire military and infrastructure situation that Justin was left with. Facts matter.

[@mikrascally]

It's also bad management by defense procurement. My Canadian company lost a bid to a more expensive (doubled), less advanced foreign technology. Where even the soldiers were scratching their heads. In the end, that equipment was shelved due to catastrophic failures which we told them about. Tax payers money down the drain and our troops without proper equipment.

[@ramrod9556]

Why does it take months to get an applicant into the forces. If a person applies they should know in 2 days if they're in or not.

[@yjang27]

Are you serious? This is not some low risk jobs where you can easily replace after a simple test. Tell me any organization where you can get hired in 2 days.

[@Finness894]

@@yjang27 Govt, IF you fit their agenda.

[@ramrod9556]

@@yjang27 My brother joined the CAF 40 years ago. Applied one afternoon and was accepted the next day. He made a career out of it.

[@asakurayoh3909]

You must be kidding right? Background check takes time, you can't just let anyone into the military.

[@thefamilyadventure5330]

Security background check

[@RichardDuncan-l5m]

Procurement is treasury board rules. Start there.

[@al28854]

Canada's new defense budget is 1.32 percent of GDP, short of 2.0 NATO benchmark, just embarrassing

[@simpledragon]

We need to up the lifestyle of the Canadian soldier, better food, warm clothes, higher social status for army personnel with decent salaries and equipment. We should use mining equipment to build our military bases in the north with self sustained electricity and greenhouses. If the government uses the military engineers to create a northern grid; By getting in the power business can create standards, generate funding and limit dependence on non military corporate assets. We need to silence the dissent in our parliament ( What is Poilievre doing?) as this is our foundation.

[@Malinski66]

lol been a long-line of broken promises starting with PM Borden.

[@Capellix0001]

Whoever ordered the new sleeping bags needs to be fired.

[@ayo-v1p]

Not just the sleeping bags, the skinless so called “light tactical vehicle” that was bought for the army. And I am still disgruntled about the armaments of the Harry De Wolf class AOPV

[@timpeterson2738]

Citizens need to get behind this 100%

[@huntergerszke8135]

This is such a joke. Stop putting so called “experts” on who really don’t know what they’re talking about or retired generals who never really cared to begin with on. How about actually asking ppl who are serving the military today

[@Finness894]

The news does not inform us any more ... they Manipulate our opinion. They ARE professionals after all.

[@tophat2115]

Too many fingers in the pie for procurement, instead of just DND it's several departments. The PM needs to kick out the extra bean counters, DND knows their mission parameters, let them decide what they need and buy it for them.

[@howardjolley2215]

At the end of World War 2 Canada had the third largest navy, a large army and a large air force. Now, those number were not something Canada could maintain in peace time, so many ships (especially those worn out by damage and overwork, were laid up, equipment (fighters, bombers, tanks, trucks, artillery, etc.) was sold, scrapped or just given away, and troops were demobilized. Even so, Canada did keep a relatively large military and new equipment was acquired as needed. This was kept up during Korea and the Cold War, but then governments started chipping away with lower troop numbers, fewer tanks, ships and planes. And each successive government just kept it up, budget cuts always started with the military. It didn't matter which party was in power, they all had blinders on when it came to maintaining the military. And here we are today where the government doesn't know how to recruit and those it is trying to recruit shouldn't be included unless they meet the military standards, not the DEI/Woke standards the government has introduced. The equipment is only now starting to be replaced, instead of when it became obsolescent or even obsolete. For the most part we have good men and women in the military and they proved it in Afghanistan despite the shortages of needed equipment, but the senior leadership over the last 10 years has been abysmal and has failed the men and women under them. They have been pursuing the governments woke agendas instead of growing a pair and standing up to government cuts and tampons in the men's bathrooms.

[@krispayne729]

Wow, I'm not a military member. But I can explain part of the reason why people don't want to join. The Canadian military one is Walt politics and the other 1 is obsolete. Old war out military equipment. Those could be 2 of the reasons. And the federal government kicked out a bunch of Canadian military members because they didn't get that jab. During the pandemic I can't see those people. Return it back to the canadian military after they were mistreated

[@skinny1968]

Mandatory service for all 18 year olds. 18 months. This would most likely more than meet our NATO expectations and give us a country that could defend itself as well as teaching our youth not to be woke, and less likely to be drug addicts. A win all around in my opinion. I did three years, never been unemployed.

