MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 7 Oct 11
- Defence Minister’s back from NATO meeting on Libya, Afghanistan – calls Libya mission a success for NATO, adding Canada’s not leaving until the job’s done. More here.
- Afghanistan (1) Editorial: “…. the standard by which success should be measured is not a cessation of terrorist attacks, but an improvement in the Afghan National Army’s ability to deal with these incidents. The army is seen to have handled last month’s Kabul attack on NATO’s diplomatic compound and the U.S. Embassy better than it managed the attack on the Intercontinental Hotel just three months earlier ….”
- Afghanistan (2) “As the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion that ousted the Taliban is marked on Friday, war continues to rage in Afghanistan as Western troops begin to draw down. Building Afghanistan’s national security forces to the point where they can effectively protect the population has become the key measure by which NATO’s victory will be judged. Canadian Major-General Michael Day is leading NATO’s training mission in Afghanistan as Deputy Commander Army, overseeing the recruitment and training of the Afghan National Army. The former commander of Joint Task Force 2, Canada’s elite special operations team, spoke about how the Afghan security forces are shaping up to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s ambitious goal of Afghanistan assuming sole responsibility for its security by 2014, when Western forces are set to leave ….”
- Afghanistan (3) So, is Khadr boy coming back, or not? “With just weeks until convicted war criminal Omar Khadr is eligible for transfer according to a Pentagon plea deal, Ottawa is sending mixed messages as to whether the Guantanamo detainee will return to Canada to serve the remainder of his sentence. A spokesman for Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said Thursday the minister’s decision about the 25-year-old Guantanamo prisoner’s transfer to Canada will be made irrespective of the deal Khadr signed. “It would not affect the minister at all,” spokesman Michael Patton told the Toronto Star. “I don’t know what’s in the plea deal but it wouldn’t matter because the minister is not a signatory.” But that position appears to contradict comments inadvertently made by Canada’s minister of state of foreign affairs, Diane Ablonczy, in the House of Commons on Thursday. Ablonczy, who has a hearing impairment, had been asked by Liberal MP Geoff Regan about Philip Halliday, a Canadian who is awaiting trial in a Spanish prison as he suffers from a liver ailment. “Can the minister explain why the government continues to abandon Canadians in dire straits abroad?” Regan demanded. “The member is well aware that the American government has agreed that Omar Khadr will return to Canada,” replied Ablonczy. “We will respect the agreement between Omar Khadr and the U.S.” ….”
- Afghanistan (4) “It is fitting that Terry Glavin begins his book Come from the Shadows: the Long and Lonely Struggle for Peace in Afghanistan with a quote from George Orwell — who once said it is not enough to oppose fascism; one must stand against totalitarianism in all its forms. Orwell, a far-left anti-fascist who took a bullet in the throat while fighting Franco’s brutes during the Spanish Civil War, was angered by the inability of too many of his fellow leftists to counter dictatorial thuggery in those with whom they shared a common enemy. Stalinists got a free pass because, ostensibly, they opposed fascism; they didn’t deserve it. Glavin, also of the left, is frustrated by the limits of his supposed comrades’ solidarity and internationalism. Afghanistan’s democrats — its students, human rights activists, women, socialists and secularists — should, by rights, be championed and supported by the western left. They are, after all, fighting for the same things liberals in Canada struggled for and earned over the last century. What’s more, they’re fighting for these rights against an explicitly fascistic strain of religious and ethnic extremism embodied in the Taliban. Instead, much of the left over the last decade has preferred to rally against make-believe fascism and imperialism in the United States or Britain, rather than recognizing its real mutations in places like Baghdad, Tehran, and Kandahar ….”
- Afghanistan (5) “Saskatchewan has made an Afghan connection. A small group of Afghan women are in the province to learn more about how Saskatchewan’s health and education systems in hopes of improving things in their own country. Betty-Ann Heggie, president of Canadians in support of Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), is hosting a group of Afghan women for a few weeks including AIL founder Sakena Yacoobi. Heggie first met Yacoobi two years ago while the pair were in Italy speaking at a conference. Both women were on a panel called gender equity for greater world harmony. “She spoke about the importance of education and I spoke about the importance of mentorship,” said Heggie, who founded the Womentorship Program at the University of Saskatchewan. The two began talking and came up with an idea to bring Canadian and Afghan women together in a type of mentorship program ….”
- The Good News: “The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, and Eve Adams, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, announced today that significant enhancements to the New Veterans Charter take effect this week and will help thousands of seriously ill and injured Veterans who require additional financial support …. The Enhanced New Veterans Charter Act provides additional monthly support for Veterans who are seriously ill and injured, as well as flexible new payment options for recipients of a disability award. It is estimated that a minimum of 4,000 Veterans will qualify for the enhanced financial support over the next five years alone ….”
- The Bad News: ”New government actions to help veterans who have been hurt or become sick on the job discriminate against thousands of part-time military reservists who face the same risks as their full time comrades, the Veterans Affairs ombudsman says. “Those who sustain similar illnesses or injuries while serving their country should have access to the same benefits, regardless of the nature of their service and where and when they served,” ombudsman Guy Parent said in a blog post. “It’s a matter of fairness.” ….”
- More Bad News: “Applicable veterans are now able to access new benefits under enhancements to the Veterans Charter. The $2-billion support package to the charter was passed in Parliament last spring. It offers a number of new benefits geared towards addressing the pressing needs of the most severely ill or injured veterans. The enhancements also allow the controversial lump sum disability payment for injured vets to be paid out in installments. Critics say the enhancements are a good first step towards meeting the most pressing concerns of some soldiers, but argue many gaps still remain in the federal program. “It’s a small door opening into the Veterans Charter,” NDP veterans affairs critic Peter Stoffer said. “We’ve asked that door be kicked wide open and (they) really start addressing the serious problems facing many veterans in this country.” ….”
- What’s Canada Buying? Disposing of a lot of (what sounds like) tested chemical warfare protection equipment, a special kind of research mouse and a new nuclear, chemical and biological reconnaissance system.
- What’s Canada (Not) Buying? Still no word back from Public Works Canada on why the process to find a new pistol for CF members and a new bolt-action rifle for the Canadian Rangers has been halted.
- Gee, I can’t see why a Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs wouldn’t want to be open and transparent about a relationship of some kind with a journalist whose agency is not averse to hosting Chinese spies? “Conservative MP Bob Dechert is keen to move on. Literally. The light on the downtown street corner in the nation’s capital has changed. But the news media’s interest in his relationship with a Chinese language reporter hasn’t, largely because Dechert himself is loath to answer questions about it. Dechert, asked by the Star about inconsistencies in the emails and his casual characterization of his relationship with Shi Rong, insisted it was nothing more than a friendship as he said in a brief statement when the news broke last month. Asked whether he had any sense whether the woman, a reporter with the official news service for the People’s Republic of China, was acting in any way for the Chinese government, or on its behalf, Dechert is terse: “No. No. No.” ….” Here’s his statement on the issue of what sound like love notes by e-mail to said journalist.
- Note to style guide writer: they’re not “war resisters” when they volunteer, then run away – they’re deserters.
- Column: “Some wars are horrible but necessary, such as the Second World War. Others are horrible but stupid, such as the War of 1812. In the annals of war, the 1812-1814 conflict was among the dumbest ever fought. It featured largely bad military leadership, vague objectives, scattered and messy battles and, critically, sizable elements on both sides of the Canadian-U.S. border that wanted the other side to win ….”
- The House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development were set to discuss this resolution: “That the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development consider a resolution to recognize the important contributions of Aboriginal men and women whose support was pivotal to the British Crown (and subsequently Canada) in the War of 1812; and that a report on the resolution be presented to the House for concurrence and unanimous consent.” Then, they decided not to. More, as (and if) it unfolds.
- “Producer Lawrence Hott admits he was no expert when he began work on the documentary “The War of 1812.” “All I knew about the War of 1812 was that it took place in 1812 and even in that I was wrong,” says Hott of the war, which lasted two-and-a-half years until 1815. Hott ended up spending seven years on the project, about as long as hostilities between the new nation of the United States and Great Britain — backed by native North Americans and citizens of Upper and Lower Canada — took place. About 200 years after the war, Buffalo, N.Y., PBS affiliate WNED has commissioned a comprehensive look at the conflict and its lasting consequences. The two-hour documentary is scheduled to air Oct. 10 at 9 p.m. (check your local PBS affiliate) …. “
Written by milnewsca
7 October 11 at 7:45
MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 6 Oct 11
- Afghanistan (1) Mainstream media video on Canada’s new mission.
- Afghanistan (2) Cyprus media keeping track of when Canadian vehicles will be outta there, and how they’re being cleaned. ‘The (Canadian Forces) have cleaned up the last set of military vehicles from Afghanistan which should be shipped back to Canada in ten days, the Green party said yesterday. Homebound Canadian forces have been using the island to clean their military vehicles, which were deployed in Afghanistan. Canadian authorities wanted to purge the vehicles of any dangerous bacteria and organisms which could cause a potential threat to Canadian agriculture by introducing plant diseases, the Green’s Giorgos Perdikis said. Perdikis yesterday had a meeting with the Cyprus Port Authority (CPA) head Chrysis Prentzas and Larnaca harbourmaster Pampis Vassiliou. The meeting followed “strong complaints and worries” by residents close to the port about the cleaning methods, Perdikis said. The Greens had previously said that Canadian tanks and vehicles could contain traces of depleted uranium or dangerous organisms. Perdikis said that they were given assurances from the Foreign Ministry and other relevant authorities that there was no danger ….”
- Libya Mission/Afghanistan “NATO allies debated on Thursday how quickly to end the bombing campaign in Libya as they reviewed progress in their plans to withdraw combat troops from the 10-year-old war in Afghanistan. With Moammar Gadhafi diehards surrounded by the new leadership’s forces in Sirte and Bani Walid, and the fallen Libyan leader in hiding, the number of NATO air strikes has drastically declined in recent weeks. NATO officials say the six-month-old air war will continue as long as Gadhafi loyalists pose a threat to civilians. “Sirte is extremely symbolic, but it is important that we no longer have pockets of resistance,” said French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet. “Whether Gadhafi disappears from the scene is important, but it’s not enough,” Longuet told reporters before a second day of talks with NATO counterparts. NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, U.S. Admiral James Stavridis, recommended to the ministers late Wednesday that the mission continue until the new regime consolidates control of the entire country, diplomats said …. Success in Afghanistan, a war marking its 10th anniversary on Friday, also depends on the ability of local forces to ensure security for the population. NATO is gradually handing control of the battlefield to Afghan forces, with the goal of withdrawing foreign combat troops from the country by 2014. Some 140,000 NATO soldiers are in Afghanistan, including 100,000 Americans ….”
