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canadian military
The Trudeau government's second budget is more a cautionary one than one with the revolutionary zeal of the first. The budget does show us that the military is not a priority, with no increases and deferred spending on purchasing for eight years. From the time of Trudeau's father and former prime minister Pierre Trudeau to the times of Jean Chretien, the military has never been the priority of the Liberals.
Amongst our generals and military advisers there is a consensus that we need a new fighter-bomber to provide these functions for Canada. But amongst the chattering classes there is a virtual free-for-all about not just which aircraft should be purchased, but how we should go about getting one.
According to Michael Ferguson's latest audit, the Army Reserve is clearly lacking "clear guidance on preparing for international missions, had lower levels of training as cohesive teams, and had not fully integrated this training with that of the Regular Army." Adding to that, the number of reservists is lower than needed and are not fully prepared to deploy when required.
A little over a decade ago, Canada -- under Paul Martin's Liberals -- rejected taking part in the United States Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system along its U.S. counterpart. The Canadian government is currently reviewing its defence policy, including the possibility to reconsider its position on their participation to the U.S. BMD system.
The Liberals promised a "leaner, more agile" military, raising concerns over the size of the military. With our current commitment and the promised renewal of UN peacekeeping missions, Canadian soldiers will not be able to sustain such a high operational tempo, let alone if we slash our military numbers.
The Conservative government's approach to countering the Islamic State (ISIS) threat was a three-pillared plan that combined allied military action, alongside direct foreign aid, and support for refugees and the dislocated in the region. In many ways, the plan brought to the last Parliament by the Conservatives was consistent with the Pearsonian worldview that Canada has a duty to take collective action with our friends to advance liberty for others and provide security at home.
Being a soldier is a great career as long as you don't get injured or sick. Even when the military has cases of medical malpractice they do not take responsibility for their actions. If you don't believe me ask Robyn Young or the thousands of others like her who suffer at the hands of a company with no accountability. It is the only organization not obliged to take care of its injured employees.
Yes, the Canadian story in Afghanistan is mixed, with closure hard to come by for those soldiers not only involved in security details, but development projects like protecting schools, building damns, and conducting civilian peace efforts in villages. But what shouldn't be in doubt is our government's promise and dedication to those military personnel.
The best place to start your family history journey is with information you already have: write down what you know and talk to family members. Create an online family tree: Begin with yourself and add your parents and grandparents. Record each person's name, birthplace, birth date, death place and death date. If you don't know the exact information, take your best guess.
Thanks to dispatches, official reports sent to high command often describing battles and noting acts of bravery, we have a good record of what happened to Canada's 7th Brigade as they landed on Juno.
