Character Assassination of the Chief of the Defence Staff

[August1991]

The optics are being engineered to look bad…….

Engineered?

The DoD PR minions can try to defend the CDS with that argument when the CBC faces a cut of $200 million in its budget. Good luck to the DoD in the ensuing bunfight.

----

More broadly, and simply, I think democracy is great but I want democratic government people to spend less.

I fear that de Tocqueville was right (and I paraphrase in English by memory). The great weakness of democracy is that it gives poor people free access to the money of rich people.

In this 21st century, government service is viewed as a way to riches. As Leftists say, that's not sustainable.

Edited September 19, 2011 by August1991

[g_bambino]

No, I was the poster that said that Dechert, like Natynczyk, are abusing the public trust.

Getting back on topic: You said here that the Chinese reporter was interested in Dechert "because of his position", which strongly implies you think she was intending on using him to get closer to, at least, the outer circles of Cabinet. Now you seemingly think it's okay for the Chief of the Defence Staff to start issuing military commands by phone and laptop from his seat in business class on board an Air Canada flight.

[Guest Derek L]

I think theres going to be more scrutiny of ALL of those things.

It forces me to question the ability, objectivity and motives of these journalists……….Sending in requests to the Government’s access to information, requesting flight logs of VIP aircraft looks like a targeted witch hunt to me……If they want a real storey, dig deeper into the G20 spending or the bozo and his “cute” Chicom spy….Or the NDP’s leadership race……….Or the governments disregards of taxpayers money in purchasing TVs and playstations for the troops in Afghanistan.

Someone obviously had an axe to grind with the CDS (Perhaps passed over for promotion?) and lead these journalists to an “explosive storey” of the CDS eating boxed meals on a government flight…..

They didn’t mention though, even though he was entitled to put in for reimbursement through the Treasury board for the costs of his commercial Caribbean flight he was forced to cancel, he didn’t.

[August1991]

Gimme a break, bambino.

Getting back on topic: You said here that the Chinese reporter was interested in Dechert "because of his position", which strongly implies you think she was intending on using him to get closer to, at least, the outer circles of Cabinet.

True. I suspected that she (the young Chinese journalist) was interested in Dechert simply because of his position.

Bambino, have you seen "An Officer and a Gentleman" with Richard Gere? Same point.

Now you seemingly think it's okay for the Chief of the Defence Staff to start issuing military commands by phone and laptop from his seat in business class on board an Air Canada flight.

Uh, wtf?

I turn off my laptop and cellphone during landing procedures. Waht does the CDS do?

----

Bunfight ahead.

I'm waiting to see what happens when Harper cuts the CBC/Radio Canada budget by $200 million, or Immigration Settlement by $50 million. Peanuts.

They'll all point to DoD, the CDS and the Challengers.

Harper will lose.

And me, as someone who wants to believe that democracy is a viable, sustainable State - I will fear for my children.

Edited September 19, 2011 by August1991

[Guest Derek L]

Engineered?

The DoD PR minions can try to defend the CDS with that argument when the CBC faces a cut of $200 million in its budget. Good luck to the DoD in the ensuing bunfight.

----

More broadly, and simply, I think democracy is great but I want democratic government people to spend less.

I fear that de Tocqueville was right (and I paraphrase in English by memory). The great weakness of democracy is that it gives poor people free access to the money of rich people.

In this 21st century, government service is viewed as a way to riches. As Leftists say, that's not sustainable.

200 million vs the cost of a few dozen box lunches?

[g_bambino]

Uh, wtf?

Let's rehash:

I usually sit in economy and get work done. I'm not alone. I see mothers working/taking care of kids in economy.

Waht does the CDS do?

Commands the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Canadian Air Force. Is that what you do, too?

[dre]

It forces me to question the ability, objectivity and motives of these journalists……….Sending in requests to the Government’s access to information, requesting flight logs of VIP aircraft looks like a targeted witch hunt to me……If they want a real storey, dig deeper into the G20 spending or the bozo and his “cute” Chicom spy….Or the NDP’s leadership race……….Or the governments disregards of taxpayers money in purchasing TVs and playstations for the troops in Afghanistan.

Someone obviously had an axe to grind with the CDS (Perhaps passed over for promotion?) and lead these journalists to an “explosive storey” of the CDS eating boxed meals on a government flight…..