[@tim19621]

That's a great idea but it won't happen.

[@skinny1968]

@tim19621 thanks unfortunately I agree. We are in a hell of a mess.

[@aidannewton]

The military is woke lol

[@Malinski66]

that will create instant push back there will be no military worth having within 6 weeks of implementing such a directive

[@skinny1968]

@@Malinski66 works for many countries. France, Denmark, Israel etc. But our woke country couldn't handle it I guess.

[@dmytrokravets2264]

63000 Regular Forces? What part of that is infantry? 4000? Enough to last 2.5 days in modern war?

[@niweshlekhak9646]

Most of them are infantry.

[@BC-li6zc]

​@niweshlekhak9646 63000 minus 16000 vacant positions devide by 3 for Army, Navy, Air Force. So 4000 Infantry is being optimistic.

[@asimoes1974]

Until recruiting is fixed and until the 16,000 open positions are filled with qualified soldiers no amount of new money or equipment will make a difference. It takes at least two years to train a soldier just the basics in their trade. All new equipment promises and even much of what we have now require even more time to be fully competent in both maintaining and operating it. The CF needs to formulate a concrete plan now on fixing recruiting , it should not take in many cases two years to enroll applicants. It took me less than six months from the day I entered the recruiting office to being fully enrolled and starting basic training. Last figures released recruiting took in 70,000 applications yet enrolled less than 3,000, you don't need countless committees and studies to know recruiting is broken. There needs to be some accountability from recruiting offices and those in charge.

[@Malinski66]

there are plenty of contractors that could do things like background checks and other intake support services - but the budget for such things does not exist, nor is there a culture within the military college grads to look at anything other than the 'official' solutions within the current military we need a defense minister that has at least done some service, and has a cut red tape with ruthlessness attitude

[@Nicklan1961]

@Malinski66 we don't have the industrial capacity to supply any miltary in any kind of war our sustained battle at all.

[@bluefalcon0001]

The politicians respond to public sentiment like Trudeau did now to immigration. At that time, mostly Harper’s time, most Canadians did not care about military spending, so the government stopped it. It will take a decade to get back on track for military.

[@MTRGUY]

Not only is there no political will, there is no national will...the will of average citizens to put the military...national defense closer to the top of the national priority, its not there. This is clearly evident if you live in a non military town. Most people are more concerned with social programs, and making ends meet. Until you have a strong prosperous economy with everyone on the same page you are not going to have a strong military.

[@BC-li6zc]

Any country that lacks the will and ability to defend itself ceases to be a nation.

[@canadianhienz57]

This interviewed gentlemen has his timeline horribly skewed. Our OP tempo is now is high but it was significantly higher. Throughout the 1990s, you could expect to be on tour every 18-months with the gap between spent on career courses, training soldiers, pre-deployment training, then back on tour. In the early 1990s, we had 2 BATTLE GROUPS in the Balkans, a BATTLE GROUP in Somalia, a BATTALION (arty regiment, actually) in Cyprus, troops in Kuwait cleaning up from Gulf War 1, troops in Cambodia, and naval task groups around the planet with marginally more troops than we have now. Today, we champion a single multi-national battle group in Latvia and training cadre in other parts of Europe and are stretched. The wheels haven’t fallen off the bus. The bus was replaced by a decrepit 2nd-hand minivan. The troops are great. The political will to change things is tied up in the PMO who is more concerned with maintaining power than defending our nation, national, identity, and sovereignty. When Canada had a budget crunch under PM Chrétien, he opted for the throw-away course of action… “America will protect us, the CF (the armed, deemed too aggressive previously, was reinstated into the CAF under Harper) can dwindle to irrelevance” which sold our sovereignty to our closest neighbour. We’re pooched. Our soldiers, sailors, and aviators deserve better.

[@thefamilyadventure5330]

There are CAF memebers doing UBER and getting food from food banks.

