Sun- New Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship out of action because of flooding, mechanical problems
The incident is the latest of a number of issues plaguing the new ships, which are costing almost $5 billion.
The ships only have a one-year warranty, Canadian military personnel have also pointed out, which means the taxpayer is footing the bill for most of the repairs.
Blacklocks- More Staffers For Fewer Vets
The departmental payroll since 2015 has grown from 2,907 employees to 3,676, an increase of 769 staff or 26 percent.
“The 2021 Census counted 461,240 Canadian veterans,” said the note. “This is lower than the department’s estimate of 617,800 veterans published in the department’s yearly Facts And Figures.”
The department in a 2009 report New Veterans Charter Evaluation acknowledged it had more employees managing fewer programs than either the United Kingdom or Australia. Canada’s payroll of 3,676 employees compared to 2,100 each in the U.K. and Australia.
Critics have complained other federal agencies are also overstaffed.
Prior to the Soviet Union falling apart in 1991, the presence of NATO made complete sense. But after that, why did it grow and not contract?
I’ll believe it when I see it. “Senior government officials” were likely waiting to backpedal at precisely the moment the announcement was made.
Canada definitely plans to move forward with the purchase of new submarines, the federal government announced on the margins of the NATO Summit on Wednesday.
Up to now, the government has spoken only about the possibility of replacing the aging Victoria-class boats. But in the face of mounting criticism of Canada’s defence spending by allies — notably the United States — Ottawa has given the proposal the green light.
A senior government official, speaking on background, said they could not confirm how much the plan will cost, how many boats will be purchased or when they will arrive.
Blacklocks- Blair Figures Inflated: Report
Defence Minister Bill Blair inflated numbers on military spending, says a Budget Office report.
“The Budget Office forecasts Canada’s military expenditure will rise from 1.29 percent of GDP in 2025 to a peak of 1.49 percent of GDP in 2026 before falling and stabilizing at 1.42 percent by 2030.
The defence department in an April 8 budget note Addendum: National Defence Spending predicted military expenditures would grow to 1.76 percent of GDP by 2030. NATO mandates a two percent target.
NATO is not happy with Lil’ Justin:
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Canada’s failure to hit the NATO target came up in meetings Trudeau held Monday and Tuesday with American politicians, and that the government was aware that Canada is being “called out” for falling short as the alliance gathered in Washington to mark its 75th anniversary at a time of global tensions and war in Europe.
The discussions were taking place as the Canadian delegation fielded criticism over the lack of a clear plan to increase Ottawa’s military spending to at least two per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP). With Russia’s war in Ukraine, American pressure and increasing competition between the West and China fuelling a drive across the alliance towards military expansion, a growing number of NATO’s 32 members are hitting that two-per-cent target — more than 20 by the end of this year, according to NATO’s most recent estimate. But Canada remains near the bottom of the list, with military spending equivalent to 1.37 per cent of its GDP, the NATO estimate says.
I’m sure the Russkies were shaking in their boots.
Blacklocks- Claims It Was Secret Mission
Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visit of the Margaret Brooke was a routine courtesy call “on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of our uninterrupted diplomatic relations” with Canada. Minister Blair yesterday insisted there was a secret military purpose.
“How could the Margaret Brooke be a deterrent?” asked a reporter. “Presence is deterrence,” replied Blair. “We were present.”
“… even with the most advanced missiles, the exact point where a missile will hit a moving ship involves a significant degree of chance.“
The Pentagon admitted this week, that none of the aid, unloaded from US Navy pier off the coast of Gaza, has made it to the Palestinian people.
We spent $320 million building the pier and it is already having issues. Boats running aground.
“When they call and say jets are inbound and I need to land them“
30 years after Rwanda, an interview Roméo Dallaire.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon’s account of a horrific attack as the US withdrew from Afghanistan
The incident was a gruesome coda to America’s longest war, leaving dead 13 United States military service members and about 170 Afghans who were desperately seeking US help to flee the Taliban takeover of Kabul. For two years, the US military has insisted that the loss of life was caused by a single explosion, and that troops who reported coming under fire and returning it were likely confused in the chaotic aftermath, some suffering from the effects of blast concussion.
But video captured by a Marine’s GoPro camera that has not been seen publicly in full before shows there was far more gunfire than the Pentagon has ever admitted. A dozen US military personnel, who were on the scene and spoke to CNN anonymously for fear of reprisals, have described the gunfire in detail. One told CNN he heard the first large burst of shooting come from where US Marines were standing, near the blast site. “It wasn’t onesies and twosies,” the Marine said. “It was a mass volume of gunfire.”
And can the UK afford it?
Telegraph- Sunak unveils biggest military spending increase in a generation
Rishi Sunak has pledged to increase Britain’s defence budget to 2.5 per cent of national wealth by 2030.
The Prime Minister unveiled the biggest uplift to military spending in a generation, which will add £23 billion to the military budget over the next six years.
Ottawa Citizen- ‘Secret’ drone installation to be built at Uplands, federal records reveal
Uplands will be the site for a new $65-million military facility to control the Royal Canadian Air Force’s drone fleet.
The Ottawa installation, to be ready by 2028, will be around 6,000 square metres in size. It will be home to almost 200 military personnel whose job will be to operate and control a new fleet of drones flying from military bases in British Columbia and Nova Scotia.
Via John Conrad: I was skeptical of Biden’s Gaza Pier plan but wasn’t expecting it to go this bad
A Royal Military College chaplain who was hailed by the Canadian military as an LGBTQ champion on Transgender Day of Visibility has been suspended following an alleged groping request.
The Department of National Defence confirmed to True North that Capt. Beatrice Gale had her chaplaincy revoked and was found to have violated military rules in a summary hearing because of “an inappropriate comment or request to another individual.” Gale was born a biological man but identifies as a woman.
“This incident stems from an inappropriate comment or request to another individual. Neither member was in a position of authority over the other,” DND spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin told True North. […]
One source familiar with the incident who chose to remain anonymous over fears of personal and professional retaliation alleged that Gale had become intoxicated during a dinner in the mess hall and asked to grope a male lieutenant’s buttocks.
*I presume he now pisses in the sitting position.
What a great recruitment idea. Join the army and get groped by a pervert.