I read in the papers today that the US is criticizing Canada for having the third lowest defense spending in NATO, above only Luxembourg and Iceland, which does not have a military. I guess the point was how much of an ally can Canada be with that small of a military?

What's the Canadian view on this? If the Chinese or the Russians decide to pay a little visit, does Canada expect the US to do the military work?

 

The Canadian Govt has managed over the past couple of decades to reduce the miiltary to practically a small security force. That in reality has only one decision in case of potential invasion...Which side of the country gets the tank and which side gets the F18
Although most, and I highlight most, of the military is well trained and does whatever they are asked to do very well.... the entire force is over-led....meaning that there are more officers and Sr NCM's than there are people to lead. Most of the budget is probably spent on paying this over-staffed leadership.
I am sure the "masterplan" is, and probably has been for years, that the God Ole US of A would not let any "hostiles" gain a foothold in North America. I mean just look at history, like say for instance the Cuban Missle Crisis, and what happened then. Would it be different today if it was the Canadian Missle Crisis
Ok done ranting now

Sparky

 

Sparky, You forgot to mention our 8 Canoes with 8 paddles by the way.

And the 4 snowmobiles we have to patrol the most Northernly parts.
(The above was sarcasm)

Here is another bit of trivia.
After those soldiers (750 or so)came back from Afghanistan a few weeks ago they couldn't replace them.

Our TOTAL military personel could fit in Sky Dome with room to spare.

I have been so diasppointed with our Federal Government's thinking & ability to lead for over 30 years.

Here is something you might think is funny.\


********************************************
Decimated Taliban Force still in better shape than Canadian Military


Chretien shows off how budget cuts to the military can still produce state of the art weaponry


KABUL, Afghanistan (SBP) -- Having survived weeks of air raids and having key military bases neutralized, the ruling Taliban army is still widely considered as still being larger than Canada's under-financed military. The finding comes after it was discovered the Taliban regime has 3 working tanks that have survived bombings at the hands of the Americans and the British.
"Wow, three tanks?" said Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, "Dat's a lot of weaponries!"

Chretien, having cut back military spending to a budget that is smaller than Liechtenstein's and is smaller than most third world countries, gave his reasons for Canada's military impotence.

"Tanks, ships and soldiers cost monies," explained Chretien, who recently voted himself a massive pay raise, "Where am I going to find da money? If we support our national defense den dat's money dat would have to come out of things like my pension. It would also take away from funding to keep hotels and golf courses alive in Shawinigan."

Shawinigan is a city in Quebec that also happens to be the Prime Minister's home riding.

Said Chretien: "Canada's priorities should not be to defend itself against aggressive nations but radder to ensure the financial stability of my political friends and family."

Chretien then ran for the nearest bathroom so he didn't have to sign a bill from the UN to commit troops to the war on terrorism.

Meanwhile, the ruling Taliban praised Chretien for his party's policy on national defense.

"It is not easy to maintain out dangerously out-dated 20-year-old equipment," said a high ranking Taliban official, "But it is good to know we have nothing to fear from the Canadian army thanks to their wonderful Prime Minister. If only US President George W. Bush could follow that lead, things would go much easier.

"We're not the worst," praised the Taliban Official, "Allah is great."

Chretien plans to rectify Canada's bare-bones military by becoming even closer friends with American President George W. Bush.

Said Chretien: "Spend more monies on defense? What for?

"It is much easier and cheaper to hide behind a bigger, richer brother than it is to build up and defend yourself."




Dennis

F.T.E. Assistant Administrator
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> I am sure the "masterplan" is, and probably has been for
>years, that the God Ole US of A would not let any "hostiles"
>gain a foothold in North America. I mean just look at

The US would never allow the Northern United State to be invaded!

When on two wheels-
FXSTC
Mesa- AZ

2003 F-350 V10

 

Not sure if it's still true or not but apparently the West Edmonton Mall had more working submarines than the Canadian navy
For those who have never heard of it...the West Ed mall is the biggest mall in the world....yes even bigger than the Mall Of America.

 

When you only have a certain amount of money, and you have decided to pay for everybody's health care, that would put an enormous strain on the budget. So cut defense spending, and then when the invasion comes, a lot of people get killed and you have less health care to pay for. Helps with budget problems.

 

The problem that would arise if canada was invaded would be that the US military would have to be streched thin, were talking a whole lot of area to cover here.

I believe that our Navy (US) is already patroling most of Canadian waters already.

Now after the Clinton Aera, our military is nothing to write home about compared to the past.