[@wholesomelunch6576]

We need more incentives and we need to stop relying on others. We need an arms production industry here, we need new weapons, kit and equipment. We need to modernize and stop giving away our shit

[@dwightestey9060]

How many times has Canada been through this; many. The government needs to conduct a study each time, and it makes no sense because we need everything. No deep water port in the Arctic, no large airbase in the Arctic, no army base in the Arctic, no heavy ice breaking ships, no long range air defence systems, no short range air defence systems, no long range surface to surface missiles, 82 combat tanks, which even the average Canadian should realize that is not anywhere close to what a country the size of Canada needs. We have bought new fighters, but we are far behind our allies, we have ordered new ships, but again behind our allies. We only have 4 C17 aircraft for heavy lift, and not enough drone. We have no electronic warfare aircraft to my knowledge. Both Conservative and Liberal governments have failed in their responsibility to protect Canada since the late 50s, but the Canadian public and media must bear some of the blame as well. It cost money, it can be made very powerful, but it take pressure from the public, a supportive media, and a strong political back to get it done. That $6 Billion Trudeau is wasting buying votes could have bought 40 Apache attack helicopters. We cannot and should not be relying on the US for our own security; its absurd.

[@jean-micheltanguay8664]

Nothing new here. We identified those things 10-15 years ago and were told we didn’t need it and to do with what we had. Then retention and recruitment became an issue. I saw a young private 2 days ago and he was happy to finish is 3 years contract to go back to making less money but be treated with respect. Respect is a lost word within the CAF and even if you equip your troops with state of the art gear, they’ll leave if you treat them like shit.

[@MonsieurLabbe]

As a Canadian veteran I agree 💯 % with your review of our armed forces. 😢

[@TheoneWithoneopinion-u3e]

This is what is what is coming

[@Vincentorix]

Getting recruits processed and trained is the biggest challenge to getting numbers up in the CAF.

[@joebush1663]

Give our soldiers a 30% raise would be a good start with guaranteed annual cost of living increases. Build more affordable military housing and get rid of the DEI crap.

[@denisepoirier4669]

The neglect started back in the 70s, Canada needs roughly 200.000 ground troops,, Today !!! Not by 2035!!!

[@normanramos1037]

Incompetence and corruption in government resulting to neglect

[@JBrix86]

Build Canada's armed forces with Canadian's arms. Built for and by Canadians! Edit: If that becomes policy. Leave NATO and spend 5% of GDP for all I care.

[@gfutube1]

A federal government change is needed

[@JBrix86]

Harper government, which Poilievre was a part of was worse then Trudeau's has been. Not sure if the Conservatives are the answer. Would be nice to see their plan.

[@cravarc]

A federal government choice, so there can be a proper federal government change, is needed.

[@grahamkearnon6682]

The Scandinavian country's have mostly top-notch, modern equipment with motivated personnel, i know, have worked with them. The ships, submarines and, aircraft all fuse well with NATO country's. Canada needs to just buy exactly what the scandies operate, no more of the canadian generals, Admirals etc picky little wants that history shows us escalate price massively, delay product and, usually dont mesh a cobined produt together.

[@DJC-it2sw]

I agree completely; we definitely need to focus on the basics. I'm nervous that they've over engineered the Type 26s like they did with AOPS and it will probably take 25yrs to get our first sub. The perfect example is the 10yr project to replace the BV206 when the Americans got their first deliveries in about 18mth.

[@inquisitorsquish5422]

You got the 3 regular force infantry regiments, I would say about 3000 who are deployable and ready to fight. You got about 80 tanks to support them, and less than 10 fighter craft. So that should last a few days if our 150 Generals can control them well. Which is fine because we would run out of ammo if it lasted more than a week.

[@ryanfriday7923]

Mandatory military service is needed asap. Including total force policy needs to be enforced

[@danrook5757]

Money will help

[@BergJager1]

90 thousand???? When did the CAF ever had 90 thousand?? Grew up and military brat then spent 15 years in the army. Never at any point did we ever have 90 thousand in my lifetime! I’m 56. Maybe if you included the reserves and civilian staff and maybe support contractors and the janitor……we may have got to 90.

[@markfisher8206]

We had them in 1968!

[@commoncents6831]

Military been neglected since the 60’s. They me of the huge problems is with the procurement process. Spending 2 BILLION on a $180 million dollar icebreaker is example #1

[@mikebabin9980]

Our Defence budget should never be diminished for any Party that is at the helm....can only go up. Stop taking away from DND and VAC to pay other departments.