- Libya Mission Carleton University prof’s legal beagle role in Canada’s mission. “Professor Chris Penny returned to his full-time teaching duties at NPSIA, following a sabbatical year spent researching – and applying – the international law of armed conflict. In addition to ongoing work on a legal textbook in this field, and related journal articles, Professor Penny was also able to apply his knowledge during his summer ‘vacation’ while deployed with the Canadian Forces (where he is a reserve legal officer – Lieutenant-Colonel – in the Office of the Judge Advocate General). Professor Penny served as the personal Canadian legal advisor to Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard, Commander, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Unified Protector ….”
- Timeline: The Challenger, The Media and The CF Info-Machine 16 Sept 11: CDS dinged by media for flying Challenger to family after canceling leave for repatriation. 16 Sept 11: PM says “CDS’ll have to pay if he wasn’t following the rules.” 18 Sept 11: Milnet.ca post explains how planes will fly empty even if CDS doesn’t fly in them. 19 Sept 11: Milnet.ca post shares info on what’s allowed re: canceling leave and transportation. 19 Sept 11: CDS steps up, openly, saying he’d pay if he was wrong. 23 Sept 11: Minister dinged for Challenger use. 29 Sept 11: PM defends minister’s use of Challenger. 5 Oct 11: CF Info-Machine explains how they cost Challenger flying time.
- CTV continues to ride the Challenger logs story train, this time questioning the repatriation of a seriously injured CF member from the U.S. “The Royal Canadian Air Force is defending a decision to fly a vacationing captain back to Canada aboard a Challenger jet after a motorcycle accident left him seriously injured in the United States. The flight, which cost about $24,000, occurred last July after Capt. Terry Hunter was injured during a trip to Upstate New York, CTV News has learned. Initially, Hunter spent 10 days in a U.S. hospital before the Canadian Forces dispatched a Challenger jet to bring him back to Canada. “Yeah, it was considered a mercy flight,” Hunter told CTV Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife. Hunter said that he was on holidays with his daughter when his bike’s back tire blew out. The crash left him with 16 broken ribs. Hunter said he did not ask to be flown back to Canada, adding that he assumed his superiors were simply trying to help after a debilitating crash. “It was either that or go through an eight-hour ambulance drive,” said Hunter, who has served in places like South Sudan during his tenure. According to Lt.-Col. Norbert Cyr, senior public affairs advisor to the chief of defence staff, bringing the injured air captain home aboard an executive jet was appropriate, even though he was on vacation at the time. “We are always on duty,” Cyr said, adding that Hunter’s “serious condition required specialist in-flight care and did not allow him to be transferred via commercial air.” In a written statement to CTV News, Cyr added that members of the Canadian Forces do not have access to regular health care like OHIP or provincial care, as the Canadian Forces are responsible for providing it. Cyr’s statement stressed that “due to the high cost” of U.S. healthcare and the high quality of Canadian healthcare, it is often in the best interest to bring the patient back to Canada ….”
- Note to Opposition Staff on the above: if this comes up in Question Period in the House of Commons today, you DO know whoever asks the questions will may forever be tarred with the “s/he doesn’t support the troops”, right? Some free advice, worth every penny….
- What’s Canada (Not) Buying (at least for now)? There seems to be a halt on the processes to find a new pistol for CF members (more of the original MERX post here) and a new bolt-action rifle for the Canadian Rangers. No word on why yet.
- F-35 Tug o’ War (1) Mark Collins on the latest “how much is the F-35 gonna cost?” see-saw.
- F-35 Tug o’ War (2) The latest from Associate Minister Julian Fantino in the House of Commons: “Mr. Speaker, all reasonable people agree that Canada needs aircraft in order to defend Canadian sovereignty. The current CF-18s must be replaced and our budget for the purchase of F-35s remains on track …. Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker. We will ensure that our men and women in uniform have the best equipment to do the job they are required to do safely. As responsible citizens, responsible politicians and responsible government, we owe them no less …. Our budget for the F-35s remains on track. This includes not only the aircraft but also infrastructure, parts, training, simulators, and so forth. It is the only machine that is going to provide us the kind of safety, security and sovereignty in our country that Canada requires at this time and in the future …. the F-35 aircraft is the one item that is absolutely critical and helps to ensure that we will maintain our sovereignty well into the future. It includes not only the aircraft; it includes other components for years to come in the future, enabling Canada to be competitive and coordinated with our partners in NATO and the UN missions.”
- More media running with the “CF buys real fur hats, animal rights groups gripe” story here and here.
- MP welcomes HMCS Montreal home from Great Lakes tour. “Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute Commanding Officer Jamie Tennant and the entire ship’s company of the HMCS Montreal, the Halifax class frigate that has just returned from its Great Lakes deployment. This annual event provides Canadians an opportunity to tour a navy vessel and discover career opportunities available with the Canadian Forces. I was pleased to sail with the Montreal at the beginning of the deployment as part of the Canadian Forces parliamentary program. I saw first-hand the skills and dedication necessary to keep a Canadian warship running. From the engine room, to the kitchen, to the bridge, each woman and man has a vitally important role and each does his or her job well. My grandfather, Keith Bateman, served in the Royal Canadian Navy in the 1950s. I am pleased to be part of a Conservative government that has restored the “Royal” designation to Canada’s navy. From Halifax and Esquimalt to wherever we ask it to go today’s Royal Canadian Navy continues to do Canada proud.”
- Supporting the troops in Cochrane, Ontario. “A motorcycle fundraiser set to take place in Cochrane this weekend is expected to attract veterans and their supporters from all over the province. On Oct. 8, Rolling Thunder 2011 Cochrane Poker Rally will help raise awareness about the extreme hardships faced by members of Canada’s military upon their return from service. Participants will ride from Cochrane to Canmore, passing through the Stoney Nakoda Nation, and the day’s festivities will include draw prizes, music, a dinner and dance, and other entertainment ….”
- “The Harper government is devoting millions of dollars to commemorating the War of 1812, but a survey conducted for Ottawa shows Canadians know relatively little about the conflict. The research also found that eagerness to learn more about the 200-year-old war declines outside Ontario, where a significant number of the battles took place. “Respondents may be aware of the War of 1812, but their knowledge of key countries, historical figures and sites involved is limited,” says a June, 2011, study prepared for the Department of Canadian Heritage ….”
- No government money for fallen war animals on federal land. “A Second World War veteran trying to erect a monument dedicated to animals that fought and died with Canadian soldiers has been denied federal funding because the memorial will be built on Crown land. For the past two years, Lloyd Swick has been working to honour the thousands of dogs, horses, pigeons and mice that served on the front lines with and in support of Canadians over the decades …. Originally, Swick wanted to put a monument to animals on a piece of grass right beside the National War Memorial. “That would have been the absolutely supreme of supreme spots,” he said. However, after many discussions with the NCC over an alternate location, a site in nearby Confederation Park, which is managed by the federal agency as Crown land, was approved earlier this year …. Blaney’s office did not respond to questions, but a Veterans Affairs spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday that Swick’s application through the Community War Memorial Program was rejected because the monument will be built on federal property and because it is a project of “national significance.” “Regrettably we have no leeway to make exceptions to the terms and conditions of the program,” spokeswoman Janice Summerby said ….”
- Cold war history to be displayed underground in northern Ontario? “North Bay City Council members relived many important historical events while listening to a special presentation during Monday night’s regular council meeting. Military history buff, Trevor Schindeler, gained unanimous support from council with his noble quest to have the Government of Canada consider developing the Underground NORAD Complex into a World Class National Cold War Museum. The facility has immense historical significance. It was there that Canadian and American military personnel stationed in North Bay fought and won the Cold War …. “
Written by milnewsca
6 October 11 at 7:45
MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 5 Oct 11
- We have a border security deal (reportedly)! “A much-ballyhooed perimeter security deal between Canada and the United States will come with a $1-billion price tag for new border facilities and programs to make trade and travel easier, The Canadian Press has learned. The Conservative government will use money cut from existing programs to cover the hefty cost of the international pact — an attempt to protect the continent from terrorist threats while speeding the flow of people and products across the 49th parallel. The deal, as described by several sources, is more evolutionary than revolutionary, falling short of the grand vision outlined with fanfare eight months ago when Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama announced negotiations ….” More here.
- Libya Mission Latest ROTO takes first flight downrange. “The CP 140 Aurora aircraft continued to add to an impressive list of firsts, flying its first mission over Libya and its first strike coordination and armed reconnaissance-coordinator (SCAR-C) mission during Operation MOBILE. On 22 September 2011, crew from 405 Long Range Patrol Squadron at 14 Wing Greenwood, flew its first intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mission over Libyan soil ….” (via CEFCOM Info-Machine)
- “NATO defense ministers are exploring ways Wednesday of ending the alliance’s aerial campaign in Libya and training Afghan security forces for a larger role in their country’s war. In a speech before the meeting, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta urged NATO member states to cooperate more closely and pool their resources in order to make up for the shortfalls that have plagued the alliance’s operations in Libya and Afghanistan. “It would be a tragic outcome if the alliance shed the very capabilities that allowed it to successfully conduct these operations,” said Panetta, who is making his first visit to Europe after taking over from Robert Gates as Pentagon chief in July. European members and Canada provided most of the strike aircraft used in the Libya campaign. But the war exposed shortages in their capabilities in strategic transport, aerial surveillance, air refueling, and unmanned drones, most of which had to be supplied by the U.S. ….” More on the U.S. poking allies to crank up the military capabilities here.
- Afghanistan (1) Poking the Defence Minister in Question Period – again – on (based on a book that’s not out yet) being out of the loop on Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan (2) Canada fighting the fight (against polio) in Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan (3) Editorial: “Part of the rationale for military intervention in Afghanistan was the deplorable state of women’s rights, and the need to free women from the gender apartheid practised by the Taliban. This was a country where women could not have direct contact with men after the age of eight, could not go to school or work outside the home, visit public baths to stay clean, wear nail polish, high heels or be seen in public without a burqa, or a male relative. As the 10th anniversary of the military invasion approaches on Oct. 7, the hard-won gains that women have made over the past decade must be safeguarded. They cannot be sacrificed for the larger goal of ending Afghanistan’s protracted conflict ….”