Now lets say that Canada was invaded next week. Where does that put the US, we've already got troops and ships from end of this planet to the other, Even though the lone SuperPower left, we couldn't possibly fight this many fronts at once.

History always predicts the future, just take a look at Hilter, the biggest reason that Germany lost WII was because he was fighting on too many fronts at once.

I'm sorry but if Canada was invaded next week, the only hope for Canada I see would be the U.S., I really don't see any one else jumping on the wagon other than possibly Russia, and that would be a big maybe.

my .02

 

canada really does not have a military. is sad. it's pathedic. the government has it''s spending priorities all mixed up.

 

Canada spends no money on defense and yet they are not invaded? I wonder why. Is it because they are so polite? Maybe it's because they don't stick their noses into other people business like the US.
I heard the state of Oregon passed a referendum for statewide free medical care. With a large increase in the tax rate. It will be like little Canada. Is the Oregon national guard bigger than the Canadian army?

 

>Canada spends no money on defense and yet they are not
>invaded? I wonder why. Is it because they are so polite?
>Maybe it's because they don't stick their noses into other
>people business like the US.

I think it has more to do with Canada's heavily armed neighbors to the south. The world knows the US would not tolerate an invasion of Canada.

 

>I think it has more to do with Canada's heavily armed
>neighbors to the south. The world knows the US would not
>tolerate an invasion of Canada.

If the Canadian Gov makes any more references to Bush as a moron...
that might change.

After Germany refered to him as "**** Like", it's sure put a strain on relastion with them.

 

What gets me more than anything is the fact that the liberals don't seem to care,the Tories didn't seem to care either.
They don't care about our veterans either.

Did you know that a US College can attract more fans to a football game than Canada has military personel ?
And Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world.
Canada during WWII had the 2 nd largest Navy in the World.


Now that my FTE friend's, is Pathetic and an Atrocity.

In the last 5 years we have had more Multi-billion dollar boondoggle's
that I care to think about.


1 Billion $$$$$$ disappeared without a trace.

Our gun registry is just about at 1 billion in costs.

Canada bought 3 unsafe submarines from the British that can't be used.

Chretien and the other Liberals cancelled the order of new Helicopter's in 1993 (at a cost of 500 million in cancellation fees).

Now they are thinking of ordering the same kind as they cancelled.

The CF-18's are being pieced together from slightly working aicraft to keep the best of them flying.
Same goes for our Helicopter's.

Yet Crouton takes money out of the defense budget to purchase two new jets to fly around in,from, Bombardier (a Canadian company) who already gets Millions in Tax Free loans.

For more Information about our *Crime Minister* and what people think before he was last re-elected.

[link:dumpchretien.com/|Canada's Crouton]


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Oh... I wish was in the land of cotton...where old times there are not forgotten ..look away..look away ...look away.... Dixie land !
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Dennis

F.T.E. Assistant Administrator
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>>Canada spends no money on defense

You must remember that Canada has a population somewhere around 31 million. There is probably that many people living in California alone. Can you say small tax base, and as it is we are among the highest taxed people in the world. The government just doesnt know how to spend wisely, that and the fact they are trying to come off as a country with bottomless pockets.
The Canadian Forces, I pretty much refused to use the word "armed" between those words, has a shade over 54,000 personnel. This includes everyone in the Airforce, the Army and the Navy from the top to the bottom, and I mean everyone from the Chief of Defence to the lowest "no hook" Private trainee. There are probably more people than that in the US Air Reserves.
As well, 1 US aircraft carrier has more aircraft than all of Canada together. Or how about this one there are more British tanks in Canada, just for training Britsh troops, than there are Canadian "front line" tanks. Or how about this one the Navy was estatic when they purchased 4 "used" Britsh subs so they could retire the entire fleet they were using....yes all 3 of them.
What I am trying to say is there is no comparison between the US and Canada for miltary spending. Also you really cant even compare Canada to Luxembourg. The miltary we have would be great for guarding Luxembourg, I mean it isnt even as big as Nova Scotia. We are the largest country in the world, unless you still count the USSR as one country, then we are a close second. Just no population to draw on.
I am sure if you swapped the people between Canada and Luxembourg it would be the same problem too much area, roads, infrastructure to maintain for the amount of people to get taxes from. So no money leftover for the military. Of course maybe their Government knows how to use a budget
Whew, enough ranting.

Sparky

 

Dcexlporer

We really dont need that big of a defense budget because we dont go around pissing other countries off
I have a relative who works tourism in Europe and she says a big portion of the Americans who visit there pin Canadian Flag lapel pins on themselves . What does that tell ya ?


Jeff