• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Justin Trudeau hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

Justin Trudeau hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

Canada says it will look at increasing its defence spending and tacked on 10 more Russian names to an ever growing sanctions list.

By Tonda MacCharles
Ottawa Bureau
Mon., March 7, 2022

Riga, LATVIA—On the 13th day of the brutal Russian bid to claim Ukraine as its own, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is showing up at the Latvian battle group led by Canadian soldiers, waving the Maple Leaf and a vague hint at more money for the military.

Canada has been waving the NATO flag for nearly seven years in Latvia as a bulwark against Russia’s further incursions in Eastern Europe.

Canada stepped up to lead one of NATO’s four battle groups in 2015 — part of the defensive alliance’s display of strength and solidarity with weaker member states after Russia invaded Ukraine and seized the Crimean peninsula in 2014. Trudeau arrived in the Latvian capital late Monday after meetings in the U.K. with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

Earlier Monday, faced with a seemingly unstoppable war in Ukraine, Trudeau said he will look at increasing Canada’s defence spending. Given world events, he said there are “certainly reflections to have.”

And Canada tacked on 10 more Russian names to an ever-growing sanctions list.

The latest round of sanctions includes names Trudeau said were identified by jailed Russian opposition leader and Putin nemesis Alexei Navalny.

However, on a day when Trudeau cited the new sanctions, and Johnson touted new measures meant to expose Russian property owners in his country, Rutte admitted sanctions are not working.

Yet they all called for more concerted international efforts over the long haul, including more economic measures and more humanitarian aid, with Johnson and Rutte divided over how quickly countries need to get off Russian oil and gas.

The 10 latest names on Canada’s target list do not include Roman Abramovich — a Russian billionaire Navalny has been flagging to Canada since at least 2017. Canada appears to have sanctioned about 20 of the 35 names on Navalny’s list.

The Conservative opposition says the Liberal government is not yet exerting maximum pressure on Putin, and should do more to bolster Canadian Forces, including by finally approving the purchase of fighter jets.

Foreign affairs critic Michael Chong said in an interview that Ottawa must still sanction “additional oligarchs close to President Putin who have significant assets in Canada.”

Abramovich owns more than a quarter of the public shares in steelmaking giant Evraz, which has operations in Alberta and Saskatchewan and has supplied most of the steel for the government-owned Trans Mountain pipeline project.

Evraz’s board of directors also includes two more Russians the U.S. government identified as “oligarchs” in 2019 — Aleksandr Abramov and Aleksandr Frolov — and its Canadian operations have received significant support from the federal government.

That includes at least $27 million in emergency wage subsidies during the pandemic, as well as $7 million through a fund meant to help heavy-polluters reduce emissions that cause climate change, according to the company’s most recent annual report.

In addition to upping defence spending, the Conservatives want NORAD’s early warning system upgraded, naval shipbuilding ramped up and Arctic security bolstered.

In London, Johnson sat down with Trudeau and Rutte at the Northolt airbase. Their morning meetings had a rushed feel, with Johnson starting to usher press out before Trudeau spoke. His office said later that the British PM couldn’t squeeze the full meeting in at 10 Downing Street because Johnson’s “diary” was so busy that day. The three leaders held an afternoon news conference at 10 Downing.

But before that Trudeau met with the Queen, saying she was “insightful” and they had a “useful, for me anyway, conversation about global affairs.”

Trudeau meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Tuesday in Latvia.

The prime minister will also meet with three Baltic leaders, the prime ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, in the Latvian capital of Riga.

The Liberals announced they would increase the 500 Canadian Forces in Latvia by another 460 troops. The Canadians are leading a multinational battle group, one of four that are part of NATO’s deployments in the region.

Another 3,400 Canadians could be deployed to the region in the months to come, on standby for NATO orders.

But Canada’s shipments of lethal aid to Ukraine were slow to come in the view of the Conservatives, and the Ukrainian Canadian community.

And suddenly Western allies are eyeing each other’s defence commitments.

At the Downing Street news conference, Rutte noted the Netherlands will increase its defence budget to close to two per cent of GDP. Germany has led the G7, and doubled its defence budget in the face of Putin’s invasion and threats. Johnson said the U.K. defence spending is about 2.4 per cent and declined to comment on Canada’s defence spending which is 1.4 per cent of GDP.

But Johnson didn’t hold back.

“What we can’t do, post the invasion of Ukraine is assume that we go back to a kind of status quo ante, a kind of new normalization in the way that we did after the … seizure of Crimea and the Donbas area,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to recognize that things have changed and that we need a new focus on security and I think that that is kind of increasingly understood by everybody.”