- Provincial politicians use CF search & rescue as provincial campaign lighting rod. “Newfoundland nd Labrador’s premier and the opposition leader say search and rescue services provided by the federal government must be investigated to see if improvements are necessary. Progressive Conservative Leader Kathy Dunderdale said a recent episode of CBC’s The Fifth Estate on search and rescue has left her with concerns about the military’s service. “It is not satisfactory to the people of this province, to the people who earn their living on the sea, to be at further risk because of a slow response time or policies that affect response time in marine search and rescue,” she said. Dunderdale said she plans to vigorously pursue the issue of search and rescue with the federal government. Liberal Leader Kevin Aylward agreed and went further, calling for a full inquiry into federal search and rescue services. Both Aylward and Dunderdale are campaigning in preparation for the provincial election on Oct. 11 ….”
- Wounded Warriors, Mental Health & Suicide (1) “For decades, the issue of suicide in active soldiers and retired veterans was something that no one wanted to talk about. But a number of programs both within and outside the military are finally focusing attention on the issue. How big a problem is suicide in Canada’s military? It’s difficult to say. The Canadian Forces reports that the suicide rate among currently active soldiers is actually lower than that of the general public. But once many of those soldiers are released from the military, research shows their suicide risk can rise to higher levels than that of civilians. Assessing the toll can be difficult, because beyond the clear-cut suicides are the more subtle instances in which soldiers end their own lives. A veteran who drinks heavily to dull mental pain might be engaging in a slow form of suicide. A soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder and anger issues might take reckless risks if he’s lost his will to live. And how about the veteran with depression who ends up homeless and dies far too young? None of these deaths would register on the books as a suicide, but all might well be traced back to the soldier’s time in service ….”
- Wounded Warriors, Mental Health & Suicide (2) From Question Period (QP): “Hon. John McKay (Scarborough—Guildwood, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of National Defence and I, along with others, attended a conference put on by the military called “Caring for our Own”. One of the concerns raised by some of the soldiers was the fear that the military would not be there for them in their hour of need. Specific worries included PTSD, suicide ideation and suicide itself. The next budget will be under severe pressure for cutting these “soft services”. Could the minister give the House assurances that our vulnerable soldiers and their families will be protected from these budgetary pressures? Hon. Peter MacKay (Minister of National Defence, CPC): Mr. Speaker, my colleague is correct. My friend was in attendance, along with many members who are specifically tasked with how we deal with the scourge of post-traumatic stress and many of the challenges related to overseas deployments. I am very pleased to report that Canada has in fact become a world leader in fighting the stigmatization and raising awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder and other operational stress injuries. As well, we have increased mental health awareness and we have increased the number of mental health professionals who are dealing specifically with these challenges.”
- Wounded Warriors, Mental Health & Suicide (3) More from QP: “Mr. Sean Casey (Charlottetown, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, there is a great need to enhance suicide prevention programs in Canada. With respect to our veterans, the data is alarming. The suicide rate in the armed services is nearly three times that of the general population. According to a departmental study of all males who enrolled in the regular forces after 1972 and were released before 2007, a total of 2,620 died and almost 700 of them were suicides. Could the minister outline new steps or strategies that his department is undertaking to tackle this crisis among veterans? Hon. Steven Blaney (Minister of Veterans Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his important question. While mental health was taboo then, it is a priority for our government now. That is why we have established, in conjunction with the Department of National Defence, 17 operational stress injury clinics that provide services to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress across the country and at various levels that they might experience. This approach is working. As of June, Veterans Affairs Canada is helping more than 14,300 veterans with mental health conditions and their families ….”
- New fur hats for the troops (and the animal rights activists are unhappy). “The Department of National Defence has decided to add fur to the winter gear of the Canadian Forces, a move that’s getting a frosty reception from animal-rights advocates. The government says fur is part of Canada’s heritage and the winter tuque currently in use doesn’t stand up to the rigours of the Canadian winter. So it’s buying an initial run of 1,000 fur-trimmed caps at a cost of $65,000, for use by guards of honour and Canadian Forces starting this winter …. “There are synthetics that are just as good and that don’t necessitate the killing of animals,” Elizabeth Sharpe of the World Society for the Protection of Animals said from Toronto. “Killing animals for their fur is completely unnecessary and cruel.” Lesley Fox of the British Columbia-based Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals says muskrats are known to chew off their limbs to free themselves from leg-hold traps ….”
- F-35 Tug o’ War (1) Defence Minister Peter MacKay, facing questions from the NDP on the upcoming F-35 buy: “These aircraft, as the House will know, will replace our aging CF-18 fleet of fighter jets. These aircraft, like other aircraft, have served our country extremely well. They are used in Libya today. They have been used in previous missions, but that they aging. As a matter of course we are taking the responsible step of following a procurement process that has been in place for a significant period of time in which a number of countries are participating …. We committed $9 billion for the replacement of the CF-18. In fact, it not only includes the cost of the aircraft, this will include: spares, weapons systems, infrastructure and training simulators as well as the contingency associated with this important procurement. We are purchasing the most cost-effective variant at the prime of peak production when the costs will be at their lowest. Even the Parliamentary Budget Officer has admitted to that. Why are the NDP members constantly against getting the best equipment for the best forces in the world?”
- F-35 Tug o’ War (2) The latest from the Associate Minister of National Defence Julian Fantino: “An overall $9 billion cost estimate is more honest than relying on individual plane costs, says the minister handling the purchase of Canada’s new fighter jets. Despite a promise by manufacturer Lockheed Martin that Canada will get its F-35 fighter jets at a cost of $65 million each, Julian Fantino, Associate Minister of National Defence, says the government’s overall $9 billion estimate is the more honest number. The cost of the F-35 depends on the number of planes ordered by other countries, as well as on how early Canada wants to get its order. The manufacturing cost goes down as more planes come off the assembly line, with Canada expecting the U.S. to absorb the bulk of the F-35′s development costs. “There are just so many variables, and that’s why I think the more honest, ethical response to all these issues is the $9 billion figure, which in fact will be the ceiling that Canada will be investing in these particular aircraft,” Fantino told Evan Solomon, host of CBC’s Power & Politics ….”
- What’s Canada Buying? Someone to make fake explosives to test detection equipment (more in Statement of Work – 4 page PDF – here), upgrading the range at CFB Valcartier, someone to manage Canada’s presence at the Farnborough Air Show, and CADPAT rank slip-ons.
- Canada’s top military cop to chair NATO committee. “The Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM), Colonel Tim Grubb assumed the post of Chairman of the NATO Nations Military Police (MP) Chiefs’ Committee at a brief ceremony last week in Prague, Czech Republic. The ceremony concluded the committee’s annual meeting …. Colonel Grubb has been the CFPM since 2009 and during his tenure has overseen significant transformation in the Canadian Forces Military Police organization ….”
- “The Pearson Peacekeeping Centre engaged in some diplomacy of its own recently when its leaders invited ambassadors and military attachés to its Carleton University headquarters to update them on its activities. Michael Snell, project manager for the centre, told the group of about 30 diplomats about the work the centre has been doing with the 10 training centres that compose the Association of Latin America Peacekeeping Centres. The centre’s three causes, Snell said, are: women and peacekeeping; supporting new training centres; and enhancing police participation in UN missions from Latin America ….”
- How some of the Americans are doing the War of 1812 anniversary. “Out of the murk of history and the trough of government funding, here comes the War of 1812 again, 200 years old and as ambiguous as ever on both sides of the Canada-U.S. frontier. “The festivities reach a crescendo!” trumpets the Maryland Bicentennial Commission, as if three years of bombarding, cannonading, spearing, shooting, scalping, burning, sinking, drowning, pillaging, invading, retreating, ambushing, marching, fleeing, starving, freezing, and occupying had been a holiday for all concerned. Undeterred by the carnage – after all, the war didn’t kill THAT many guys, compared to, like, Gettysburg or Hitler or whatever – we are going to have “a Star-Spangled tribute to the defense of America” down here, a display at the U.S. Naval Academy of “the British flag captured at Fort York (Toronto),” plus “a week-long maritime event to kick off the bicentennial celebration.” In other words, there are going to be a lot of people in pantaloons hoisting mainsails and firing muskets before this thing is put away for another century ….”
Written by milnewsca
5 October 11 at 7:45
Posted in Afghanistan, Kandahar, The Political Circus, Opposition & Protest, The Fallen and the Injured, What's Canada Buying?, F-35 Fracas, Operation Motion/Libya, Military history
Tagged with Afghanistan, taliban, NATO, milnews.ca, Peter MacKay, Stephen Harper, Veterans Affairs Canada, CFB Valcartier, Robert Gates, military news, CF-18, F-35, Joint Strike Fighter, Newfoundland, CP-140 Aurora, JSF, CF-188 Hornet, search and rescue, Libyan unrest, Libya, Operation Mobile, Steven Blaney, War of 1812, Odyssey Dawn, Task Force Libeccio, Parliamentary Budget Officer, 14 Wing Greenwood, Unified Protector, Tim Grubb, Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, CFPM, PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder, Julian Fantino, perimeter security, Kathy Dunderdale, Barack Obama, John McKay, Sean Casey, strike coordination and armed reconnaissance-coordinator, SCAR-C, 405 Long Range Patrol Squadron, polio, Leon Panetta, women’s rights in Afghanistan, Kevin Aylward, suicide, Caring for our Own, operational stress injuries, OSI, suicide prevention programs, operational stress injury clinics, Yukon fur hats, Elizabeth Sharpe, World Society for the Protection of Animals, Lesley Fox, Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals, Farnborough Air Show, NATO Nations Military Police (MP) Chiefs’ Committee, Pearson Peacekeeping Centre, Michael Snell, Fort York
MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 4 Oct 11
- “Canada’s defence department must shed top military brass and bureaucrats today to focus on front-line troops for the priorities of tomorrow: the Arctic, cyber defence, space and special operations, says the author of a controversial report on transforming the armed forces. Retired lieutenant-general Andrew Leslie told senators on the national security and defence committee Monday it’s time to make “moderately tough choices to invest in the future.” National headquarters in Ottawa has become too bloated and overall structure has too much overhead and “tail,” Leslie said, recommending an administrative overhaul to trim $1 billion by cutting the number of full-time reservists, civilians and officers and slashing by 30 per cent of the $2.7 billion now spent on consultants, contractors and other service providers. “Transformation is all about the future – reducing the overhead and investing in the front-line troops, making the Canadian Forces and Department of National Defence leaner, better able to respond and more deployable,” Leslie said ….” More on this here and here.
- The Canadian Taxpayers Federation seems to agree. “…. It’s time for the Harper government to act on Leslie’s cost-cutting ideas and move more of Canada’s military muscle off seat cushions at headquarters and into the field, where it is needed.”
- Afghanistan (1) A bit more mainstream media coverage of the training mission, or at least part of it. “…. It’s amazing watching …. woman train in that they are not wearing veils and every day fly in the face of what radical Islam sees as the role of women. “They are very brave and we are proud of them,” said Canadian Major General Michael Day, who heads the training program here. “Back in their villages some of them would be killed for just coming here.” Day knows there is a long way to go. But you have to start somewhere. By the end of this year, there will be 195,000 members of the ANA and already in most parts of the country they are taking the lead in security here. Canadians, Americans, Danes, Georgians are here more as trainers and mentors.”
- Afghanistan (2) More mainstream media coverage, this time at least showing a photo of troops doing the training.
- Afghanistan (3a) Minister of National Defence denies he was kept out of the loop by PMO – this from Question Period (QP) in the House of Commons yesterday: “…. that is false …. we have always worked closely with the Prime Minister and with cabinet ….” More on that here.
- Afghanistan (3b) Tying in the planes with Afghanistan – this again from QP: “Mr. Matthew Kellway (Beaches—East York, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the Department of National Defence continues to spring leaks about the minister’s misuse of DND assets. By now we have all heard that the minister takes government jets like most Canadians take the bus. Now we find out that the Prime Minister personally kept the Minister of National Defence out of the loop on the Afghan war. Why is the Prime Minister defending a minister that he himself has so little confidence in? Hon. Peter MacKay (Minister of National Defence, CPC): Mr. Speaker, as I and the Prime Minister have said, we use government assets for government business. That is exactly what has happened. With respect to Afghanistan, we have made a magnificent effort on behalf of Canadians. They can be very proud of the work our men and women in uniform and our professional public servants have put forth in Afghanistan. As a government we have supported them. We have given them the resources. Unfortunately, the member’s party opposite cannot say the same thing …. “ More on the layest QP back & forth here.
- Afghanistan (4) A couple of events (Toronto and Ottawa) linked to a new book on Afghanistan by commentator Terry Glavin. “Solidarity: Calling all friends of Afghanistan in the GTA. COME FROM THE SHADOWS. “Join Terry Glavin and friends to celebrate the publication of his new book, Come from the Shadows: The Long and Lonely Struggle for Peace in Afghanistan,” at Dora Keogh’s Trad Irish Pub, 141 Danforth Ave, Toronto, Tuesday, October 11 · 7:00pm – 8:30pm, plus whatever happens afterwards (free admission). Official Launch: Army Ottawa Officer’s Mess, 149 Somerset Street W., Ottawa, Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 7:00 PM, Admission: $15.00 (students $10.00). Tickets for Terry’s book launch are now available at Compact Music (190 Bank, 785 Bank), and Collected Works (1242 Wellington) ….”
- F-35 Tug o’ War (1) One reporter doesn’t buy the $65M per plane price tag being promoted by the company. “…. the Pentagon, Lockheed Martin and allied governments around the globe are thinking hard now. The plan could still fly if buyers hang in. But will the bargain prices come true? For a clue, check the Israeli defence budget. The Israelis, like John McCain, know something about fighters, and currently their budget for 20 planes is not anywhere close to $65 million each. It’s more than double that: $137 million each. Perhaps they don’t believe in deals that seem too good to be true.”
- F-35 Tug o’ War (2) Meanwhile, the company’s latest estimates? “The F-35s in low-rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 4 are expected to exceed their contracted cost target, but fall below the negotiated ceiling price, says Tom Burbage, vice president of F-35 program integration for Lockheed Martin …. The LRIP 4 per-unit cost targets are as follows: $111.6 million (CAD$ 117.7M) for the conventional takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) version; $109.4 million (CAD$ 115.4M) for the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl) aircraft; $142.9 (CAD$ 150.7M) for the first production carrier variant (CV) ….”
- What’s Canada Buying? Medical fridges, a.k.a. “Mobile Temperature Management Units”.
- Well done to Rick Mercer (who also happens to be Honorary Colonel of 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron at 12 Wing Shearwater)! “A leap of faith is not in his job description, but Rick Mercer will try just about anything for the TV camera. For a segment on Tuesday’s The Rick Mercer Report on CBC-TV, Mercer jumped from a plane while in the arms of a Canadian Forces Skyhawk at the Windsor International Airshow, held on the weekend of Sept. 10-11. “I’m not the kind of guy who would willingly jump out of a plane,” Mercer said. “It took a lot of psyching myself up. But if I was going to do it, I would do it only with members of the Skyhawks.” ….”
- “…. (Saskatchewan’s) Status of Women Office in the Ministry of Social Services is proclaiming October as Women’s History Month in Saskatchewan. This year’s theme, “Women in the Canadian Military Forces: A Proud Legacy,” celebrates women’s contributions, now and throughout history, to the Canadian military forces ….”
Written by milnewsca
4 October 11 at 7:45
Posted in Afghanistan, Kandahar, F-35 Fracas, Military Ethos, Military history, The Political Circus, What's Canada Buying?
Tagged with Afghanistan, Andrew Leslie, Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Come From the Shadows, F-35, Joint Strike Fighter, JSF, Kabul, Lockheed Martin, Matthew Kellway, Michael Day, Peter MacKay, PMO, Report on Transformation 2011, Rick Mercer, Skyhawks, Terry Glavin, Women’s History Month in Saskatchewan
MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 3 Oct 11
- Afghanistan (1) Troops getting ready in Gagetown to head to Afghanistan. “Efforts are continuing to prepare hundreds of soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Gagetown for duty early next year in Afghanistan. Approximately 450 personnel from The Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (2RCR) will be joined by another 100 from the greater Land Force Atlantic Area in deploying to the war-torn region for an eight-month training mission. The first group of soldiers will depart Gagetown in mid-February with the process continuing until mid-March. It’s expected to take about a month to get everyone into the Kabul theatre of operations ….”
- Afghanistan (2a) Nichola Goddard, 1980-2006, R.I.P. Father of fallen returns to Afghanistan to help get more women teachers trained.
- Afghanistan (2b) Speaking of such things…. “Canada is being urged to use whatever influence it has to ensure gains made over the last decade for women in Afghanistan are not lost in any peace deal that might materialize. Late Sunday, international aid agency Oxfam released a report saying there is a risk that many of the improvements made for women since the Taliban were toppled 10 years ago could be given away in bargaining as different factions in the war-torn country, including the Taliban, negotiate an end to a decade of war. “The women’s movement is quite worried about the potential that a peace deal with the Taliban could imply setbacks to the progress that women (in Afghanistan) have achieved and the potential for further progress,” Mark Fried, policy co-ordinator with Oxfam Canada, said in an interview ….”
- Afghanistan (3) New book says LOADS o’ central control over execution, communication about the Afghanistan mission. “Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office was so seized with controlling public opinion of Canada’s shooting war in southern Afghanistan that even Defence Minister Peter MacKay wasn’t always in the loop, says a new book about the conflict. “The Savage War,” by Canadian Press defence writer and Afghanistan correspondent Murray Brewster, paints a portrait of a PMO keen to preserve its tenuous grip on minority power and desperate to control the message amid dwindling public support for the war. MacKay, who took over Defence from Gordon O’Connor in August 2007, was blindsided by the Harper government’s decision later that year to set up a blue-ribbon panel to review the mission headed by former Liberal cabinet minister John Manley, Brewster writes. “It wasn’t discussed with the broader cabinet, no,” the minister says in the interview. “I didn’t know all of the specifics.” ….”‘
- Veterans Affairs Canada’s Virtual War Memorial web site, listing detailed information about Canada’s fallen, has moved from here to here. Last month, the CF webmeisters moved the “Fallen Canadians” page from here to here.
- Trees to honour the fallen. “When Elizabeth Pratt had her first brush with Canadian Forces soldiers four years ago, she couldn’t believe how young the men and women in uniform were. In Halifax, as part of the Royal Nova Scotia Military Tattoo in 2007, the then-Grade 11 student met hundreds of soldiers serving in Afghanistan, many of them only a few years older than she was. “I was so surprised at how close in age they were to me,” she said, “not to mention the fact that they were out there fighting and maybe even sacrificing their lives. That hit home.” Now, the 20-year-old University of B.C. student and her brother, 14-year-old Michael, are launching a project they hope will ensure a lasting memorial for those Canadians who have indeed sacrificed their lives in Afghanistan. The pair have created Langley Youth for the Fallen, a non-profit organization that is raising money to buy 157 trees that will be planted in a commemorative grove at the Derek Doubleday Aboretum in Langley ….”
- Libya Mission (1) A columnist shares his perspective of “security”. “How are we doing in the war on terror? Against the terrorists, tolerably well. Against our governments — that’s a different story. As travelers, we’re coping. We can put up with being treated like inmates at Alcatraz. We display our anatomies to the extent requested; take off our shoes like lambs, purge our carry-on bags of liquids and stuff them with photo IDs. We’re a little dismayed, though, that we may have Grandma strip for nothing. Our governments that protect us so brilliantly from our underwear, seem less effective when it comes to protecting us from portable ground-to-air missiles. That’s right. NATO lost sight of about 20,000 of the suckers, each one capable of shooting down a civilian airliner, while helping rebel forces overrun Colonel Muammar Gaddafy’s Libya. This week the White House’s Jay Carney confirmed an initial ABC news report that thousands of the shoulder-fired weapons, ideal for terrorist operations, are missing from the Colonel’s unguarded military warehouses ….”
- Libya Mission (2) Another columnist on when we know it’s done. “Last week, the Canadian Parliament briefly debated and then voted to extend our military commitment to the NATO mission in Libya. In announcing the extension, Defence Minister Peter MacKay explained that “Canada was in at the very beginning [and] we should be there until the job is done.” Of course, no one in the Harper government has yet to explain exactly what our “job” is in Libya. Therefore, it remains impossible to determine when or if that task will ever be completed ….”
- Pile On the Defence Minister About The Planes/Choppers! OK, in this case, piling on the Parliamentary Secretary (not the “Defence Secretary” as the headline writer claims). “Commenting on an investigation that found the minister of national defence racked up nearly $3 million worth of flights aboard federal jets, the minister’s parliamentary secretary reiterated on Sunday that Peter MacKay did not break travel rules. When asked on CTV’s Question Period whether MacKay “at no point” contravened the government’s guidelines for ministerial travel, Chris Alexander said “the short answer is yes,” before adding that members of the Conservative government have “used challenger aircraft three-quarters less” than their predecessors. “This government has been extremely exacting of its ministers and everyone in government by putting in place the toughest measures for accountability, transparency, making sure we know what assets ministers have and making sure we watch like hawks what their means of travel are,” Alexander said. Every ounce of evidence shows MacKay and others members of government have followed the rules.” ….”