They didn’t mention though, even though he was entitled to put in for reimbursement through the Treasury board for the costs of his commercial Caribbean flight he was forced to cancel, he didn’t.

Like I said in my first post. I agree that this doesnt seem like a big deal. My point was that you can expect a lot more of it.

And I personally think its all good. I would frog-march every senior member of government in front of a public inquiry and ask them to explain and justify ALL of their spending. We should make ALL of this information public even if much of it is nothing remarkable.

[August1991]

What does the CDS do?

Commands the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, and Royal Canadian Air Force. Is that what you do, too?

No. As Conrad Black's wife said: "The plane waits for us."

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If Bill Gates/Rod Stewart has the money to avoid security and make planes wait, fine. But IMV, too many minor government/State officials (the GG/Queen/Parliamentary Secretaries/Canada's CDS) have usurped this importance.

They, and their families, use my debit cards and my credit cards to pay their private flights, first class air tickets and five star hotels.

I am a democrat, but I want no more of this 21st century form of democratic government.

Edited September 19, 2011 by August1991

[Guest Derek L]

Like I said in my first post. I agree that this doesnt seem like a big deal. My point was that you can expect a lot more of it.

And I personally think its all good. I would frog-march every senior member of government in front of a public inquiry and ask them to explain and justify ALL of their spending. We should make ALL of this information public even if much of it is nothing remarkable.

And I agree to an extent on government spending of all levels……Certainly there is going to be waste in every department, and by and large I’m in favour of accountability, but it when it gets to the point of nickel and diming on something so minor and the fact that this is even newsworthy, I’m forced to question the motives of those reporting this…………By all means, let’s hear about the NDP’s leaderships race or the scandal of the Tory MP and his emails to China……..but the CDS eating boxed lunches concerns me about as much as a government worker using a computer at work on their lunch break to check their face book or the sports scores…..the difference, the CDS is high profile, and should be held to the same standards as all government workers.

Nobody is complaining that PM Harper just returned (with his wife) from South America……they used one of the Air Forces Polaris aircraft, which is a Airbus wide body…….Costs a lot more to use than a Challenger……What about the costs associated with the late Mr Layton’s state funeral? No objections there on cost grounds…..(rightly so IMV)

Again, this is an engineered, anti-military witch hunt.

[g_bambino]

No.

No? Then what, pray tell, do you think he does?

IMV, too many minor government/State officials (the GG/Queen/Parliamentary Secretaries/Canada's CDS) have usurped this importance.

Oh, I see, you think he does essentially nothing; he's a "minor government official". Evidently, you don't know what you're talking about.

[August1991]

Oh, I see, you think he does essentially nothing; he's a "minor government official". Evidently, you don't know what you're talking about.

Ok, Bambino. Let this use of my credit/debit cards continue. Well, in simple terms, it can't.

At one point, the sovereign - or the CDS - will run out of other people's money (as Margaret Thatcher wisely said).

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Bambino, this can happen in a civil manner (Athens 2011) or catastrophically (Paris 1789). Your call.

[Guest Derek L]

Ok, Bambino. Let this use of my credit/debit cards continue. Well, in simple terms, it can't.

At one point, the sovereign - or the CDS - will run out of other people's money (as Margaret Thatcher wisely said).

---

Bambino, this can happen in a civil manner (Athens 2011) or catastrophically (Paris 1789). Your call.

Are you suggesting that Canada is on the verge of a revolution?

We’re lucky if we get 50% of the public out to vote…..let alone mass protests and/or armed revolt...

[August1991]

Are you suggesting that Canada is on the verge of a revolution?

We’re lucky if we get 50% of the public out to vote…..let alone mass protests and/or armed revolt...

I am saying that taxpayers in western democracies will pay no more. Governments spend too much.

Greece is a good example. Obama is another. Let's see how this obvious fact plays out.

[Guest Derek L]

I am saying that taxpayers in western democracies will pay no more. Governments spend too much.

Greece is a good example. Obama is another. Let's see how this obvious fact plays out.

But we’re talking about Canada………Sure the Canadian people have a breaking point, evident by the results of the election after the sponsorship scandal came to light, but this is hardly on that same scale…..box lunches eaten my the head of our military, well performing his duties, compared to millions wasted…

What type of wine is served at Government of Canada state dinners? I doubt it comes from a box…..

