To me, personally, it didn't matter who the PM was during my time in.
Most politicians are the same, and the organization as a whole tends to be the same. Sluggish, slow, and strolling along trying to be 'capable of a little bit of everything' - as the government, regardless of party, wants 'general purpose, combat capable' forces.
So we plan to be able to do a little bit of everything, but without any real direction - the department can only do so much.
Our international deployments will be dictated by international events, and pressure behind the scenes to contribute. No Canadian PM will volunteer us for a deployment because it's the right thing to do. We'll go where the international community wants us and needs us, based on international events.
We 'lucked out' with a pretty impressive shopping spree with Harper because Afghanistan demanded it. Afghanistan gave the organization a clear direction on what we needed to do, provide, contribute, etc etc. And the government of the day had the luxury of using UOR's for almost all of our capital equipment purchases during that time.
At the end of the day, in my own opinion, one's own feeling towards certain politicians shouldn't dictate whether they serve. Because the talking head with the label of PM will come and go, and be replaced every few years. How motivated our senior leadership is in pushing ahead with equipment purchases will be dictated on where our organization is directed to operate.
:2c:
