And of course, sharing a border with the USA is a built-in self defense, so
I don't blame Canada for not spending large sums on a military.
John Lee
At 09:36 AM 11/9/06 -0600, Denys Beauchemin wrote:
>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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