Justin Trudeau hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[JLB50]

Is anyone surprised?

Let's be completely honest with ourselves, people like Trudeau* look down on the military as a service, as well as people that tend to make up the membership of the military. Though they are smart enough to not say it out loud, they view us as the people too dumb to do anything else. Why waste money on defence when it can be spent enhancing the arts, or solving world hunger?

*I don't mean LPC, I mean the entire "upper" crust of Canada regardless of which colour they vote. It's not limited to just the Laurentians, or Bay St, it's the wealthy and university educated from coast to coast.

I’m not surprised at all that Trudeau never planned to increase spending levels. What does surprise me is that he has admitted it rather than his usual “kicking the can down the road“ routine. Mind you, NATO knows he’s a bum. The problem is, the people of Canada are still too kind in their assessments of him and what his government has done…or should I say, hasn’t done. Now that he’s shown his true colours, I hope the electorate finally votes him and his like-minded cronies out of office forever. While I don’t want to see the LPC destroyed I do think they need to be severely trounced, much like Kathleen Wynne’s liberals was on the receiving end of the voters’ anger.

 

[Spencer100]

Trudeau (plus the others) increasing the defence budget one cent will not get them one more vote. Period

Then add in all the other crap they take for truth about the world, the military and the future and that brings us to this point.

Trudeau Sr hated the military. You don't think his son thinks the way? But the hypocrite calls on the them the minute he has a problem with the FLQ. I'm sure Justin was not happy when he asked for the army to clear Ottawa of truckers and they said we can't.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I'm sure Justin was not happy when he asked for the army to clear Ottawa of truckers and they said we can't.

Huh?

 

[JLB50]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/19/canada-military-trudeau-leaked-documents/

I hope everyone here can read Westisle’s aforementioned news item on Canada and NATO in the Washington Post (Paywall may apply). Otherwise, here’s a CBC News article referencing it.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/canadian-forces-nato-washington-post-1.6815616

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Maybe trying to raise public support for increased spending with some public shaming…

 

[Brad Sallows]

People can say whatever they want in support of the CAF; words are free.

"Show us the money" is what counts.

 

[TacticalTea]

"I continue to say, and will always say, that Canada is a reliable partner to NATO, [a] reliable partner around the world," Trudeau told reporters while entering the daily question period.

Isn't that just an admission of dishonesty and total disregard for the truth?

 

[FJAG]

Trudeau (plus the others) increasing the defence budget one cent will not get them one more vote. Period

I think that hits the nail on the head.

Neither @daftandbarmy nor @Furniture are wrong. There are people at all strata of society that support the military and that do not think about it or dismiss it as a waste of effort.

What really runs the equation is priorities for spending. How much can you squeeze out of the electorate in the way of taxes and fees before alienating it and which project will generate the most votes for the party in question? Our geographic isolation makes security a far off risk that can be safely ignored while we spend on more direct benefits. Re-election, however, come on quickly and are a risk each time.

At the same time I take a look at the thread talking about civil service growth rising by 31%. That creates a great pool of full-time workers who compete for resources available. Any department which can boast x dollars will deliver y votes will get priority for funding and hence growth. Defence can't do that; especially with the screwed up procurement system except in tiny, discrete markets.

Defence itself is not a good example for the public. It is resource heavy and output poor and has siphoned off massive funds for the bloated and convoluted bureaucracy, which grows at the same rate as the civil service albeit in a more stealthy way.

I expect it will take the first Russian or Chinese drilling operation starting up in "our" Arctic before there is a wake-up call … and even then, I'm doubtful about how we'll respond, if at all.

I keep saying, defence needs to be credible in order to be an effective deterrent.

It's really too bad when the prime objective of any given political party is to gain or remain in power rather than to provide for the security of its nation's way of life. I despise the elder Trudeau but at least I can say he was generally bright, had a vision (several in fact) for the country , and had crises to deal with that took some talent to deal with. His son ain't that bright, has no visions, and is unable to deal with real crises (other than his scandals) Unfortunately he is gifted with an electorate that votes in its sleep and by opponents who are entirely incapable of galvanizing the nation to rise against him. We are our worst enemy.