- “A senior federal cabinet minister breathed a sigh of relief upon word of the assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki, a nod to the late radical cleric’s ability to inspire young westerners — including Canadians — to embrace Islamic extremism. “This is good news not only for the United States and North America, this is making the world a safer place,” said Defence Minister Peter MacKay. The death of the U.S.-born al-Awlaki in Yemen — possibly in an American missile strike — appeared to be the latest in a series of targeted killings of al-Qaida kingpins. The charismatic lecturer spent his early childhood in the United States, moving with his family to Yemen before returning to Colorado to pursue university studies. He become an imam whose pronouncements and dealings drew the attention of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Members of a Toronto-area group implicated five years ago in terrorist plotting had watched one of al-Awlaki’s videos at their makeshift training camp ….”
- On soldiers, tattoos and blood types.
- Cape Breton Highlanders get their new Camp Flag – shame there’s no link to a photo, no?
- Editorial: history =/=. conspiracy. “…. There is no doubt that Mr. Harper is highly political, maybe too political at times, but the promotion of Canadian history and the symbols of national identity are not evidence of a dastardly plot. The prime minister is reportedly equally interested in the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the Selkirk settlers in Manitoba and is considering a visit to Winnipeg next year to help mark the occasion. The fact is that Canadians have demonstrated a greater interest in their history over the years, an evolution that seemed to begin in the 1980s with celebrations of significant military dates from the first and second world wars. In 1994, the city of Winnipeg staged a downtown parade, complete with military vehicles and even a Sherman tank, to mark the 50th anniversary of D-Day, the first such parade since the war ended. Sometimes they are controversial, such as the 250th anniversary of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, and the upcoming celebration of the War of 1812 (Canada won, didn’t it?), but they have never been seen as part of a political agenda. Unfortunately, significant political events from the past have received less attention, but if Mr. Harper (and the CBC) want to ignite a passion in the broader Canadian story, let’s at least not call it a conspiracy.”
- “Divers will search for unexploded munitions this month on the wreck of HMCS Thiepval, a former warship that hit an uncharted rock and sank in Barkley Sound more than 80 years ago. The Department of National Defence organized the search after recreational divers reported spotting artillery and shells on the anemone-covered 1917 Battle-class naval trawler. The vessel boasts a colourful history, including a secret spying assignment and a gin-drinking Japanese bear adopted by the crew. The wreck is resting in about 12 metres of water ….”
Written by milnewsca
3 October 11 at 7:45
Posted in Afghanistan, Kandahar, The Political Circus, The Fallen and the Injured, Operation Motion/Libya, Domestic terrorism, Internal security, Military history
Tagged with Afghanistan, milnews.ca, Peter MacKay, Oxfam, Stephen Harper, Kabul, Murray Brewster, Chris Alexander, Gordon O'Connor, yemen, military news, Nichola Goddard, John Manley, Cape Breton Highlanders, CFB Gagetown, Libyan unrest, Libya, Operation Mobile, War of 1812, Odyssey Dawn, Task Force Libeccio, Unified Protector, HMCS Thiepval, 2 The RCR, 2RCR, Land Force Atlantic Area, LFAA, The Savage War, surface to air missiles, SAM, MANPADS, man portable air defence systems, Jay Carney, Parliamentary Secretary, Anwar al-Awlaki, underwear bomber, Camp Flag, Barkley Sound, Mark Fried, Oxfam Canada, Canada's Virtual War Memorial, CVWM, Fallen Canadians, Elizabeth Pratt, Royal Nova Scotia Military Tattoo, Michael Pratt, Langley Youth for the Fallen, Derek Doubleday Aboretum, Langley
MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 2 Oct 11
- Libya Mission AFRICOM boss says they could be wrapping up pretty soon? “The military mission in Libya is largely complete and NATO’s involvement could begin to wrap up as soon as this coming week after allied leaders meet in Brussels, according to the top U.S. commander for Africa. Army Gen. Carter Ham, head of U.S. Africa Command, told The Associated Press that American military leaders are expected to give NATO ministers their assessment of the situation during meetings late in the week. NATO could decide to end the mission even though ousted leader Moammar Gadhafi is still at large and his forces are still entrenched in strongholds such as Sirte and Bani Walid ….”
- Afghanistan What Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney had to say at the ceremony honouring ROTO 10 troops in Valcartier back from Afghanistan: “At an event such as this, words are often unable to fully convey what we feel. This is an occasion for celebration, pride, and perhaps even sorrow. Your return home is a source of joy to all of us, especially to your families, who have hoped and prayed for this day. It is an occasion for pride, because you have completed a demanding and perilous mission with the same courage and selflessness as those generations of Canadian soldiers who have marked the history of our country with their valour. Please accept our congratulations and our thanks ….”
- Pile On the Defence Minister About The Planes/Choppers! “If Defence Minister Peter MacKay felt any pressing need to defend his use of government-owned Challenger jets, it certainly wasn’t evident in his first trip the U.S. since the controversy about flying habits erupted. MacKay, meeting Friday at the Pentagon with U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, was asked by a reporter whether he flew aboard a Challenger for the short jaunt to the American capital. “I certainly didn’t,” MacKay responded during a media availability with Panetta. Why not? “Because there’s commercial flights available.” And with that, MacKay changed the subject. After a brief speech about how it was “wonderful to be a reliable, robust security partner” with the U.S., MacKay turned to Panetta and said a quick farewell before jumping in a waiting van. “I’ve got to catch a plane,” he said. “I am flying commercial.” ….”
- Defence Research and Development Canada paper (129 page PDF): what did users have to say about Counter IED Operator training via distance ed?
- Way Up North One QMI reporter’s ideas for a new rifle for the Canadian Rangers. “…. One option would be for the government to contract Colt Canada, the Canadian Forces’ small arms manufacturer in Kitchener, Ont., to build a new generation of improved, modernized Lee-Enfields chambered in .308 Winchester, or buy Enfield replicas currently produced by an Australian firm. But concerns about quality, and the need for an off-the-shelf product rule both of these out. Another option still — proposed by this writer — would be the Ruger Gunsite Scout with a few notable modifications: a 20-inch barrel, and a light, durable fiberglass stock in army green with the Ranger emblem embedded in the buttstock. Whatever gun the government decides to buy for the Canadian Rangers, one thing is certain, it should be the best firearm available to them for the self-defence, military, and hunting applications they need it for ….” Follow the progress of the hunt for a new Ranger rifle here (via Army.ca).
- Veterans Affairs Minister joins the troops (for a while, anyway). “The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, took part in a military training exercise in the Charlevoix area, organized by the infantry primary training audience of 35 Canadian Brigade Group. Minister Blaney spent last night at the camp with members of the Canadian Forces. Today, he joined approximately 800 members of the Reserve Force in field operations, which included crossing the St. Lawrence River between Les Éboulements and Isle-aux-Coudres in military craft ….”
- Compare and contrast War of 1812 prep – this from an American editorial: “…. The war ended in a draw, but the contest to conduct the most comprehensive commemoration isn’t even close. The Canadians have appropriated millions, the Americans hardly anything. At this rate, the Canadians will appropriate the war entirely, at least for the next several years. Which brings us to a lesson for our time: Even forgotten wars can be lost 200 years later.”
Written by milnewsca
2 October 11 at 9:00
Posted in Afghanistan, Kandahar, Arctic Defence & Sovereignty, Military history, The Political Circus
Tagged with Afghanistan, Africa Command, AFRICOM, CAE Professional Services, Canadian Ranger Rifle, Canadian Rangers, CFB Valcartier, Chelsea Kramer, David Unrau, Defence Research and Development Canada, DRDC Toronto CR 2010-059, Jordan Miller, Kristina Osgoode, Libya, Libyan unrest, military news, milnews.ca, Odyssey Dawn, Operation Mobile, Peter MacKay, Simon Banbury, Stakeholder Analysis for the CF Counter- IED Training Courses, Steven Blaney, Task Force Libeccio, Unified Protector, W7711-09-8153/001/TOR, War of 1812
MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 1 Oct 11
- Libya Mission Editorial: “The Canadian government was right to extend its commitment to the NATO mission in Libya by another three months. As federal Liberal Leader Bob Rae said, Canada went into this mission with NATO and the United Nations and it shouldn’t leave until NATO leaves ….”
- Treatment for haunting memories. “It is difficult for navy veteran Aubrey Francis to talk about the faces that have haunted him for years in flashbacks and in nightmares, but this week, he sat for an interview and compelled himself to recall one of the worst days of his life. His goal: to make others aware of an experimental treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder that has blunted the destructive power of his memories ….”
- Whazzup with the SISIP benefit reduction? This, from Question Period yesterday: “Mr. Peter Stoffer (Sackville—Eastern Shore, NDP): Mr. Speaker, for several years now 6,800 veterans who are disabled have been fighting the government over what is called SISIP benefit reduction. Two DND ombudsmen have said that this is unfair. The veterans committee, the Senate committee and the House all voted to change this practice. Why is the government spending over half a million dollars of hard-earned money fighting these disabled veterans in court? Why does the government not stop the court proceedings, deal with these veterans and reach a comparable settlement? Mr. Chris Alexander (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, CPC): Mr. Speaker, injured personnel in the Canadian Forces are covered by a long-term disability insurance plan similar to the RCMP and other public servants. As the member well knows, they are also eligible for a Veterans Affairs Canada disability award of up to $270,000 under the new veterans charter, as well as an accidental dismemberment benefit of up to $250,000 under the Canadian Forces accidental dismemberment insurance plan. If the member opposite is referring to a matter that is now before the courts, it would not be appropriate for us to comment on that at this time …. if the member opposite cares to review the real statistic he will find that this government has done more for veterans and more for members of the Canadian Forces than any government in history. The member’s party voted against our missions in Afghanistan and Libya, voted against new equipment purchases under Canada’s economic action plan, and questioned the minister’s effort to do his duty by honouring the families of fallen soldiers during repatriation ceremonies. I would ask the member if he and his party have an ounce of support left for the Canadian Forces.”
- Canada’s Defence Minister Peter MacKay, meet U.S. Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta. Here’s the CF/DND Info-Machine’s summary, the Pentagon Info-Machine’s summary, and more media here, here and here.
- Pile On the Defence Minister About The Planes/Choppers! Whoever wrote this headline – “The military turns its guns on the minister” – should read the bottom half of the story where the Minister’s potential political enemies are mentioned – and none of them are in the military.
- “DART holds show and tell”
- CF Reorg (1) Jeff Simpson at the Globe: “…. The Harper government asked Gen. Leslie to study the structure of the department, with particular emphasis on the army of tomorrow. He found that DND was top-heavy at head office at the expense of personnel deployed in the field. He found consultants and outside contractors had grown hugely in number and cost. The structure of the department was too Ottawa-centric with too many layers of bureaucracy. Predictably, this report was immediately debunked by the man who created much of this structure, former chief of the defence staff Rick Hillier. Other military people anonymously criticized it. Who knows what eventually will emerge from the Leslie review? The Harper government has asked all departments to present plans for spending reductions of 5 and 10 per cent as part of a deficit elimination program. The Leslie report could provide a template for reduction. But unwelcome ideas from the outside, even if delivered by a former military man, will rub against the self-protective nature of the department and, indeed, of all bureaucracies.”
