The Defence Budget [superthread]

[jollyjacktar]

Yup, they are adamant we are going to have a substantial decrease in available funds for procurement this coming FY.  Things are going to be difficult in progressing forwards for the most part.

 

[jmt18325]

I would point out once again that no one would have seen those numbers.  The rumours, according to Matthew Fisher (no Liberal friend) is for there to be an increase of between $400M and $700M.  That's not much money, but it's certainly not less money. 

Of course, that's only a rumour.  We'll find out on the 22nd if things are higher or lower, or just stand pat.

 

[FSTO]

I would point out once again that no one would have seen those numbers.  The rumours, according to Matthew Fisher (no Liberal friend) is for there to be an increase of between $400M and $700M.  That's not much money, but it's certainly not less money. 

Of course, that's only a rumour.  We'll find out on the 22nd if things are higher or lower, or just stand pat.

Please quit doing this. We are at the coal face and I received the bad news today. I'm not very impressed and I'm trying very hard not to insult you.

 

[Old Sweat]

Many years ago, when the Chretien Liberals balanced the budget, a friend (retired MGen emailed me among others, for input as he was scheduled for a TV interview after the budget about defence spending. I suggested anything in the nature of 300 - 500 million was purely optical to suggest they cared about defence. Anything less was insulting and an indication of the contempt felt towards the forces. I believe we were left standing at the altar again back then in the 90s. We'll see if the bride skips town with the Uber driver again in 2017.

 

[jmt18325]

Please quit doing this.

I'll keep "doing this" until budget day.  If the DND budget is less, so be it.  I'll know that on budget day, just like everyone else outside of a few key people.

 

[jmt18325]

Many years ago, when the Chretien Liberals balanced the budget, a friend (retired MGen emailed me among others, for input as he was scheduled for a TV interview after the budget about defence spending. I suggested anything in the nature of 300 - 500 million was purely optical to suggest they cared about defence.

To be fair, the $400 - 700M would be on top of the normal 2017 escalator or 3% (if the rumour is even true), so the actual increase would be more.  We'll see if it happens. 

 

[George Wallace]

To be fair, the $400 - 700M would be on top of the normal 2017 escalator or 3% (if the rumour is even true), so the actual increase would be more.  We'll see if it happens.

If $300 - 500 million was nothing three decades ago, then with inflation, $400 - 700 million is outright INSULTING to one's intelligence.

 

[jmt18325]

If $300 - 500 million was nothing three decades ago, then with inflation, $400 - 700 million is outright INSULTING to one's intelligence.

I agree - it's a token sum and nothing more.

 

[suffolkowner]

http://www.cgai.ca/growing_the_defence_budget_what_would_two_percent_of_gdp_look_like

looking at growth plans to 2% for the CAF, notice where the 3% escalator gets us over time, it would need to be 6% to even be reasonable plus another 1B$ short each year on infrastructure

 

[jollyjacktar]

I'll keep "doing this" until budget day.  If the DND budget is less, so be it.  I'll know that on budget day, just like everyone else outside of a few key people.

Do it all you like, I suggest the few key people have been speaking with our key people and they are telling us to prepare for less, much less.  I'll believe my key people over your Matthew Fisher talk as this is not water cooler talk amongst the crowd.  Just be prepared to eat some crow come budget day if you're wrong as will I, but I don't think I'll be dining that day...

 

[Stoker]

Do it all you like, I suggest the few key people have been speaking with our key people and they are telling us to prepare for less, much less.  I'll believe my key people over your Matthew Fisher talk as this is not water cooler talk amongst the crowd.  Just be prepared to eat some crow come budget day if you're wrong as will I, but I don't think I'll be dining that day...

I know we're in trouble when they start talking about getting rid of lunch on the ship to save a few bucks, that's exactly what i'm hearing now.....

 

[jollyjacktar]

I know we're in trouble when they start talking about getting rid of lunch on the ship to save a few bucks, that's exactly what i'm hearing now.....

I have never heard the direction from higher I'm hearing now, until now.  It makes me think the bad ol'days of Chretien and Big Daddy T are coming back in force.

Somebody has to cover the $1.5 trillion dollar deficit all that Sunny Ways is going to cost...  why not the usual Liberal cash cow?

 

[jmt18325]

Do it all you like, I suggest the few key people have been speaking with our key people and they are telling us to prepare for less, much less.  I'll believe my key people over your Matthew Fisher talk as this is not water cooler talk amongst the crowd.  Just be prepared to eat some crow come budget day if you're wrong as will I, but I don't think I'll be dining that day...

I'm not actually making any predictions.  All I'm saying is that it would be premature to make predictions, and that the rumours are a (very) small increase, rather than a decrease.  Rumours are often wrong, but we won't know that until the 22nd.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Unhuh...

 

[SeaKingTacco]

I know we're in trouble when they start talking about getting rid of lunch on the ship to save a few bucks, that's exactly what i'm hearing now.....

That doesn't save any money. The ships have to be stored with xx days worth of rations at all times. If not used, they will just go bad and get thrown out.

And then there is the health risk associated with everyone bringing lunch and storing it...where, precisely?

Dumbass ideas from accounts who have never spent a day at sea...

 

[Stoker]

That doesn't save any money. The ships have to be stored with xx days worth of rations at all times. If not used, they will just go bad and get thrown out.

And then there is the health risk associated with everyone bringing lunch and storing it...where, precisely?

Dumbass ideas from accounts who have never spent a day at sea...

Every few years they talk about it, although the wholesale change and compromises that's going on right now nothing would surprise me. Nothing in the RCN is sacred anymore, well perhaps soup at stand easy ;D

 

[MilEME09]

Well I see it going one of three ways 1. Heeding pressure from Allies we see a serious amount over a 3% increase to the defense budget, 2. to try and appease allies we give the 3% inflation increase to say hey we increased it. or finally 3. DND gets cut by hundreds of millions to pay for infrastructure and health care spending (especially after the new deals with the provinces.)

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

Well I see it going one of three ways 1. Heeding pressure from Allies we see a serious amount over a 3% increase to the defense budget, 2. to try and appease allies we give the 3% inflation increase to say hey we increased it. or finally 3. DND gets cut by hundreds of millions to pay for infrastructure and health care spending (especially after the new deals with the provinces.)

Let's hope it's not #3, as that might just get us our very own "Mexican Wall" on the border....


M.  :-\

 

[jmt18325]

Let's hope it's not #3, as that might just get us our very own "Mexican Wall" on the border....

That would literally cost more than $100B

 

[Rifleman62]

A fair amount of the increase will be ate by the promoting Canadian industry policy vice off the shelf.

How much could be saved by DND not paying i.e. GST on purchases and that amount used to increase spending?