[@michaellawcobb2693]

As Brad McGonigal writes, “My official statement regarding the Canadian military classifying "Make Canada Great Again" as an extremist slogan & group. When I created the Make Canada Great Again community on X, I did so out of love for my fellow citizens. Many of whom I have met over the decades as I travelled for work, across our great land. Over the last decade I have watched our National beauty dim and the joy in society fade into despair. The pandemic shifted this decline into high gear. So many Canadians were isolated in fear driven by propaganda created by the Canadian military when it unleashed PSYOPS on Canadians, in early 2020. Our MSM in Canada promoted the idea of jailing or even letting people die, if they refused to buy into the ever changing narratives and shifting goal posts, during the plandemic. This drove irreversible divisions between friends, families & co-workers. As an example, we watched nurses & truckers be hailed as heroes in 2020. Only for many in those same people to be vilified, bullied, de-platormed, assaulted, ran over by horses, tear gassed, financial accounts frozen & smeared as Naz*s in national & international MSM. I have watched the decriminalization of the mass murder of 50K+ Canadians, to overdose, while our government pretends their policies, "save lives". Under Justin Trudeau more Canadians have died from overdose than all the CAF who died in WW2. Losing the war on drugs has proven to be catastrophic. Especially in British Columbia. MAiD is killing even more Canadians, with people applying for the program because of poverty or a lack of healthcare provided. Politicians allowed all of this carnage for profit, votes & promises for even more bonuses, down the road. The WEF, UN, Global Citizen movement, Big Pharma & WHO are not democratically elected bodies. They should not have more sway in our government than the Canadian taxpayer. Make Canada Great Again is a peaceful & patriotic movement. We seek to fix what has been damaged & destroyed by hostile globalist takeovers of our political class. If anyone finds that to be a threat to Canada, I suggest they're the real threat to Canada.”

[@thelastnwah4743]

I was waiting for the ''this is all Trudeau's fault'' argument in the comment section and I wasn't disappointed. It will be funny when Poilievre gets in power and people realize conservatives aren't any better.

[@REV-1]

⁠@@northernpike13😂

[@REV-1]

@@thelastnwah4743Nah dawg, you guys are nuts.

[@thelastnwah4743]

@@REV-1 Well I guess I ain't getting any substantive answer, my expectations were already low but you couldn't even meet that bar.

[@ayo-v1p]

@@northernpike13 Considering the fact that Pierre Poilievre was under the Harper administration and not much was done for CAF during that time, we can’t say for sure if priority will be given to the CAF if he wins the upcoming election. And most of his debates at the House of Commons is focused more on carbon tax, public funds and anything finance related, I don’t think I have ever heard him speak about the situation of the CAF, not even in public speeches or journalists question and answers

[@cravarc]

more of the same ... different flavour

[@Bellski]

I did 8 years and got out after my last tour to Afghanistan 9n 2010. We have an insanely top heavy military, too many officers, half which are out of shape and incompetent. The physical standards are pathetic so were riddled with out of shape soldiers, poor equipment, old weapons, old uniforms. Is it any surprise there is low morale and high rates of attrition?? It's a joke now.

[@stevenjohn1470]

Recruitment is the smallest issue in the CAF. Canada is incapable of buying good equipment at a fair price. The burocracy around the CAF is weight that is slowing everything. The training system is deplorable. Effectiveness, and efficiency audit needs to be done asap before another recruit is hired. Canadian army is like having 40 people show up with $200 screwdrivers and 2 old muskets to shovel your driveway. It's that useless.

[@jamesmcguire3862]

We need to stop focusing on Ukraine and we need to build Canada back up

[@HELLO_KORO]

Israel*

[@lloydkuepfer1599]

can do both

[@REV-1]

@@HELLO_KOROyeah, why not both?

[@deanbusch2727]

If we don't start taking care of security to a reasonable level, someone will do it for us. Read in to that what you think, but the US has said they will be in our northern waters if we can't secure them. Australia has a population about 10 Million less and yet has a military the pretty close to the same size, and they have a larger variety of gear across the board. Most of my cousins are Americans and when I was 18 My cousin and I decided to join the military, he went to the US marines I went into CAF. Why do we not get rid of the "RESIDENT" status for UK, Ausie, NZ and American's allowing them to join CAF if they want to.

