I'm tried of this already...

This post is aimed mainly at my fellow Canadians, but comments from others is all so welcome.

So for the last 48+ hours 57 men in the Canadian Navy have been bobbing in Ocean because we (as Canadians) continue to poorly equip our military. For years and year we have been asking men and women to sign up to defend our country and then we provide them with out date, inferior, and in many times dangerous equipment.

Why do we keep doing this?

We bought these subs from Britain for a billion dollars (Canadian) and why? They where decommissioned 10 YEARS AGO by the British Navy for a reason. There old and useless!! What good are they to Canada? There diesel engine subs� we are a Nation with a massive arctic ice cap� You need nuclear subs to be able to go under the arctic ice cap for any amount of time.

What is even worse is we can�t even rescue our own men at sea. We had to ask the British Navy to go out and tow them to shore, because we have no vassals that can even do the job.

I for one am sick of this. Last year two of our (equally useless and out dated) sea king helicopters crashed into the deck of its ship. When we sent our troops to Afghanistan they had to catch a ride with US because we had no way to get them their. Are troops were wearing green fatigues in Afghanistan because that�s all we gave them. Does this sound like a G8 country to you?


It didn�t used to be this way. Is this the same country that stormed Juno beach on D day, or took Vimmy ridge in World War 1. Not saying we were some great power but our military used to be respected globally. Now our military is a joke, and make no mistake if you�re Canadian your safe because of the USA. Is that what we want the US to protect our border. Do you have a sovereign nation if foreigners patrol your border?

I�m not suggesting we start some big military build up. I just think we should give our men and women the proper equipment they need to do the job that we ask of them. Joining the army is dangerous enough that the least we can do is give them modern equipment. Do you drive a 45 year old car to work? That�s how old our sea king helicopters are. Would you buy a boat that hasn�t been used in ten years like these subs?

So we have some choices. We can keep under funding our military and keep asking them to do dangerous work with dangerous and out dated equipment. We could just disband our military and cut a check to Uncle Sam and the UN every year for our protection and contribution to global relief. Or we could hold our government to account and demand that we have a relevant military that could act independently for the foreign polices that Canadians believe in. So we could provide relief efforts or peace keeping missions with out the help of other countries if we choose to. So we can rescue our own men if an accident did happen. So we can fight for a cause that we believe in. So we can patrol and guard our own boarder and remain a sovereignty and proud nation.

Originally posted by Agitator
This post is aimed mainly at my fellow Canadians, but comments from others is all so welcome.

SNIP

Being ex-Navy, I am praying for the survivors safe return..



As for military budgets, well most of the west non-USA have neglected the miltary budgets becuase they had no need to spend 4-5% of GDP on it as the USA was paying for most of the west's cost to confront the USSR. When that fell , the public there could not accept the increases.


On nation that did though was Japan, they did spend around 3% I think.

Europe was all less than 2%

Being ex-Navy, I am praying for the survivors safe return..



Thanks for your suport unfortunatly a man already die when the sub caught fire. I didn't mention that this was the maden voyage for this sub and look what happened. I guess a billion dollars don't buy what is used to.

Let's hope all those sailors make it home

Oh - Canada - you guys could always just let us Americans anex you

We'll make sure your boys get good equipment

EDIT: TYPO

[edit on 7-10-2004 by American Mad Man]

I checked into it and we spent 1.1% of GDP on the military. However it doesn't matter how much we spent if we don't have what we need we ethier are not spending it properly or not spending enough.

Who exactly are Canadians protecting themselves from anyways? I feel for the soldiers stuck out there and the family of the one who died, but why put people's lives at risk when your country is so safe anyways?

Originally posted by Quest
Who exactly are Canadians protecting themselves from anyways? I feel for the soldiers stuck out there and the family of the one who died, but why put people's lives at risk when your country is so safe anyways?

I know what you�re saying because the USA is so close to us and strategically the USA would never let us fall we are safe yes, but could lose our sovereignty. Let me explain�

If Canada didn�t patrol our boarder at all do you think that would be ok with the US. I can guaranty if we don�t they will. Now if you accept that as a probable scenario who will be making the decisions for our water ways? Will Canada have to clear freighters through the US coast guard in Canadian water? As a proud Canadian I think any of this is just unacceptable. So if Canada is going to have a military then let�s make it relevant and equip them properly. If the most dangerous part of being a Canadian soldier is using the out dated equipment well enough said.

Also Canada is a wealthy Country and I believe we do have some responsibility to try to help the non first world countries. Our Prime Minister recently addressed the UN and called for support in Haiti. The fact of the mater is we can't go do it our self. We can�t get there and even if we did we don�t have the equipment. We would have more relevance in the international community if we could put our money were our mouth is.

The problem is we send our troops on missions with equipment that needlessly endangers there lives.


[edit on 7-10-2004 by Agitator]

Actually, I remember reading a while ago that the Canadian C7 rifle is an improvement on the American M16A2 and is a Canadian adaption.



Buck up Canucks! Ain't all that bad.

[edit on 8-10-2004 by cargo]