Trudeau stood by his British and Dutch counterparts and pledged Canada would do more.

He defended his government’s record, saying Ottawa is gradually increasing spending over the next decade by 70 per cent. Then Trudeau admitted more might be necessary.

“We also recognize that context is changing rapidly around the world and we need to make sure that women and men have certainty and our forces have all the equipment necessary to be able to stand strongly as we always have. As members of NATO. We will continue to look at what more we can do.”

The three leaders — Johnson, a conservative and Trudeau and Rutte, progressive liberals — in a joint statement said they “will continue to impose severe costs on Russia.”

Arriving for the news conference from Windsor Castle, Trudeau had to detour to enter Downing Street as loud so-called Freedom Convoy protesters bellowed from outside the gate. They carried signs marked “Tuck Frudeau” and “Free Tamara” (Lich).

Protester Jeff Wyatt who said he has no Canadian ties told the Star he came to stand up for Lich and others who were leading a “peaceful protest” worldwide against government “lies” about COVID-19 and what he called Trudeau’s “tyranny.”

Elsewhere in London, outside the Russian embassy, other protesters and passersby reflected on what they said was real tyranny — the Russian attack on Ukraine. “I think we should be as tough as possible to get this stopped, as tough as possible,” said protester Clive Martinez.
 
On another forum, a couple of Germans were saying the SPD is full of Russian sympathisers and pacifist who will say all the right things in public and do nothing where it counts
That's what happens when a 1/5th of your population comes from a former die-hard communist country. And even before the union, many West German had strong socialist leanings.

Not sure if that's the reason or angst from its hydrocarbon dependencies on Russia.

🍻
 
That's what happens when a 1/5th of your population comes from a former die-hard communist country. And even before the union, many West German had strong socialist leanings.

Not sure if that's the reason or angst from its hydrocarbon dependencies on Russia.

🍻
The West Germans also enjoyed 50 years of someone else covering off on their defense. Much like Canada with NORAD, it's easy to become a democratic socialist utopia when someone else is footing the bill for protecting it.
 
The West Germans also enjoyed 50 years of someone else covering off on their defense. Much like Canada with NORAD, it's easy to become a democratic socialist utopia when someone else is footing the bill for protecting it.
Unlike Canada though, the Germans had someone else footing the bill by imposition and not by choice.
 
The West Germans also enjoyed 50 years of someone else covering off on their defense. Much like Canada with NORAD, it's easy to become a democratic socialist utopia when someone else is footing the bill for protecting it.
For many of thaw years, 30, for sure, the Germans did a fair share. The three German corps were credible fighting forces. Meanwhile, we, NATO, had agreed, amongst ourselves, to pretend that Belgium and the Netherlands actually had a corps each and that Vth and VIIth US Corps might actually leave their barracks and be able to fight.
 
NATO, had agreed, amongst ourselves, to pretend that ... Vth and VIIth US Corps might actually leave their barracks and be able to fight.
Yup. The Vietnam and post-Vietnam era US Army was a different kettle of fish.

We could all see it well before Gabriel and Savage's "Crisis in Command" came out. Wonder if its still on the Army's reading list?

🍻
 
As for defence, unless you're directly involved in the Defence Industry or DND, your average Canadian doesn't care. If under PR a party was able to make it a wedge issue or a stipulation for support.. perhaps we wouldn't see the same kind of apathy from governments, politicians parties, and voters alike.
The exact opposite is also possible; a small party or two forcing the government to reduce funding in turn for their support to keep the government in power.
 
The exact opposite is also possible; a small party or two forcing the government to reduce funding in turn for their support to keep the government in power.
Which would be a very bad move, we have entered the most volatile state of world affairs in decades. This isn't just about the war in Ukraine, the geo political fall out in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and beyond will keep the CaF and others very busy
 
... As for defence, unless you're directly involved in the Defence Industry or DND, your average Canadian doesn't care. If under PR a party was able to make it a wedge issue or a stipulation for support.. perhaps we wouldn't see the same kind of apathy from governments, politicians parties, and voters alike.
As long as we're all OK that all sorts of other issues could also be wedged the same way, regardless of how much general public support there may be for said issues. One person's "finally getting the attention we deserve" can be another's "pandering to a splinter special interest just to keep all their snouts in the trough longer."
 
