Federal Spending On The Military

[Raphael]

Hi, I'm a civilian who has a strong interest in military news and affairs. I've heard a variety of opinion in the media about the announcements to Conservative spending increases to the military and the improvements being promised, but as I understand it, there has been some significant talk, particularly among Liberal Senator Colin Kenny, that the funding is not enough, nor would it even match year-over-year inflationary rates. This means the military could end up being underfunded, even under a Conservative government. I've also noted that the recent promises of ships to the Navy have been scuttled in order to review and reorder ships at a later date. It's also been an issue getting drones, UAVs, and helicopters deployed for our soldiers in Afghanistan.

My question is, does anyone have any concrete facts or links to the current defence spending of the feds? The latest google research pegs it at $18 billion, but I understand the feds have promised increases to $30 billion?

My second question is, what do military folk think about the federal spending? Enough? Not enough? Lip service? Politics?

- Raphael

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/08/18/colin-kenny-on-the-conservatives-military-budget-too-much-talk.aspx

 

[WaitingTime]

If I remember correctly, the 30 billion figure is for the year 2030 so that's 22 years from now.  Your 18 billion dollar budget is close to what the military is getting right now.  Now if you take into account the inflation over the next 22 years, 30 billion won't be much.  Besides, we are underfunded right now.  From reading various articles and this forum, it seems that a good measure of defense budget is related to GDP.  NATO wants their members to spend 2% of GDP on military.  If i remember correctly, we are at around 1.1 or 1.2 % right now and with inflation taken into account, we will be at 0.87% when we reach the 30 billion dollars figure in the year 2030.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Mary Johnson seems to think that we're still well underfunded... so do I:

"Oldsalt, this will be my husbands third tour to Afghanistan in five years. And his fourth tour in under seven years. There are not enough soldiers to replace those that have been overseas more than once due to the under manning that the CAF have experienced. Never mind the equipment problems that they endure on a regular basis.

However, with that being said, they ALL do the best they can with what they have provided to them."

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/06/02/f-vp-storring.html

 

[The Bread Guy]

Here's a few starting points:

"Canada First" Defence Strategy
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/focus/first/defstra_e.asp

Federal budget planning 101
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/media/nr-cp/2005/1027b-eng.asp

Main Estimates 2008-2009 (the annual fiscal plan setting out the spending of the Government of Canada)
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20082009/p2_e.asp

Reports on Plans & Priorities 2008-2009 (provide information on departmental plans and expected performance over a three-year period; usually tabled in Parliament each spring, after resource allocation deliberations; generally include information such as the mission or mandate, strategies, as well as strategic outcomes and performance targets)
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rpp/2008-2009/index-eng.asp
RPP for DND
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rpp/2008-2009/inst/dnd/dnd00-eng.asp

2006-2007 Departmental Performance Reports (usually tabled in the fall of each year by the President of Treasury Board, on behalf of all federal departments,
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/dpr-rmr/2006-2007/index-eng.asp
DPR for National Defence
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/dpr-rmr/2006-2007/inst/dnd/dnd00-eng.asp

- Blatant self promotion warning -
PUBLIC POLICY IN CANADA LINKS
http://milnewstbay.pbwiki.com/HowGovtWorksLinks

Also, searching Army.ca can be pretty useful re:  finding opinions on spending (how much, as well as what it's spent on).

Welcome to Army.ca

 

[MarkOttawa]

Raphael: And from The Torch:
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2008/08/four-generals-and-admiral-view-from-top.html
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2008/08/politician-first-minister-second.html
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2008/07/canada-first-defence-strategy-of-2008.html
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2008/05/this-is-sort-of-defence-statement.html
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2008/05/defence-strategy-we-sure-aint-germans.html
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2008/05/sketched-on-back-of-cocktail-napkin.html
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2008/05/canada-first-defence-policy-drowned.html

Mark
Ottawa