- CF Reorg (2) “Canada needs to reorganize the way its Armed Forces do business in order to deal with modern threats, said one of the country’s most famous retired soldiers. Sen. Romeo Dallaire was the keynote speaker at a two-day symposium at the Canadian Forces Leadership Institute in Kingston. Speaking on Thursday morning, Dallaire said Canada should work toward a model where the government’s military, political, aid and nation-building agencies and civilian humanitarian organizations work seamlessly. “We are in a new era,” Dallaire said. “We need a new conceptual basis to how we are doing business.” ….”
- CF Reorg (3) One academic analyst’s ideas. “…. if personnel reductions are absolutely essential, instead of shrinking the military and civilian headquarters staffs by 3,500 each, as Leslie suggests, perhaps the military positions could be reallocated to operational units, ships, battalions and squadrons over several years. Concurrently, as the 3,500 civilian staff members retire or are reassigned, those positions could be militarized, giving the Canadian Forces several thousand more military personnel to meet the staffing requirements at the various headquarters and within the operational units, and to ease the burden on our military personnel who are required to deploy more often because of personnel shortages ….”
- What’s Canada Selling? (1) “Com Dev International Ltd. has won a contract worth more than US$5 million to supply equipment for a U.S. military communications satellite. The Ontario-based satellite hardware maker, which has an office in Ottawa, said Thursday the contract for its U.S. subsidiary is a follow-on order to an earlier satellite equipment supply deal. Under the latest deal, Com Dev will provide filters, signal switchers and other equipment for the satellite. The work will be done at the company’s operations in El Segundo, a community in the Los Angeles area of southern California ….”
- What’s Canada Selling? (2) “CAE Inc. says it has sold four flight simulators to customers in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Australia. The Montreal-based company announced Wednesday that the contracts are worth more than $70-million, and bring the number of simulator sales during its current fiscal year to 15 ….”
- Way Up North “Canada’s navy needs to be able to patrol more than seasonally in one of our most important waterways – the Arctic Ocean. Foreign countries are becoming increasingly brazen when it comes to our northern waters. Some are saying the waterways are in neutral territory. But, as things stand now, the navy can only show the flag and ensure our sovereignty in Arctic waters during times when there is no ice. And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that’s not over a long period of time ….”
- Canadian Junior Rangers: They’re not JUST in First Nation (generally) remote communities anymore. “Winnipeg teenagers are the first urban kids in Canada who are allowed to sign up as army Rangers, a unit typically run in the Arctic, the Canadian Forces announced Friday. The First Urban Junior Canadian Ranger Patrol opened an office this week at the Indian and Métis Friendship Centre on Robinson Street in the North End. Nineteen had signed up by the first night, on Thursday. “Previously, the Junior Canadian Ranger patrols were only in sparsely settled northern, coastal and isolated areas of Canada where there is already a Canadian Ranger patrol. The program is being expanded on a trial basis, so that youth in urban areas can also benefit,” the announcement said ….” More in said announcement here.
- Is THIS still being regurgitated????? “Can a pacifist cheer for the Jets? That’s the question posed by a friend on Facebook, following the unveiling of the new Jets logo. For him, it’s a dilemma. He’s glad the team is back, but asks: “Fighter planes for a team logo? What’s wrong with this picture?” What’s wrong for him is how the team adopted the silhouetted CF-18 Hornet on top of a stylized red maple leaf and air force roundel for its logo. He’s not the only one who feels that way ….” I guess a follow-up question might be: can a pacifist watch and enjoy hockey when there’s fights and violent hits involved? I haven’t seen too many pacifist protest outside NHL venues about that.
- Happy 100th, Canadian Forces Judge Advocate General’s office! More from the Parliamentary Secretary for National Defence Chris Alexander here.
Written by milnewsca
1 October 11 at 9:00
Posted in Military history, Operation Motion/Libya, The Fallen and the Injured, The Political Circus
Tagged with military news, milnews.ca
MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 30 Sept 11
- Pile On the Defence Minister About The Planes/Choppers! (1a) PM Stephen Harper continues to back his man (the Minister, anyway). “…. Mr. Harper, however, said all Mr. MacKay’s flights were legitimate. “When he has used them, they’ve been for important government business,” the Prime Minister told the Commons. He invoked fallen soldiers in defending his minister, saying half of Mr. MacKay’s flights were to attend repatriation ceremonies where the remains of dead troopers were returned to Canada. “Half of those flights are for repatriation ceremonies so that he can meet the families of those who have lost their loved ones in the service of this country. He goes there to show that we understand their sacrifice, we share their pain and we care about them,” the Prime Minister said ….” And this was so different from the CDS’s work before the much-maligned, and un-PM-supported, trip to rejoin his family how? More from the guys who started the pile on here.
- Pile On the Defence Minister About The Planes/Choppers! (1b) Here’s Hansard’s version of what the PM said in the House of Commons yesterday: “…. the Minister of National Defence has participated in some 55 repatriation ceremonies for over 80 lost Canadian service personnel …. This minister uses government aircraft 70% less than his predecessors. Half the time, he does so to attend repatriation ceremonies for soldiers who gave their lives for our country. That is why we have such great respect for the Minister of National Defence on this side of the House of Commons …. When this minister pays his respects to the families of our fallen soldiers I expect the official opposition to support us and the minister by showing respect for these families.”
- On the CDS and plane trips. “…. Tradition suggests Gen. Natynczyk is heading into the final months of his term as Chief of the Defence Staff. He led our Canadian Forces through the successful completion of our combat mission in Afghanistan — one that elevated Canada’s military reputation around the world. We should allow him to bask in the afterglow that follows a job well done.”
- Afghanistan (1) Columnist Joe O’Connor seems underwhelmed at how Canada handled fast-tracking Afghan translators to move to Canada. “…. Interpreters, or ’terps, in the dusty lingo of life in the Afghan war theatre, were vital to our mission as translators, cultural guides — and as Afghans — who understood what Afghanistan was all about. One imagines that these Afghans thought they knew what Canada was all about after Mr. Kenney launched the program: a land of opportunity, of safety — and a just reward for a job well done. It is a pity that isn’t true.” Not exactly – it was only true for 1 out of 3 who applied (glass half empty version), or it was true for more than 500 terps (glass half full version).
- Afghanistan (2) NDP MP Anne-Marie Day congratulates ROTO 10 in the House of Commons: “I am deeply honoured today to draw attention to the difficult commitment undertaken by our Canadian troops on Afghan soil during Rotation 10 of Joint Task Force Afghanistan, which took place from October 2010 to July 2011. We ought to commend and applaud the sacrifices and efforts made during this mission. In 2001, when Canada became involved in this mission, Canadians already suspected that our involvement would be long and arduous. In total, 10 years went by before we considered our work to be done. Tomorrow there will be a ceremony at Valcartier to mark our soldiers’ return. They lived up to the Canadian promise. We can all celebrate their work, be proud of it and honoured by it as well.”
- Afghanistan (3) U.S. blogger Michael Yon continues to make no friends – this time, assessing Canada’s impact in Kandahar. “…. the history of the Canadian troops is softly being rewritten as successful in Afghanistan. Reality differs. The Canadians troops have an excellent reputation and they served with distinction, but after nearly being swallowed whole, they were ordered to abandon their battlespace. There were many causes. The Canadian combat forces could have prevailed, but Ottawa is weak. The prime cause for the Canadian defeat was that tough men in mud homes without electricity defeated comfortable politicians in Ottawa, who seem to think that manufactured history will make them victorious ….”
- Afghanistan (4) Detainee probe by Military Police Complaints Commission plods on, slowly. “The Federal Court has dismissed complaints from military police officers over hearings conducted by the Military Police Complaints Commission into issues relating to the treatment of Afghan detainees. Eight current and former officers with the Canadian military police had argued they were being denied the right to a fair hearing with regard to whether they were at fault in their transfer of detainees to Afghan authorities or for not investigating how they were treated once transferred, given accounts about abuse of such prisoners at the hands of Afghan authorities ….” Federal Court decision here, decision summary here and more media coverage here and here.
- Paeta Derek Hess-Von Kruedener, 1962-2006, R.I.P. Remembering, five years later. “…. On 25 July 2011, the fifth anniversary of the attack on Patrol Base KHIAM, the fourth annual memorial service was held in El Khiam, led this year by New Zealand Army Lieutenant-Colonel Helen Cooper, the current chief of Observer Group Lebanon (OGL) ….”
- On how much veteran families get for funerals: “Mr. Sean Casey (Charlottetown, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, a Canadian Forces member receives $13,000 for funeral costs. A veteran receives $3,600. Nineteen months ago we raised this issue. The answer we received was that it was under review. Last year we asked the minister again to fix this problem. Even though his own officials raised it with him, he told a Senate hearing that it was not the time to talk about the matter. Yesterday we received another non-answer. Our veterans have done their job. They served and defended Canada. Why will the minister not do his and fix the situation now? Hon. Steven Blaney (Minister of Veterans Affairs, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I am glad to say that on this side of the House we not only speak for veterans, but we act for veterans. As I told the member yesterday, this program is managed by the Last Post Fund. It is doing an outstanding job. We fund the Last Post Fund. We are making sure that every military member who is killed or injured during service, whatever his or her rank, is well-served and will be treated with respect until the last moment of his or her life.”
- What’s Canada Buying? Remember the “rent a UAV” bid request? A new Statement of Work and Evaluation Criteria document is out (via Army.ca).
- What’s the U.S. Buying? A Canadian company is getting more work from additions to this big job: “Canadian Commercial Corp., General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada, Ontario, Canada, is being awarded an $87,335,007 firm-fixed-priced modification under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-D-5028) for procurement of 425 of the following engineering change proposal upgrades: upgraded transfer case kit; hood/bonnet assembly kit; exhaust system kit; central tire inflation system upgrade kit; skydex flooring material kit; electrical harness kit; route clearance digirack kit; remote weapon station joystick kit; front door assist kit; wheel and tire upgrade kit; and independent suspension axel system kit. Work will be performed in Benoni, South Africa (70 percent); Trenton, N.J. (20 percent); Chandler, Ariz. (6 percent); and Halifax, Canada (4 percent) ….”
- Associate Minister of National Defence Julian Fantino chats up defence industry reps at the Canadian Association of Defence and Securities Industries about buying stuff.
