- Reaction score
- 1,710
- Points
- 1,160
From Today's Times Colonist:
Planners told to prepare for expanded military
a journalist
CanWest News Service
August 17, 2004
OTTAWA-- Defence planners have been told to push ahead with a scheme to add 5,000 troops to the ranks of the Canadian Forces and are now working on options to present to government on how to expand the military, says a senior adviser to Prime Minister Paul Martin.
The boost in the overall strength of the military could give a much-needed break to soldiers already serving in the ranks, but some analysts question where the money and personnel will come from to fuel the expansion.
The Liberals made the promise during the election to increase the number of troops by 5,000. "There is no question that the core commitment of an increase in the Forces to the tune of 5,000 will be upheld," said Scott Reid, a senior adviser in the Prime Minister's Office.
He noted defence officials are working on various options which will be presented to cabinet by Defence Minister Bill Graham. Reid said those could include increasing the number of troops in existing units, creating a new brigade or establishing a specialized formation devoted to peacekeeping.
"The minister of defence is tasked with bringing forth to cabinet how best to proceed, over what time period, the cost options, and so on," Reid added. "It would be unfairly restrictive to the minister to suggest it will be this or it will be that."During the election there was also a commitment to increase the army reserves to 18,500 from 15,500. The government acknowledged it would like to make more use of the reserves, not only to deal with domestic emergencies such as forest fires and other natural disasters but also on overseas missions.
That increase in reserve force ranks had been made by former defence minister John McCallum but since there was not enough money to cover the salaries of new recruits, military officials did not proceed.
Various defence ministers have noted that Canadian soldiers need a break from overseas missions so they can spend more time training and with their families. That acknowledgement hasn't stopped the government from continuing to commit them to operations. Canadian troops just came back from Haiti while a new contingent has been shipped out to Afghanistan.
During the election the Liberal campaign promise of boosting the military by 5,000 noted that such an increase would significantly increase Canada's ability to participate in missions and allow the Canadian Forces to play a greater role in bringing security to troubled nations.
Canada has a regular force of about 60,000.
Defence analyst and retired colonel Howie Marsh said he believes it will take at least a decade before the Canadian Forces can boost its ranks by 5,000. That's because over the next six years it faces an exodus of experienced personnel who will reach early retirement, noted Marsh, a senior analyst with the pro-military lobby group, the Conference of Defence Associations. In addition, the military's existing training is not capable of handling a large influx of new recruits, he said. Troops who should be instructing new soldiers are finding themselves shipped off to overseas missions, he added."I don't think much can happen before 2012," said Marsh. "A fully manned and equipped fourth brigade by 2020 is a realistic goal."Other analysts have warned the funding needed to pay for the proposed increase in troop strength could come out of the military's existing budget -- a move that would hurt plans to buy new equipment.
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2004
Planners told to prepare for expanded military
a journalist
CanWest News Service
August 17, 2004
OTTAWA-- Defence planners have been told to push ahead with a scheme to add 5,000 troops to the ranks of the Canadian Forces and are now working on options to present to government on how to expand the military, says a senior adviser to Prime Minister Paul Martin.
The boost in the overall strength of the military could give a much-needed break to soldiers already serving in the ranks, but some analysts question where the money and personnel will come from to fuel the expansion.
The Liberals made the promise during the election to increase the number of troops by 5,000. "There is no question that the core commitment of an increase in the Forces to the tune of 5,000 will be upheld," said Scott Reid, a senior adviser in the Prime Minister's Office.
He noted defence officials are working on various options which will be presented to cabinet by Defence Minister Bill Graham. Reid said those could include increasing the number of troops in existing units, creating a new brigade or establishing a specialized formation devoted to peacekeeping.
"The minister of defence is tasked with bringing forth to cabinet how best to proceed, over what time period, the cost options, and so on," Reid added. "It would be unfairly restrictive to the minister to suggest it will be this or it will be that."During the election there was also a commitment to increase the army reserves to 18,500 from 15,500. The government acknowledged it would like to make more use of the reserves, not only to deal with domestic emergencies such as forest fires and other natural disasters but also on overseas missions.
That increase in reserve force ranks had been made by former defence minister John McCallum but since there was not enough money to cover the salaries of new recruits, military officials did not proceed.
Various defence ministers have noted that Canadian soldiers need a break from overseas missions so they can spend more time training and with their families. That acknowledgement hasn't stopped the government from continuing to commit them to operations. Canadian troops just came back from Haiti while a new contingent has been shipped out to Afghanistan.
During the election the Liberal campaign promise of boosting the military by 5,000 noted that such an increase would significantly increase Canada's ability to participate in missions and allow the Canadian Forces to play a greater role in bringing security to troubled nations.
Canada has a regular force of about 60,000.
Defence analyst and retired colonel Howie Marsh said he believes it will take at least a decade before the Canadian Forces can boost its ranks by 5,000. That's because over the next six years it faces an exodus of experienced personnel who will reach early retirement, noted Marsh, a senior analyst with the pro-military lobby group, the Conference of Defence Associations. In addition, the military's existing training is not capable of handling a large influx of new recruits, he said. Troops who should be instructing new soldiers are finding themselves shipped off to overseas missions, he added."I don't think much can happen before 2012," said Marsh. "A fully manned and equipped fourth brigade by 2020 is a realistic goal."Other analysts have warned the funding needed to pay for the proposed increase in troop strength could come out of the military's existing budget -- a move that would hurt plans to buy new equipment.
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2004
), you can't keep the troops interested and in.
