Earlier I wrote "... Actually, I meant the Canadian Army, which according to
the official DND website, has 19,500 soldiers. By the time you work out the
actual number of combat ready soldiers, the number drops below the Toronto
police force."
I have since received a few personal notes explaining the numbers were not
exact and that it was still above the Toronto police force.
Let me expand on this further: I did not invent the original quote, it is
attributed (IIRC) to General Rick Hillier, Canada's top soldier. I read
this quote from him last year and it stuck.
Arguing whether he was a few thousand off or whatever, only reinforces what
he said. I found this paper:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/38/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/Com-e/defe-e/rep-e/repints
ep05-e.htm
The title is "Wounded; Canada's Military and the Legacy of Neglect; Our
disappearing Options for Defending the Nation Abroad and at Home."
This is an Interim report by the (Canadian) Senate committee on National
security and defense.
If you want a blueprint on how to destroy a military with a proud tradition,
I can think of no better one.
When you keep in mind that Canada is the second largest country in the world
with an enormous coast line, you can't help but be aghast at what you read
in the report.
But for the purposes of this discussion, let me point out a few things in
the report that are germane.
Canada spends about 1% of GDP on defense, that's $420 per capita, CND$14.1
billon. Canada ranks 128 out of 165 countries in defense spending as a
percentage of GDP.
The full, authorized strength of the Canadian Forces (Army, Navy, Air
Farce,) is 62,181. The actual number of trained and effective personnel is
51,704.
Half that number is tied up in everyday administrative, training and other
support activities. (That leaves 26,000 eligible for deployment.)
Of that number, 75% are in preparation and 25% are on mission, that's about
6500 and that's for Navy, Army and Air Farce.)
As I said earlier, this in no way is meant to denigrate or impugn the
individual Canadian soldier. In fact I read with pride and respect the some
of the stories reported about the Princess Pat soldiers and snipers in
operation in Afghanistan. These soldiers have been nothing short of superb.
For some reason, Canadian snipers are arguably the best in the world right
now (this could explain my penchant for long range marksmanship,) with
recorded hits exceeding 2700 yards. The Canadian snipers were teamed with
US units and performed absolutely brilliantly. So well in fact, that some
of them were awarded medals by the US military but were initially forbidden
to accept them by the Canadian government.
Since WWII, Canada as a country unilaterally downgraded its armed forces to
the point where they are for all intents and purposes insignificant. The
Deranged Dominion, like the European nations, relied on its southern
neighbor for protection. The consequences of this policy is now coming home
to roost, the only problem is there will soon be nobody to come home to.
Demographics will not be denied and it has been argued that the falling
birthrates in Canada and Europe have a lot (if not all) to do with the nanny
statism embraced by these nations.
(Please note, I did not invent the phrase "Deranged Dominion", but I find it
incredibly apt.)
Denys
-----Original Message-----
From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Denys Beauchemin
Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 6:40 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] OT:kerry
Actually, I meant the Canadian Army, which according to the official DND
website, has 19,500 soldiers. By the time you work out the actual number of
combat ready soldiers, the number drops below the Toronto police force.
This is not to impugn the courage and professionalism of the individual
Canadian soldier, but the Deranged Dominion certainly does not provide an
example on how to build and maintain a modern military.
Denys
-----Original Message-----
From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of James B. Byrne
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 11:51 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] OT:kerry
Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 16:56:15 -0600
From: Denys Beauchemin <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: OT:kerry
> John Lee asked: This sounds pollitically motivated. Does the Canadian
> military do it better? Differently? How so?
> To which I respond: No. You should realize the Canadian Armed Forces is
> smaller than the police force of the City of Toronto.
The uniformed strength of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Department is
5260 with approximately 400 additional uniformed reserve officers (2006).
The uniformed strength of the Canadian Forces is 62,500 with an additional
~14,000 uniformed reserves (2006). No doubt you obtained your information
regarding Canada's military from the same sources that provided the
current U.S. administration with proof of WMD in Iraq and predicted that
the Iraqi people would welcome invading U.S. troops with flowers.
By the way, it may come as a surprise to some but war is quintessentially
political in nature. It is therefore absolutely impossible to discuss war
in apolitical terms. The delusion that war somehow can be considered
outside of its political context lies at the root of many of the world's
problems with state organized violence.
--
James B. Byrne mailto:[log in to unmask]
Harte & Lyne Limited http://www.harte-lyne.ca
9 Brockley Drive vox: +1 905 561 1241
Hamilton, Ontario fax: +1 905 561 0757
Canada L8E 3C3
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