Justin Trudeau hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[kev994]

Because no one else in the country can do that.

You’re never going to get re-elected if you’re talking that kind of nonsense.

 

[dimsum]

Because no one else in the country can do that.

I'm just imagining Ministers having a collective game of "not me".

 

[Brad Sallows]

Some GoC-aspiring parties will continue doing what they must in order to keep voters happy.

One thing a lot of Canadians seem to enjoy is running the US down.

And have you heard about those psych experiments that find people choose to deny someone else a larger payoff and get nothing themselves, rather than have a small payout themselves?

 

[Good2Golf]

One thing a lot of Canadians seem to enjoy is running the US down.

Which is ironic, given how Canada has de-powered itself to the point of now being subtly directed by the US how to invest in a number of wider security-related capabilities.

And have you heard about those psych experiments that find people choose to deny someone else a larger payoff and get nothing themselves, rather than have a small payout themselves?

Some Canadians complaining that CAF family members were getting standby flights on DND's contracted service air flights led contributed to that service's demise...of course said Canadians complaining wouldn't want to have their families picked up and moved around the country every few years, to reestablish employment and schools and the like...

 

[dimsum]

of course said Canadians complaining wouldn't want to have their families picked up and moved around the country every few years, to reestablish employment and schools and the like...

Them: They chose to be in the CAF!

Yes - base brats choose who their parents are.

A non-zero number of them also think we don't pay taxes.

 

[markppcli]

Some Canadians complaining that CAF family members were getting standby flights on DND's contracted service air flights led contributed to that service's demise...of course said Canadians complaining wouldn't want to have their families picked up and moved around the country every few years, to reestablish employment and schools and the like...

What’s the over under on those “some Canadians” being the civilian DND employees?

 

[Good2Golf]

What’s the over under on those “some Canadians” being the civilian DND employees?

Probably 100 (99% civ DND empl, 1% someone else)

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Because no one else in the country can do that.

 

[Quirky]

Some Canadians complaining that CAF family members were getting standby flights on DND's contracted service air flights led contributed to that service's demise...

This is no different than one or two karens complaining about some nonsensical thing and since they yell loud enough, the approving authority or authorities caving in because they have no balls.

 

[CBH99]

Because no one else in the country can do that.

"We bring specialized skill sets and capabilities to this extremely important tasking, these capabilities are unique to that of any other department in the federal government..."

<Que the Class A reservists, augmented by 15yo cadets, showing up with those mini-shovels in 3...2...1>

 

[daftandbarmy]

"We bring specialized skill sets and capabilities to this extremely important tasking, these capabilities are unique to that of any other department in the federal government..."

<Que the Class A reservists, augmented by 15yo cadets, showing up with those mini-shovels in 3...2...1>

We're alot cheaper than good old regular labour at $20/hr.

Maybe we need to up our rates so as not to become the option of 'cheapest resort'

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Meanwhile back in Poland and South Korea

 

[CBH99]

When it comes to Eastern European countries arming up big time in light of the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, I can’t say any of them give me pause to think… “Is Poland secretly planning to invade Germany, or any other country in Europe?”

Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, etc etc - I’d actually feel quite safe if any of those countries became a solid pillar of the eastern flank. (Even though Ukraine very much already is now.)

I imagine some of the quantities being purchased is that Poland can bypass Germany if a situation like this ever flares up again.

Instead of Germany being the gate keeper and slowly allowing other countries to donate kit to Ukraine, Poland has plenty of kit for itself - and can donate whatever surplus it has to someone else if need be.

(Or they just decided to order some actual combat spares, in the west seem hesitant to do.)

 

[suffolkowner]

When it comes to Eastern European countries arming up big time in light of the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, I can’t say any of them give me pause to think… “Is Poland secretly planning to invade Germany, or any other country in Europe?”

Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, etc etc - I’d actually feel quite safe if any of those countries became a solid pillar of the eastern flank. (Even though Ukraine very much already is now.)

I imagine some of the quantities being purchased is that Poland can bypass Germany if a situation like this ever flares up again.

Instead of Germany being the gate keeper and slowly allowing other countries to donate kit to Ukraine, Poland has plenty of kit for itself - and can donate whatever surplus it has to someone else if need be.

(Or they just decided to order some actual combat spares, in the west seem hesitant to do.)

They are gearing up to stand alone. I question the need for all the MLRS seeing what 30 have done to the Russians in Ukraine but they will not be at the whim of Germany or France that is for sure

 

[Kirkhill]

They are gearing up to stand alone. I question the need for all the MLRS seeing what 30 have done to the Russians in Ukraine but they will not be at the whim of Germany or France that is for sure

The Ukrainians have been quite vocal in stating that if they had had lots of MLRS (and a modern Air Defence System) they could have driven the Russians out by now and saved lots of lives and Billions of Dollars.

The intent is not to fight. The intent is to destroy an invading force as quickly as possible and get back to making money in peace.

 

[suffolkowner]

The Ukrainians have been quite vocal in stating that if they had had lots of MLRS (and a modern Air Defence System) they could have driven the Russians out by now and saved lots of lives and Billions of Dollars.

The intent is not to fight. The intent is to destroy an invading force as quickly as possible and get back to making money in peace.

sure but 500 I think I would have bought a couple more F35's

 

[Kirkhill]

sure but 500 I think I would have bought a couple more F35's

Those MLRS vehicles will be putting rounds down range long after all the F35 runways have been cratered. Add in a bunch of runway independent UAVs for spotting.

 

[Czech_pivo]

They are gearing up to stand alone. I question the need for all the MLRS seeing what 30 have done to the Russians in Ukraine but they will not be at the whim of Germany or France that is for sure

Poland has not been in a position to be able to truly dictate its own future for over 250yrs. They have tried to rely on Allies in the inter-war years (1920-39) but that didn't work out so well for them now did it?
They might actually have the belief that they could in a 'Turkey' regional over the next 10yrs if they are willing to invest enough in their military. Ignoring the Germans, they are the largest regional power outside of Russia/Ukraine and they are now lock step with the Ukrainians for the foreseeable future.

 

[Kirkhill]

Poland has not been in a position to be able to truly dictate its own future for over 250yrs. They have tried to rely on Allies in the inter-war years (1920-39) but that didn't work out so well for them now did it?
They might actually have the belief that they could in a 'Turkey' regional over the next 10yrs if they are willing to invest enough in their military. Ignoring the Germans, they are the largest regional power outside of Russia/Ukraine and they are now lock step with the Ukrainians for the foreseeable future.

I'm pretty sure that the Poles and Ukrainians can equally rely on support from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. And the Turkish association looks to be interesting too, if they can sort out the Kurdish situation.

 

[Czech_pivo]

I'm pretty sure that the Poles and Ukrainians can equally rely on support from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. And the Turkish association looks to be interesting too, if they can sort out the Kurdish situation.

I'd throw in the the Slovaks into that mix and quite possibly the Czechs. The Slovaks are still leary of the Hungarians and Hungary is not making many friends within NATO or regionally right now.
For certain the mini Baltic states will hitch their wagon to Poland (without ticking off the US of course) as well.
Poland and the Czechs (and on a smaller scale the Slovaks) still have a decent of amount of heavy industry available, along with solid engineering companies/skills (think Skoda) and a growing, maturing tech sector. There is alot that they can build/grow regionally for their military needs. Add into that mix the Swedes and the Finns and voila, a fairly self-sufficient regional block in terms of military hardware.