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Who Was The Best & Worst Defence Minister? [changed from Liberal DF]

I didn't group Kim Campbell with the Liberal party, I merely pointed out that as a red tory, she was more a liberal that a conservative.  It is interesting to note that the liberal government made her the Canadian Consul in California after her huge electoral loss.  That's the election she and her predecessor Brian Mulroney succeded only in alienating their traditional supporters.

As a defence minister, she was a disappointment and more prone to cover up than take action.  Her only redeeming feature was her graceful exit and the line - "It's a good thing I didn't sell my car."
 
She did more than that - a lot more.  During all of the Somalia stuff, she requested a Justice opinion on some subject that DND lawyers had clearly lost her confidence in. This rocked the boat: a Minister going OUTSIDE her department for legal advice when perfectly good lawyers are being paid big money INSIDE her department to offer such advice. 

A polite way of saying "I trust you guys as far as I can throw the Sgt's Mess' piano, and will get my advice elsewhere - thank-you."
 
Barney Danson...hehehe....his signature is on my Commissioning Scroll...can you say "old as dirt?"
I liked Graham too.

Collentte was definately the worst but Eggleton would have to be a close runner up...can you say "waste of rations?"
 
While doing some research for names for my comments I came across this little gem:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_Ministers_of_National_Defence

Unbelieveable! That Wikipedia has everything!  Something we need to include in our Army.ca-pedia...

Anyway, opinions:

26. Erik Nielsen under Mulroney February 26, 1985 – June 29, 1986 - Never heard anything bad...never heard anything good either...
27. Perrin Beatty under Mulroney June 30, 1986 – January 29, 1989 - Ditto
28. Bill McKnight under Mulroney January 30, 1989 – April 20, 1991 - Actually met this guy in 1990 in Qatar. Opinion = Bonehead.
29. Marcel Masse under Mulroney April 21, 1991 – January 3, 1993 - More concerned with getting the forces to buy Quebec products like maple syrup than with running the forces.
30. Kim Campbell under Mulroney January 4, 1993 – June 24, 1993 - Very popular due to edgy McLeans cover while she was Justice Minister.
31. Tom Siddon under Campbell June 25, 1993 – November 3, 1993 - Who?
32. David Collenette under Chrétien November 4, 1993 – October 4, 1996 - Not impressed, based on his choices for CDS and other well-known decisions and actions.
33. Doug Young under Chrétien October 5, 1996 – June 10, 1997 - Again, who?
34. Art Eggleton under Chrétien June 11, 1997 – June 25, 2002 - Met him in Hondoras in 1999. Actually pretty good, he was educated and knowledgable about the job.
35. John McCallum under Chrétien June 26, 2002 – December 11, 2003 - And again, who? Another 'yes-boy'.
36. David Pratt under Martin December 12, 2003 – July 19, 2004 - Picked for his loyalty to Martin rather than capability. The last name says it all...
37. Bill Graham under Martin July 20, 2004 – February 5, 2006 - I thought he was good but too orientated on the power struggle in Ottawa and making a name for himself.
38. Gordon O'Connor under Harper February 6, 2006 - present - Jury is still out and debating a verdict...
 
David Pratt always reminded me of Martin Sheen on the West Wing - the hair, the suits, the walk, the voice.
I found that unnerving. I think it was deliberate.

pratt.jpg


Martin_Sheen_16755a.jpg


Then there was Perrin Beatty and his pastel sweater tied around his neck. Never trusted the man after he pulled that in public.
 
I'm surprised no one has yet to mention that 1970's Lieberal Legendary Defence Minister,  Mr. Cotes.

He became immortalized, on a sign in the Coat Room of Club 77 in Lahr, after his 'visit' there..........
WE DON'T HANG YOUR COTES HERE.
 
George Wallace said:
I'm surprised no one has yet to mention that 1970's Lieberal Legendary Defence Minister,  Mr. Cotes.

He became immortalized, on a sign in the Coat Room of Club 77 in Lahr, after his 'visit' there..........

Bob Coates was a Progessive Conservative in Mulroney's cabinet.  He resigned in 1985 after visiting ( as I understand)Tiffany's.  There was also a sign there.  Probably every "cabaret" in the Lahr area tried to lay claim to that bit of fame.
 
Another wretched MND was Lamontagne who had, I believe, been the mayor of Quebec City. After the defeat of the Clark government in 1980, he urged the officers of FMCHQ to support the government and, according to a briefing I sat in on by DLR, had directed the CF to purchase the Iltis as this would provide a boost to Bombardier's chances to sell the vehicle to Belgium.

Among the best was Ralph Campney, who presided over the force expansion in the early to mid-fifties.
 
Coates was in Tiffany's.  Those who were there would know it.  (It's still there...)
 
Trick question, they all sucked.  ;D
 
"26. Erik Nielsen under Mulroney February 26, 1985 – June 29, 1986 "

- A former WW2 Fighter pilot: he knew what we were about.

"27. Perrin Beatty under Mulroney June 30, 1986 – January 29, 1989"

- Presided over our build up from 76,000 to 90,000 people.  Lost the cabinet battle over new subs.
 
How did that little gem go???

"I'd rather eat shit wth the Airborne than steak with Collennette..."

Liebral defence ministers... aren't those the Party lawyers trying to keep every one of the crooked bastards out of prison?
 
Old Sweat said:
Another wretched MND was Lamontagne who had, I believe, been the mayor of Quebec City. After the defeat of the Clark government in 1980, he urged the officers of FMCHQ to support the government and, according to a briefing I sat in on by DLR, had directed the CF to purchase the Iltis as this would provide a boost to Bombardier's chances to sell the vehicle to Belgium.
Among the best was Ralph Campney, who presided over the force expansion in the early to mid-fifties.

Is that how we got stuck with that piece of junk? Unbelievable...  ::)
 
Hi! Could you enlarge a bit on this gentleman Ralph Campney? Seems to me that most of the defence ministers (Liberal and Conservative) of the 50's and early sixties ran a good ship - the Arrow fiasco not withstanding - but then the Armed Forces were considered to be of some priority by the Prime Ministers of the day. Perhaps that makes the difference. Maybe the other difference is that ministers of that era had military experience, or experience with dealing with the issue of defence. Who was the last Prime Minister with true military experience? Pearson? (note. I said true military experience...)
 
the best was Sam Huges...

You are joking, right?  Firstly, he was Conservative.  Secondly, his handling of recruiting, equipment procurement and force structure in WW1 can, at best, be described as a sick joke.  At worst, it was disastrous.  No one, before or since, has raised patronage to such a fine art...
 
"of the 50's and early sixties ran a good ship - the Arrow fiasco not withstanding"

- The RCN, Cdn Army and the RCAF all agreed and recommended to the minister that the Arrow be cancelled. It was swallowing too much of the budget.
 
TCBF said:
"of the 50's and early sixties ran a good ship - the Arrow fiasco not withstanding"

- The RCN, Cdn Army and the RCAF all agreed and recommended to the minister that the Arrow be cancelled. It was swallowing too much of the budget.

Similar to the subs in the Navy right now....we are throwing a lot of good money at this stuff to the detriment of other projects.
 
Oh God.. i started another "Arrow" debate...................
 
Re: Who was the best & worst Liberal Defence Minister?
« Reply #35 on: June 24, 2006, 11:42:23 » Quote 
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the best was Sam Hughes...


Have to disagree with TACO. Although Sam Hughes was rightfully regarded as a bit of a nutcase, which pretty much makes him normal on a parliamentary standard, he is credited as the driving force / reason why we had a Canadian Division instead of peacemeal assignments among to Commonwealth units...
 
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