Page 1 of 3

Canadian military spending

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:02pm
by Darth Wong
According to a poll sponsored by the Globe and Mail and reported on in today's issue, 75% of Canadians want our military budget increased. Just FYI.

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:03pm
by Kuja
What's your current budget?

Re: Canadian military spending

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:13pm
by Arthur_Tuxedo
Darth Wong wrote:According to a poll sponsored by the Globe and Mail and reported on in today's issue, 75% of Canadians want our military budget increased. Just FYI.
What the hell for?

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:14pm
by Faram
Blah spend less on the useless playshool that is called military.

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:16pm
by Darth Wong
I believe the average person is growing concerned about our ability to meet international peacekeeping obligations. It's not as if we plan to invade anyone, and we're not concerned about the Americans (in the face of a Yankee invasion, what would we do anyway?)

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:17pm
by StimNeuro
According to a poll sponsored by the Globe and Mail and reported on in today's issue, 75% of Canadians want our military budget increased. Just FYI.
In related news, 75% of Canadians polled favored an increase in the hockey budget.

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:29pm
by HemlockGrey
Awesome! Now you guys get four attack penguins!

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:29pm
by Warspite
Where are Canadian forces deployed?
Isn't it enough already?
You've got a more important humanitarian job in the Atlantic, Artic and Bering sea.

I think the people are getting "americanized", increase military spending like your southern "friends", just to show that you're concerned and are part of the western peacekeeper's

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:32pm
by Kuja
Darth Wong wrote:(in the face of a Yankee invasion, what would we do anyway?)
Break out the WWII bombers, hockey sticks, and chainsaws, according to South Park, the movie. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:39pm
by Sea Skimmer
Warspite wrote:Where are Canadian forces deployed?
Isn't it enough already?
You've got a more important humanitarian job in the Atlantic, Artic and Bering sea.

I think the people are getting "americanized", increase military spending like your southern "friends", just to show that you're concerned and are part of the western peacekeeper's
Canadian ground forces are massively overstretched for there currently peacekeeping deployments, forget any form of intensive fighting, even these peacekkeping assignments are far to much. Many solders are doing back to back to back deployments and there are still massive shortfalls.

Currently there is no available force to replace the group currently deployed to Afghanistan. Reserve forces receive just 200 rifle rounds per infantrymen and 8 shells per artillery piece, for two weeks of training.


Pretty sad considering Canada could easily support a three division active army with one heavy division, several hundred tactical fighters and a navy 65% of the RNs strength.

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:42pm
by MKSheppard
Sea Skimmer wrote: Pretty sad considering Canada could easily support a three division active army with one heavy division, several hundred tactical fighters and a navy 65% of the RNs strength.
Yeah. And they might actually have a CARRIER.....capable of projecting
Canadian Military Might all over the Seven Seas....

Posted: 2002-11-11 03:45pm
by Knife
If I remember correctly about one month ago there was a thread relating to this. Somewhere around 55,00 troops is what the Canadian military currently has, if I remember right. Perhaps that is what is motivating some to vote on a poll for a larger military.

Posted: 2002-11-11 04:40pm
by Darth Wong
I don't think the 75% response really has much to do with international expectations. I think it's that we feel bad for our men in uniform. They're under-equipped and overextended, and they deserve better.

Posted: 2002-11-11 04:44pm
by Illuminatus Primus
I know how you feel Wong. During Clinton's administration we continued to build extremely expensive weapon systems, but the Mk I Enlisted Man suffered shitty housing and shitty benefits and our barracks were serving food served at prisons. Unacceptable.

Posted: 2002-11-11 04:45pm
by Darth Wong
BTW, in case anyone's wondering how our military got to be in this position in the first place:

The federal government is dominated by French-speaking Quebeckers.

I leave you to fill in the rest of the equation.