As long as we're all OK that all sorts of other issues could also be wedged the same way, regardless of how much general public support there may be for said issues. One person's "finally getting the attention we deserve" can be another's "pandering to a splinter special interest just to keep all their snouts in the trough longer."
Universal Child Care and Dental coverage agree with you, Bread Guy… 👍🏼
 
Universal Child Care and Dental coverage agree with you, Bread Guy… 👍🏼
I don't understand why those are controversial issues.

I don't have kids but I can see why child care is a benefit to society writ large.

Everyone has teeth...well, those that don't, would if there was dental coverage.

Same with pharma and mental health.
 
I don't understand why those are controversial issues.

I don't have kids but I can see why child care is a benefit to society writ large.

Everyone has teeth...well, those that don't, would if there was dental coverage.

Same with pharma and mental health.
They’re not. That’s why a view of ‘Defence needs more’ has to be tempered in Canada.
 
I don't understand why those are controversial issues.

I don't have kids but I can see why child care is a benefit to society writ large.

Everyone has teeth...well, those that don't, would if there was dental coverage.

Same with pharma and mental health.

I know a few dentists.

They know how the UK system of national dental care works and it really doesn't (anyone seen any high quality British teeth lately?) which is why it's collapsing.

This is mainly an effort by the NDP to stay relevant to their base after selling out to the Liberals to stay alive on the political scene.

Standing up a national dental plan will be so expensive, and meet so much resistance, that there will be two or three governments passing by before anything meaningful could be implemented like, you know, the national child care boondoggle.
 
I don't understand why those are controversial issues.

Demands for government spending always exceed funds. I will (again) stipulate that every dollar government spends does some good for someone, somewhere. The question is whether the dollar would be better spent elsewhere.

It's also easy to predict that because government "solutions" are demand-side stimulants, and few measures are undertaken which might be reasonably expected to increase supply, shortages will result. Public dental insurance without more dentists means some people who currently enjoy easy access to their dentists are going to find it harder.

Is there an "elsewhere" for top-of-the-list spending priority? Yes. Health care (not insurance), particularly the front end. For all the talk of "people might die!" that accompanies most efforts to promote someone's spending agenda, health care delayed might as well be health care denied, and people really do die.
 
USAF professional head was in Ottawa with RCAF while Trudeau and Anand were at NORAD--laying down the law? Strange no mention I can see from our government:


Readout of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.’s travel to Canada​


Published June 10, 2022

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

OTTAWA, Ontario (AFNS) -- U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. traveled to Canada June 8-9 to further strengthen the close and longstanding relationship between the U.S. Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force.

During the visit, Brown engaged in staff talks led by RCAF Commander Lt. Gen. Al Meinzinger and RCAF Chief of Fighter Capability Maj. Gen. Sylvain Ménard, at National Defence Headquarters, and participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial.

In staff talks, the leaders discussed steps taken to implement North American Aerospace Defense Command modernization and the significant value of combined planning to provide continuous monitoring and surveillance capability.

The RCAF discussed the importance of the Arctic, emphasizing how Canada’s insights have been vital to identifying new opportunities for cooperation.

“We are committed to working with the Royal Canadian Air Force on modernizing NORAD and on Arctic security to meet modern challenges in defense of North America,” Brown said. “Our continued collaboration is helping better prepare us to meet future challenges in the region together. I’m grateful for our partnership and look forward to building on our productive talks.”

Brown further welcomed Canada’s decision to select the F-35 Lightning II as its future fighter and noted that the increased capabilities and interoperability afforded by a common platform would bolster the continental defense partnership.

The leaders exchanged ideas on ways to increase retention in their respective air forces and agreed upon the fundamental importance of diverse backgrounds, demographics, and perspectives to readiness and mission success [guess who wanted that in].

Brown also expressed condolences for the deaths of four Royal Military College of Canada cadets in an automobile accident April 29.

Ahead of his engagements with the RCAF, Brown met with U.S. Ambassador David Cohen at U.S. Embassy Ottawa.

Starting to feel like a full-court press from Biden admin. on NORAD etc.

Mark
Ottawa
 
Pretty sure until they start publicly calling us out for not coming through on what we promise nothing will change
We have started. More importantly we have started to discuss the ramifications of failure to abide by the requests (demands) to NORAD and NATO support.
 
Pretty sure until they start publicly calling us out for not coming through on what we promise nothing will change
I don't think they would ever publicly call us out on anything.

I just see the U.S. hitting us where it will hurt us the most: technology and trade.

I think the only way the U.S. will make us actually do something about defense is to make everything else hinge on pulling our weight within NORAD and NATO.
 
Back
Top