[WWWTT]

This is a good story!

Harper was the one who started this whole thing in the first place so ultimately you have to go back to him and ask why would Harper start this.

In my opinion I believe he wants to back track on military spending in light of our now humungous deficit(by the way thanks Harper!)

I believe he wants to start demonizing milatry spending to soften public perception towards military cutbacks.

WWWTT

[g_bambino]

At one point, the sovereign - or the CDS - will run out of other people's money...

An irrelevant hypothetical. What both spend is allocated by parliament and neither has drained the federal coffers dry; not even close.

What's at issue here is your opinion that the CDS is just a "minor government official"; he isn't important enough to have tax dollars spent on secure transport on a RCAF jet; economy on WestJet is just fine. Again: this betrays a serious misunderstanding of the importance of the CDS, and indeed, given who was and was not included in your list of nobodies, the whole upper structure of our system of government.

[g_bambino]

I am saying that taxpayers in western democracies will pay no more. Governments spend too much.

That's an entirely separate matter. It's one thing for parliament to allocate less money for the overall operation of government than it is for the CDS to be allocated less money by the Department of National Defence because he's nothing more than a "minor government official".

[Guest Derek L]

This is a good story!

Harper was the one who started this whole thing in the first place so ultimately you have to go back to him and ask why would Harper start this.

In my opinion I believe he wants to back track on military spending in light of our now humungous deficit(by the way thanks Harper!)

I believe he wants to start demonizing milatry spending to soften public perception towards military cutbacks.

WWWTT

DND already has their “marching orders” on cost cutting…..those affected will mostly be high ranking officers (near retirement) in Ottawa, civil servants and contractors……the “pointy end of the spear” won’t be touched under current cutbacks.

[g_bambino]

What type of wine is served at Government of Canada state dinners? I doubt it comes from a box...

In August's world, everyone gets boxed wine except the prime minister, who is to be served Château Margaux 1787, because he, he is the people's leader and the only one who matters.

[August1991]

What both spend is allocated by parliament and neither has drained the federal coffers dry; not even close.

In a bunfight, how will your beloved Queen defend herself against a Radio-Canada serial, or the spending of a CDS? And more gravely, what will any of them do for access to my wallet?

Bambino, the Queen and her ministers and servants spend too much of my money. In America, Obama and various officials spend too much taxpayer money.

This is so obvious, I'm surprised that anyone intelligent wonders about it. This growing government spending cannot continue.

Obviously, it will stop. The question is when, and how.

----

The Canadian CDS says that he needs a Challenger. Let's give him and his staff a 747.

Edited September 19, 2011 by August1991

[Guest Derek L]

In August's world, everyone gets boxed wine except the prime minister, who is to be served Château Margaux 1787, because he, he is the people's leader and the only one who matters.

To clarify, I have nothing against boxed wine or twist top bottles

[Smallc]

I only caught a blurb of this on Fri night, but are you appalled that he used it to go to 6 hockey games and to meet his wife/family doen in the Carribean?

He was acting in an official government capacity for the 6 flights. He had to used the flight to the Caribbean because he had spent Christmas in Afghanistan, and then went to Trenton for the repatriation of 4 soldiers and a journalist. He had missed his flight, and had already missed part of his cruise, so the MND gave him permission to use the Challenger.

Really though, IMO, the CDS, along with the PM, GG, defence minister, transport minister, and public safety minister should almost never fly commercial if at all. They all have important functions that may need to be exercised at a moment's notice, and they should never be out of contact.

As the CDS said, the planes are for VIPs, command and control, medivac, and special operations. He then went on to say that he isn't the VIP, but rather he's the command and control.

[Smallc]

The Canadian CDS says that he needs a Challenger. Let's give him and his staff a 747.

Why? He doesn't need that. He needs a private space where confidential files can be discussed. It also needs to be a space in constant contact (or at least the capability of) with the CF and senior government leadership.

[g_bambino]

Bambino, the Queen and her ministers and servants spend too much of my money.

See here.

[August1991]

Bambino, smallc, let your "Hollywood starlets" (Queen/CDS) spend my money - until there is no more.

Then what?