[@victoriaalvarez1557]

Go Woke Go Broke. Rip Canada.

[@XCimenaticGaming]

I hope funding gets secured to the CAF to purchase new gear and items, I will be joining the CAF hopefully if I even can by the end of 2025. Thing is recruitment takes a longtime which is why perhaps most people don't want to wait that long, they have this thing called a competition list where you compete with other recruits to get in so maybe that may be another factor if one doesn't get accepted, going back to gear and all the essentials that a CAF member should have. This is something that actually is really important to those that are in the CAF right now especially branches like the army specifically infantry, with the current state of equipment I think there's a lack in confidence for those that are thinking of applying not saying that it is entirely bad but I'd still give props to the CAF for already making accommodations to new gear, thing is in the CAF recruitment and all the factors are a major play in this and everything again specifically the branch I am going into army is that everything is so messed up, things are slowly rolling out but not fast enough. Major priority I think the CAF should put is gear, equipment and all the necessities that a member should have, all this plays a crucial role to boost up someone's state of mentality and trust this is really important as we are lacking a lot of things in terms of these factors so I really hope they can sort all of this out.

[@REV-1]

You could just join the states. You will be treated with dignity and not “competing” just to enter the military, that’s a waste of your life.

[@XCimenaticGaming]

@@REV-1 Might be, feel like I will be judged upon joining as a Canadian. Although Canada might be messed up I will be better off in the CAF as i'll be representing the country, if I join with the states it'll just feel weird especially for another country I'd rather do joint-training over that...

[@jtcars502]

Every time we get a liberal government in parliament, they cut defence spending. We were one of the most powerful army’s at one point now we look weak not a good look

[@robandcheryls]

He’s not telling the whole truth.

[@TricksterDaemon-jw9hi]

Are we going to just ignore how misogyny and sex assault is an ongoing issue in the Canadian military? If you want more recruits, especially women, you need to create a workplace where they are protected, not just left to the wolves.

[@TheJimprez]

Poilievre would NOT do any better finding new recruits. Kids these days are definitely thinking about ANYTHING but the military. Nobody wants to die for a country anymore. And the RULES and REGULATIONS that control almost every aspect of your life in the army are not something a bunch of individualistic belly buttons who ALL think that they are the most special human beings around can deal with... It's the SAME THING In every Free country where people get to choose what they want to do in life since COVID-19 and even before that, with the end of the Iraq/Afghan wars... And since Pee-Pee is ALL about cutting taxes and services... WHERE would he find the money to fund a 2% of GDP military??? Certainly NOT with the rich folks, they get TAX CUTS when the right is in power... It would be our ALREADY crumbling public infrastructure that gets hit... I guess that with a HUGE climb in unemployment, and a lowering of wages, those free-to-do-as-they-wish CEOs would push on us, with automatization and pro-corporation and anti-union worker laws, we'd see a rise in candidates showing up at recruiting centers.. Maybe THAT is Poilievre's secret trick... I'd LOVE for us to have all of the new kit and a 100,000-plus military again... BUT, I ain't in the wishful thinking department. So we are just going to get piecemeal replacements for our aging everything and fewer recruits as time goes by. When the war comes, we'll just sit back and get taken by the first one that wants us... A G10 country that acts like a third-world nation...

[@davidgarrisononthemove]

So many issues starting with the liberal government, outdated procurement rules, wokeness, can’t have a Military under these circumstances. Big factor, charter of rights and freedoms clashes with military culture and discipline.

[@quarkedupphoton236]

Perhaps the CAF is seen as less of a priority, it may be a failure of current political vision and mission. Recent observations of hybrid warefare, the Russian-Ukraine conflict, new applications of drones and remote sensing, point to an inflection of the military we have and want versus the military capability we need. Canadians have difficult translating the issues of conflict in the world to what we need to do to protect our interests and evolve defense policy. This should be a discussion point for the gov't and political parties for the upcoming election.

[@Underrated765]

Our leader is too busy giving our money away to actually invest in Canada.

[@timsecord8207]

Mandatory national service might help

[@Malinski66]

no it will not

[@krispayne729]

It just added my last frant part of the reason why the Canadian military. Got cut back in funding. What's because of the clenching and liberal government started it? Back in the early 1990s.