- Whazzup with the General who wrote the transformation/reorganization report that all the reporters got? “CGI Group Inc., a leading provider of information technology and business process services, today announced the opening of a new Canadian Defence, Public Safety and Intelligence business unit based in Ottawa with capabilities to serve the Canadian Armed Forces around the globe. In addition, the Company also announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Andrew Leslie to lead the new Defence, Public Safety and Intelligence unit. The offering will build on the corporation’s global expertise to develop and implement innovative, world-class solutions tailored to specific knowledge and requirements of Canada’s modern-day defence and security challenges ….” A bit more here.
- An interesting idea from the Royal Canadian Legion as an alternative to recognizing Afghanistan’s war dead on the national cenotaph in Ottawa. “…. some veterans argue that singling out those who died in Afghanistan for special recognition on the memorial does a disservice to the more than 100 Canadian peacekeepers who have lost their lives in various other conflicts. For that reason, the Royal Canadian Legion said Thursday that, instead of specifically acknowledging the toll in Afghanistan, the monument should be dedicated to all of those who died “In the Service of Canada.” That’s the same inscription that is found in the Seventh Book of Remembrance, which records the names of all of the Canadians who died in military action since the Korean War. “We think that an inscription that covers the sacrifice made in all wars or missions would be acceptable to most people instead of etching the individual wars or missions,” said Patricia Varga, the Legion’s dominion president ….”
- The World Socialists’ take on “royalizing” the branches: “…. Though the rose of the Canadian military will smell no sweeter under its new designation, the name change exemplifies the ideological shift pursued by the new Conservative majority government. As the Canadian capitalist class has ever more vigorously asserted its imperialist interests abroad, and employed increasingly anti-democratic methods of rule to enforce its agenda of austerity domestically, its servants in the Harper government have contemptuously discarded the “peaceful” and “liberal- social democratic” Canadian nationalism promoted by the Liberal governments of the 1960s and 1970s and sought to promote the military and the Crown as sacrosanct elements of “what it means to be Canadian.” ….”
- They’re not “war resisters”, they’re volunteers who ran away and aren’t brave enough to face the music – this from the House of Commons yesterday. “Mr. Speaker, decorated Iraq war veteran Rodney Watson has lived in limbo for two years in sanctuary at an East Vancouver church with his wife Natasha and young son Jordan, both Canadian citizens. I have come to know Rodney and know him to be strong in his conviction for peace and justice, and brave in his commitment to go up against an illegal war. It has been a tough two years, and the strong support from the war resisters support campaign has been enormously important. If Rodney were to return to the U.S., he would likely be charged, which would make his return to Canada inadmissible, tearing him apart from his family. As many as 40 other war resisters like Rodney are currently fighting to stay in Canada. This Parliament has passed two motions in support of war resisters, yet the government is still trying to deport them. I encourage Canadians to write to the immigration minister and their MPs about Rodney and all war resisters to support the call for their permanent residence in Canada.”
- Fence along the Canada-U.S. border? Whatchoo talkin’ ’bout, Willis? “The United States has distanced itself from its own report that suggested it is considering beefing up its security at the Canadian border — possibly through the construction of “selective fencing” and trenches as well as enhanced electronic surveillance. The proposed options are contained in a detailed draft report released Aug. 31 in Washington, D.C., by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. The proposals will be aired at public meetings in American cities this fall, before the U.S. government considers how to further tighten the border to keep out terrorists and other criminals. But late Thursday afternoon, after reports about the possible fence hit the Canadian media, the U.S. agency released a carefully worded statement. “A border fence along the northern border is not being considered at this time,” it said ….” A summary of the report (PDF) is available here, the news release linked to the report here, and more in the Globe & Mail here.
- Meanwhile, the UAV’s drone on looking for bad guys and bad stuff going from Canada to the U.S. “The unmanned planes look north toward the long, lightly defended and admittedly porous Canada-U.S. border – the best route many Americans believe for jihadists seeking to attack the United States to sneak across. Like their missile-carrying military cousins prowling Pakistan’s skies targeting al-Qaeda suspects, the unarmed Predator aircraft that have patrolled the 49th parallel since 2009 are high-tech, sophisticated and little understood. And they are part of the same diffuse and determined effort the Unites States is making to secure its borders and defend itself. “We’re here to protect the nation from bad people doing bad things,” says John Priddy, U.S. National Air Security Operations director for the Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Air and Marine. He heads the Predator operation guarding American’s northern airspace. “This is the equivalent of the Cold War in terms of a new type of vigilance,” says Mr. Priddy, who has flown everything from Boeing 747 cargo jets to Apache helicopters ….”
- Former U.S. VP Dick Cheney’s in Canada, worried about a biological or nuclear terrorist attack.
Written by milnewsca
30 September 11 at 7:45
Posted in Afghanistan, Kandahar, Internal security, Opposition & Protest, The Fallen and the Injured, The Political Circus, What's Canada Buying?
Tagged with Afghan detainees, Afghan interpreters, Afghanistan, Andrew Leslie, Anne-Marie Day, border security, Canadian Association of Defence and Securities Industries, Canadian Commercial Corporation, cenotaph, CFB Valcartier, CGI Group, Customs and Border Protection, Dick Cheney, El Khiam, Federal Court, General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, government aircraft, Hansard, Helen Cooper, Jason Kenney, Joe O'Connor, John Priddy, Joint Task Force Afghanistan, Julian Fantino, Kandahar, Last Post Fund, Lebanon, M67854-07-D-5028, Michael Yon, military news, Military Police Complaints Commission, milnews.ca, Observer Group Lebanon, Paeta Derek Hess-Von Kruedener, Patricia Varga, Peter MacKay, Predator, repatriation ceremonies, Rodney Watson, ROTO 10, Royal Canadian Legion, Sean Casey, Seventh Book of Remembrance, Stephen Harper, Steven Blaney, veterans funerals, Walt Natynczyk, war resisters
MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 29 Sept 11
- Libya Mission (1) Parliamentary Secretary for National Defence Chris Alexander throws a dig at those who voted against the mission extension in the House of Commons. “Mr. Speaker, this Monday, a crushing majority of members voted in favour of extending Canada’s involvement in Libya. A total of 198 members stood in support and their votes sent a clear message to the Libyan people: they can count on Canada during this post-Gadhafi transition. At that time, the members of the official opposition refused to support the Libyan people, they refused to support the excellent work of the members of the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Navy. They believe that the job is finished. They are wrong. The job is not done and Canada does not cut and run. We do not shirk our responsibilities. We will continue to protect and promote Canadian values around the world. We will support the Libyan people as they build a brighter future for themselves. The NDP members of this place should be ashamed of their vote on Monday. They are wrong on the issues and incoherent on foreign policy. The NDP proves yet again it is just not fit to govern.”
- Libya Mission (2) One of the “usual suspect” web sites still opposing NATO’s mission. “…. Due to the targeted killing of the Chief of State’s family, the NTC detention-killing-torture of civilians who are black, current reports in Tripoli and Sirte of group kidnapping of women, the NTC’s pledge to surround the City and starve it out, the destruction by NATO of targets protected by Geneva Conventions, the lack of balanced reporting in Western countries, inaction by global human rights organizations including the United Nations, the fabric of international law is broken and maintains credibility of intention through its support by the African Union, left of centre nations in the Americas, possibly Russia and China, and non-aligned groupings globally ….”
- Afghanistan (1) Columnist not happy with training mission. “…. when asked whether there would be a vote on the third extension, Harper replied, “when we’re talking simply about technical or training missions, I think that is something the executive can do on its own.” The Prime Minister may have dodged a few political bullets then, but this doesn’t change the fact that our soldiers are dodging real bullets now. At what point should political expediency give way to moral responsibility? How will Canadians react when — as is almost inevitable — some of our “trainers” are killed?”
- Afghanistan (2) Mark Collins pulls together a swack of “training Afghan forces” commentary.
- “Six thousand Canadians served in Afghanistan and with most of them now back home, the military network needs to know how to care for their well being. Top military brass and defence leaders met in Ottawa Wednesday to send a message through the ranks: Mental health is as crucial as physical wellness. “I expect you to create a command climate where those who need help can get it,” said Chief of Defence Staff Walt Natynczyk. “Ten years ago it was inconceivable to see young macho men and warrior women asking for help, to talk to a counsellor. Now they know they can do so right away.” ….”
- A bit of back and forth in the House of Commons on this question: “Why is the government spending $450 million just this year on one of the parts of the Conservative crime bill while neglecting Veterans Affairs Canada and all of the invisible veterans who do not have the family or the ability to actually file a complaint and insist on help?”
- Pile On the Defence Minister About The Planes/Choppers! (1a) Still – this from the House of Commons yesterday: “Hon. Gerry Byrne (Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence made a public declaration that, while a guest at a luxury fishing lodge, neither his host nor his companions had any business dealings with the Government of Canada, and yet the facts speak very differently. Mr. Rob Crosbie is a political appointee in control of a federal crown corporation that receives $200 million in annual subsidies from which he draws a personal salary. How does the minister square this contradiction and, while I am on my feet, was the fish this big or just this big? Hon. Peter MacKay (Minister of National Defence, CPC): Mr. Speaker, as I said a number of times, I was on personal time in Gander, Newfoundland with some friends on a trip I paid for myself. As a result of work, I made the decision to go back to work early. Mr. Scott Andrews (Avalon, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, in 2002 the current Prime Minister criticized a minister for staying at a cottage owned by a client of his department. At the time, the current Prime Minister said that he had either acted extraordinarily unethically or extraordinarily stupidly. My question is for the Prime Minister. When a minister accepts a vacation at a luxury fishing lodge owned by the chair of Marine Atlantic, would he say that minister was acting extraordinarily unethically or extraordinarily stupidly? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC): Mr. Speaker, as has been made clear, the minister paid for his own vacation, so obviously the facts are different. If anyone in the Liberal Party actually has any evidence that the minister or anyone else acted improperly, he or she can say so outside the House.”
- Pile On the Defence Minister About The Planes/Choppers! (1b) Along the same lines as above, only from the NDP.
- Pile On the Defence Minister About The Planes/Choppers! (2) Squeezing every last drop out of a flight log request. “Peter MacKay has racked up nearly $3 million worth of flights on the government’s Challenger jets since assuming the role of defence minister in 2007, documents obtained by CTV News reveal. A probe into MacKay’s use of the jets shows that he is the government minister with the most frequent flyer miles aboard the exclusive Challenger fleet. The total cost of MacKay’s 35 flights amount to $2,927,738.70. Challenger flight logs were obtained through an Access to Information request ….” Same angle from the Globe & Mail. Still nobody sharing the documents with readers who may want to see the context for themselves, though.