 

[suffolkowner]

No money for the military but the Trudeau government has managed over the last few years to spend how much money on what exactly?
Hundreds of billions of dollars with no return plus an increase of 30% in the PS.

 

[OldSolduer]

"I continue to say, and will always say, that Canada is a reliable partner to NATO, [a] reliable partner around the world," Trudeau told reporters while entering the daily question period.

Isn't that just an admission of dishonesty and total disregard for the truth?

You and I might call it "lieing".....

BTW are JT's eyes brown? Asking for a friend....

 

[Spencer100]

"I continue to say, and will always say, that Canada is a reliable partner to NATO, [a] reliable partner around the world," Trudeau told reporters while entering the daily question period.

Isn't that just an admission of dishonesty and total disregard for the truth?

In his defence he honestly believes that.

He thinks our Convening and giving Canada'sstamp of approval on international undertakings is enough. Plus there is that smug Canadian altitude that they need Canadian approval.

Plus there is a Canadian feeling that we don't have to do the dirty work. We let the Americans do it and besides the Americans want to do it too is the altitude. And then as a Canadian we get feel superior when things go wrong for the US. And we sew a maple leaf on the backpack and Europeans love us.

50 years of history classes at high school teaching Canadians are peacekeepers. This the result.

 

[Kirkhill]

I’m not surprised at all that Trudeau never planned to increase spending levels. What does surprise me is that he has admitted it rather than his usual “kicking the can down the road“ routine. Mind you, NATO knows he’s a bum. The problem is, the people of Canada are still too kind in their assessments of him and what his government has done…or should I say, hasn’t done. Now that he’s shown his true colours, I hope the electorate finally votes him and his like-minded cronies out of office forever. While I don’t want to see the LPC destroyed I do think they need to be severely trounced, much like Kathleen Wynne’s liberals was on the receiving end of the voters’ anger.

I could suggest the LPC was destroyed. Whatever zombie critter that came to life under Youngster is not recognizably related to the party Stephen Harper beat.

 

[JLB50]

I could suggest the LPC was destroyed. Whatever zombie critter that came to life under Youngster is not recognizably related to the party Stephen Harper beat.

Well, JT has charisma. I’ll give him that.

 

[GR66]

Well, JT has charisma. I’ll give him that.

If charisma is that thing that makes you want to puke every time he opens his mouth, then yes he has charisma.

 

[MilEME09]

If charisma is that thing that makes you want to puke every time he opens his mouth, then yes he has charisma.

He knows how to speak to quickly relate to people, I met him once, while in uniform before he was PM. Chatting to a group of soldiers, he quickly dove into a story about his brother going AWOL from course in gagetown, and only being discovered because their dad paid a visit to the base and wanted to see his son. He seems to have a story for every occasion, that quickly makes him relatable, and that is part of his weapon to win over Canadians.

 

[Kirkhill]

Meanwhile - an extra C17 or two would have been nice

RAF transport aircraft flies Ukraine aid to Europe on behalf of Canada

The aircraft of the RAF's Air Mobility Force have so far moved thousands of tonnes of military assistance for Ukraine.

www.forces.net

 

[MilEME09]

Meanwhile - an extra C17 or two would have been nice

RAF transport aircraft flies Ukraine aid to Europe on behalf of Canada

The aircraft of the RAF's Air Mobility Force have so far moved thousands of tonnes of military assistance for Ukraine.

www.forces.net

unfortunately with them not being produced any more, if we want a heavy lift aircraft, we have no choice but to buy the A400M which is not much bigger then the C-130J

 

[WestIsle]

unfortunately with them not being produced any more, if we want a heavy lift aircraft, we have no choice but to buy the A400M which is not much bigger then the C-130J

While I dont know the details I suspect there may be something up with the A400M what with everyone cancelling orders.

 

[OldSolduer]

Well, JT has charisma. I’ll give him that.

Which a good many of us see right through.

The Emperor has no clothes....a charlatan

 

[BrianWL]

I had to double check to make sure the article wasn't from The Onion.

Good luck wringing any extra money from our current illustrious leader "Because they’re asking for more than we are able to give right now”

Harper wasn't a whole lot better........I will be impressed with PP 1) if he can convince swing voters to vote for a "horrors".....a Tory and 2) if PP gets the big seat - if he actually fixes procurement and spends the needed dinero.