[@prestontucker1687]

Nobody wants to use used equipment.

[@Zebred2001]

We have a great opportunity here. With the war in Ukraine, drones and AI we can rebuild the military for the 21st century without having to be burdened with costly but outdated systems we can't afford to discard.

[@michaelmacdonald7342]

The Trudeau Liberals waste money like crazy - maybe elect a government that does not waste so much and then use it to fund the armed forces.

[@almadesikevin1525]

20 hell try Chretien years was the 90s decade of darkness

[@BobbyMoses-t3b]

You guys should just give it to america like teump said you guys are doimed if not

[@lloydkuepfer1599]

6 fighter jets

[@jarrettbobbett5230]

Thanks Harper for gutting Canada's military, to less than 1% of GDP. Harper also had a lower GDP growth per year over 9-year average than the current guy. (Remember the Harper recession?)

[@Touchin-Grass]

Nah we don't because there wasn't. Another mindless tool with the same gap rhetoric as Chrystia Freeland. How about you formulate your own opinion jeez. Justin Trudeau has destroyed this country , start being in denial. Your party failed.

[@lloydkuepfer1599]

Harper was horrible with defense cuts for sure

[@BaloneySandwichWithKetchup]

tell me you are politically illiterate without telling me you are politically illiterate. if you want to go back in time, at least go back to the root of the cause, which was P.E. Trudeau... Harper was dealing with the 2008 financial crisis.. and he handled it very well if you don't remember. That's why the GDP growth was bad. it was a bad time in global economics in general... someone has to be paying you to be this disingenuous.

[@Touchin-Grass]

@BaloneySandwichWithKetchup Agreed! Sadly my comment was removed.

[@lloydkuepfer1599]

@@BaloneySandwichWithKetchup you fool. He cut the defense budget in 2014 way after 2008

[@peterjaniceforan3080]

🇨🇦🫡

[@Malinski66]

telling the cold war veterans to piss off, we won - don't need you any more - that was completely un-intelligent who was going to train the next step? Lewis Mackenzie put forward a new white paper in the 1990s that would have addressed the needs that came up in the early 2000s, but was ignored then 'leaders' were only promoted from the military colleges and all the CFR was stopped, until we desperately needed cadre - then it was a panic attack of cross-training and promotions because ALL THOSE COLD WARRIORS were GONE. we, cold warriors, have been busy educating Canadian youth - don't be a body bag filler - until the Canadian Government really takes seriously the hardware and the needs to upkeep it, this problem will only get worse, you honked off a whole generation of mid-level leadership, then didn't train any replacement for it. 20 years later you have only part-trained and poorly motivated peeps - this is no surprise and only the scrapings from the past 20 years will be likely to 'want' to serve in any capacity - we saw first hand the terrible decision making going on - I just do not see a way out that is not very costly. So much for a 'savings' from the FRP of the 1990s! LOL

[@Robert-fg8oq]

The only way to fix Canada’s defence is not to go to war.

[@Jayjay-ji7ty]

It's very simple to fix all our issues stop sending money out of this country!! Zelenski doesn't need more

[@Nicklan1961]

We need to have mandatory military service and we need to build the industrial base so we can actually supply all of our miltary requirements ourselves we must be self-sufficient.

[@Malinski66]

recipe for disaster the first world war saw riots in Quebec city and protests in Toronto second world war had similar protests from Vancouver to Halifax no way will our populace accept such a thing unless we are directly invaded ... even then we will only have a percentage that will answer the call organizing a mostly peacetime force will see it reduced to useless within 6 weeks

[@Nicklan1961]

@Malinski66 I am not talking about drafting for war. I am talking about mandatory military service for everyone, it also comes with free university education. The Idea is to be strong enough no one would want to invade us.

[@Nicklan1961]

@Malinski66 works great in Isreal and Taiwan and Switzerland.

[@matthewskudzienski888]

🇺🇦🤝🏻🇨🇦 🇺🇸🤝🏻🇺🇦

[@j.z.5678]

6 months of mandatory conscription for all citizens. Even physically disabled persons have to do desk/modified duties.

[@jamesprice4074]

Don't fight for a county that hates you.

[@Jeffrey957]

Get out join the rails