- Pile On the Defence Minister About The Planes/Choppers! (3) Not to mention herd journalism…. “The Conservative Party of Canada knows that the politics of government plane usage is the low-hanging fruit of oppositional politics….”
- Hey, why not look into the RCMP boss’ plane rides, too?
- Is anyone going to compare/contrast, oh, I don’t know, the current Minister’s flying record versus previous Defence Ministers’ flying records? Just askin’….
- Speaking of aircraft, “Defence Minister Peter MacKay says buying surplus American aircraft will boost the availability of Canada’s beleaguered Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopters. National Defence spent $163 million this summer buying leftovers from Washington’s cancelled VH-71 presidential helicopter program, which are an updated version of CH-149 Cormorants. A briefing note to MacKay warned last year that the Cormorant’s availability is “barely adequate” to meet search-and-rescue requirements, requiring aging Sea King helicopters to be put on standby along the East Coast to replace them …. A Defence Department briefing, obtained by The Canadian Press under access-to-information laws, says cannibalizing spares from U.S. helicopters will allow air force mechanices to stop robbing their own aircraft of parts to keep the fleet in the air ….” No apparent sharing of “obtained” documents here, either.
- What’s Canada (Not) Buying? “Defence Minister Peter MacKay has been told that new engines should be a priority for the country’s C-115 Buffalo search-and-rescue planes if the air force is to keep them flying until 2015. But the Defence Department has no plans for new engines. The 44-year-old, twin-engine aircraft were ordered replaced a decade ago when Paul Martin’s Liberal government announced a $3-billion plan to update the country’s fleet of fixed-wing rescue planes. It is a program that has been repeatedly stalled and delayed, despite being named as the Conservative government’s top procurement priority. Last year, MacKay spoke to the only commercial operator of the Canadian-built Buffalo about the “feasibility of replacing the CC-115 Buffalo engines with newer models,” said a Sept. 2, 2010 briefing note prepared for the minister’s office. “The Buffalo airframe is remarkably sturdy, however, the aircraft faces severe obsolescence issues in supporting its engines in particular. “It should be noted that engines are not the only C-115 obsolescence issue; other obsolescence issues would also need to be resolved,” said the document, portions of which were censored. “Re-engine of the C-115 should definitely be considered.” But the Defence Department has not acted on the advice. “While ensuring the day-to-day support of the existing Buffalo engine, the Canadian Forces have made no decision to pursue engine replacement in our existing Buffalo fleet,” said department spokeswoman Kim Tulipan in an email response ….”
- What’s Canada Buying? “Canada has restarted its politically charged procurement of search-and-rescue aircraft to replace its aging fleet of de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Buffalo and Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules transports. The Fixed Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) project has been overhauled significantly since becoming mired in controversy over claims the Department of National Defense (DND) was limiting competition and the potential for Canadian industrial participation. After essentially sole-source procurements of Boeing C-17 transports, CH-47F heavy-lift helicopters and C-130J airlifters — and a decision to proceed with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter without competition — politicians accused the DND of directing the FWSAR procurement toward Alenia’s C-27J ….”
- A reminder: The Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Canada’s constitution, guarantees the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. “A member of the military at CFB Trenton, Ont., has been charged with one count of possession of child pornography. The charge against Corp. Mario Desrochers, of 1 Canadian Air Division, was laid by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service under the National Defence Act. A court martial hearing will be held Oct. 31 in Trenton. No information was released about any material seized, other than the alleged offence did not involve the use of military computer equipment. Desrochers, an aerospace control operator, has been a member of the Canadian Forces for 20 years ….” None of this has been proven in court.
- “A Conservative bill that would make it a crime to prevent someone from flying the Canadian flag is an unnecessary distraction when Parliament has real work to do, a New Democrat critic said Wednesday. NDP MP Charlie Angus said the private member’s bill, introduced by rookie backbencher John Carmichael, is akin to “tabloid-style politics” at a time of a looming economic crisis. “I never knew, until John told me 30 seconds ago, that we had a flag crisis of people being intimidated and not being allowed to use the flag,” Angus said on CTV’s Power Play. Angus, who is the NDP’s ethics critic, also pondered why the government would support a new flag bill when it continues to buy Maple Leaf pins from China. “People come to my office and see a flag that says ‘Made in China,’ so I’ve actually stopped giving out the Canadian flag pins, because my constituents say they don’t want to see something made in China,” Angus said. “Why is this government shipping out our jobs overseas?” ….”
- “Stephen Harper is stepping up his efforts to renew Canadians’ sense of history by creating an $11.5-million fund to recognize the War of 1812 as essential to forming the Canadian identity …. The War of 1812 commemoration is actually a four-year process ending in 2015. Heritage Minister James Moore is to announce the 1812 Commemoration Fund within weeks, designed to help support projects – including new plaques, refurbished monuments, battle re-enactments, films, plays and musical performances – in communities across the country, to mark the 200th anniversary of the war. The Federal Secretariat, Bicentennial of the War of 1812, has also been created to administer the funds and help organizations, including schools, aboriginal groups, municipal, provincial and territorial governments, with applications ….”
Written by milnewsca
29 September 11 at 7:45
MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 28 Sept 11
- Word of a Canadian, said to be part of the anti-Ghaddafi underground, was questioned by CSIS while a…. guest of the former regime. “Canadian spies teamed up with the Gadhafi regime to question a Canadian jailed in Libya, a prominent human-rights group says. Canadian Security Intelligence Service officers travelled to Libya several times to interview the prisoner between 2002 and 2005, Human Rights Watch says. The New York-based group will circulate a statement on Wednesday revealing that it has obtained documents on this obscure case from an abandoned intelligence complex in Tripoli. Mustafa Krer, 56, immigrated to Canada from Libya in the 1990s. He was jailed as a terrorism suspect when he returned to his homeland almost a decade ago. Released only last year, he hopes to return to Canada in coming months ….” More here (Toronto Star) and here (usual Wikipedia caveats apply).
- Nelly Furtado donates bucks she made doing a show for Libya’s former boss to charity. “Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado plans to donate the $1-million she was paid to perform for then Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s clan to the Free the Children charity. Ms. Furtado made the announcement Tuesday at the Air Canada Centre at WE day, a youth empowerment day organized by Canadian co-founders of Free the Children, Craig and Marc Kielburger ….”
- Afghanistan (1) Troops raising money for breast cancer research while packing up in Kandahar.
- Afghanistan (2) Nova Scotia’s flag flying over Kandahar.
- Taliban Propaganda Watch Taliban says “those Haqqani characters work for US!”
- Some photos of the final exercise “Tireur Accompli” of a basic sniper’s course run in Valcartier, Quebec (via Army.ca)
- What’s Canada Buying? Anyone interested in developing a “a Naval Remote Weapons Station defence capability to the HALIFAX and IROQUOIS classes of HMC ships”? More technical detail in the draft Statement of Work here.
- CF Info-Machine issues new Backgrounder on its physical rehab program.
- Way Up North “As global interest in Arctic exploration explodes, Canada is pushing to assert rights over a larger chunk of the polar region and lure companies to exploit the territory’s promising natural resources. The government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper has long engaged in saber-rattling with Russia—Canada’s biggest Arctic rival—over territorial claims in the region. Both sides have recently sent troops to the Arctic to back up their claims, with Canada winding down its largest, and northernmost, military exercise this month. During a trip late last month to Canada’s Far North, Mr. Harper criticized Russia in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, portraying its strategy in the region as aggressive and “a disappointment.” But he said Russia’s actions—including alleged incursions into Canada’s Arctic airspace, which Moscow denies—strengthen Ottawa’s commitment to the region. Those actions “remind us, as I say, that we have an obligation as a sovereign nation to have an ability on land, sea and air to be present and to assert that presence at all times,” Mr. Harper said ….”
- Bad news about a war memorial in Montreal – this from a House of Commons statement on the issue: “…. our cenotaphs and monuments are powerful reminders of the sacrifices made by generations of Canadians. They are symbolic places where people can gather in memory of our fellow Canadians, our loved ones and family members, who served our country in the name of peace and the freedom we all enjoy today. Unfortunately, this morning, we learned that a war memorial in Girouard Park in Montreal had been vandalized. We have an obligation to preserve and respect memorials in tribute to the service and sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. I commend Sergeant Jones who notified the police about this vandalism and I hope the guilty parties will be held accountable for the seriousness of their mischief.”
- Conservative MP John Carmichael has introduced a Private Members Bill to keep folks from banning the flying of the Canadian flag (like in this case): Bill C-288, An Act respecting the National Flag of Canada. Here’s what he said in the House of Commons, here’s a summary of where the Act is at and here’s what QMI/Sun Media had to say. Caveat: most Private Members Bills don’t make it to law.
- “As the Conservative Government returns to Parliament to set new national priorities, one of these is to reinstate two expired clauses to the Anti-Terrorism Act. The Conservative Party brings back the Investigative Hearings and Preventive Arrest powers, which expired and were removed by Parliament in 2007. These two powers, which have raised criticism since they were first adopted, face few barriers with the current Conservative majority which can out-vote the combined powers of the Opposition Parties ….”
- Greeeeeeaaat…. “A soon-to-be released book about the crimes of former Canadian military commander Russell Williams may be turned into a feature film. Richard Lowry Productions Inc. has acquired the rights to Camouflaged Killer: The Shocking Double Life of Canadian Air Force Colonel Russell Williams by David A. Gibb. Gibb, a former private investigator turned journalist, delved into the psychology of Williams, a seemingly normal and responsible man who was convicted of killing two women in Eastern Ontario. The book is to be released by Penguin Group Canada on Oct. 4 ….” More here.
Written by milnewsca
28 September 11 at 7:45
Posted in Afghanistan, Kandahar, Arctic Defence & Sovereignty, Internal security, Military Ethos, Operation Motion/Libya, What's Canada Buying?
Tagged with Afghanistan, An Act respecting the National Flag of Canada, Anti-terrorism Act, Bill C-288, Camouflaged Killer: The Shocking Double Life of Canadian Air Force Colonel Russell Williams, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, cenotaph, CFB Valcartier, CSIS, David A. Gibb, Free the Children, Girouard Park, HALIFAX class, Human Rights Watch, Investigative Hearings, IROQUOIS class, John Carmichael, Kandahar, Libya, Libyan unrest, military news, milnews.ca, Mustafa Krer, Naval Remote Weapons Station, Nelly Furtado, Odyssey Dawn, Operation Mobile, Penguin Group Canada, Preventive Arrest, private member's bill, Richard Lowry Productions, Russell Williams, Russia, Stephen Harper, Task Force Libeccio, Tireur Accompli, Unified Protector