Posted: 2002-11-11 04:46pm
by Howedar
MKSheppard wrote:
Sea Skimmer wrote: Pretty sad considering Canada could easily support a three division active army with one heavy division, several hundred tactical fighters and a navy 65% of the RNs strength.
Yeah. And they might actually have a CARRIER.....capable of projecting
Canadian Military Might all over the Seven Seas....
That would be awesome. We could form the Greater North American Co-Prosperity Sphere or something.

Posted: 2002-11-11 04:48pm
by Sea Skimmer
Darth Wong wrote:BTW, in case anyone's wondering how our military got to be in this position in the first place:

The federal government is dominated by French-speaking Quebeckers.

I leave you to fill in the rest of the equation.
Canada would have been better off with a draft in both world wars. Things mightb e different if 1/3 of your countrys population didn't sit out the events which have defined the century. .

Posted: 2002-11-11 04:56pm
by Dargos
Darth Wong wrote:I believe the average person is growing concerned about our ability to meet international peacekeeping obligations. It's not as if we plan to invade anyone, and we're not concerned about the Americans (in the face of a Yankee invasion, what would we do anyway?)

Um...Threaten a Beer Embargo. Canada makes the only good beer in North America. That should scare quite a few Americans. :P


But seriousely. I always wanted to ask how you felt about Quebec. I guess they are not your favorite fellow Canadiens?

Posted: 2002-11-11 05:00pm
by Ted
Dargos wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:I believe the average person is growing concerned about our ability to meet international peacekeeping obligations. It's not as if we plan to invade anyone, and we're not concerned about the Americans (in the face of a Yankee invasion, what would we do anyway?)

Um...Threaten a Beer Embargo. Canada makes the only good beer in North America. That should scare quite a few Americans. :P


But seriousely. I always wanted to ask how you felt about Quebec. I guess they are not your favorite fellow Canadiens?
Canada makes the only REAL beer in NA.

Most Canadians HATE quebekers.

Posted: 2002-11-11 05:05pm
by Grand Admiral Thrawn
Sea Skimmer wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:BTW, in case anyone's wondering how our military got to be in this position in the first place:

The federal government is dominated by French-speaking Quebeckers.

I leave you to fill in the rest of the equation.
Canada would have been better off with a draft in both world wars. Things mightb e different if 1/3 of your countrys population didn't sit out the events which have defined the century. .


But we didn't need a draft. Our army wasn't our important contribution.

Posted: 2002-11-11 05:07pm
by Grand Admiral Thrawn
MKSheppard wrote:
Sea Skimmer wrote: Pretty sad considering Canada could easily support a three division active army with one heavy division, several hundred tactical fighters and a navy 65% of the RNs strength.
Yeah. And they might actually have a CARRIER.....capable of projecting
Canadian Military Might all over the Seven Seas....


You mean the 3 big oceans.

And maybe in 2004 if we kick that blithering idiot we call a prime minister, we'll move up from 17th place in NATO for military spending and get that amount of force.

Posted: 2002-11-11 05:08pm
by Ted
Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote: You mean the 3 big oceans.

And maybe in 2004 if we kick that blithering idiot we call a prime minister, we'll move up from 17th place in NATO for military spending and get that amount of force.
Nah, we need all the frogs out of parliment out, then we'll be fine.

Posted: 2002-11-11 05:50pm
by Mark S
Well, crappy equipment DOES force us to be better trained.

Posted: 2002-11-11 05:54pm
by Darth Wong
Mark S wrote:Well, crappy equipment DOES force us to be better trained.
True, but it's a problem nonetheless. The crack sniper who scored the world-record 2430-metre kill in Afghanistan was using American ammo.

Posted: 2002-11-11 06:00pm
by Sea Skimmer
Mark S wrote:Well, crappy equipment DOES force us to be better trained.
In theory it would make that essential, in reality Canadian forces are very poorly trained. Not surprising when there have been units which where unable to properly feed there men and had to get other units to turn over some of there own budgets to help out.

It might help if Canada paid for its peacekeeping contingency operations by allotting additional funds rather then simply raiding the normal operating budgets which are already a reaction of what they should be.