Harper's Tough Talk on Defense and Russia is just empty words

[Derek 2.0]

yes, it is! I'll ask it of you once again: "are you usurping the position/authority of the DND to analyze and provide assessment on the level of RCN combat readiness?" If not, as repeatedly stated, your personal opinion has been noted and acknowledged.

As I said, no.....I'm certain said report was representative of potential readiness problems DND could have faced going forward, from the timeline from which the report was written.

Again, you'll need to wait for DND's next iterative effort in this regard; you'll have to wait to see if your myopic fixation will have any bearing on the next DND review/report.

I'm certain at such a point it will be confirmed that the RCN will no longer face problems associated with operating the now retired ships, coupled with readiness issues that stem from the operation of four older, manpower intensive, vessels.

[Argus]

Russia is once again making noises about claims in the far north, and has announced it will build 13 new airfields and radar stations. It's spending billions on northern ports, and is constructing three huge new nuclear powered icerbreakers which can operate year round in the arctic and smash through ice four meters thick. Canada, of course, will instantly respond with its powerfu northern uh... we have some natives with rifles up there, don't we?

Harper announced big powerful armed icebreakers would be ordered too but they were never built nor are there any plans to ever build any. He announced a huge new expansion of our more northern base at Nunavut, but that got pared down to a few new outbuildings. New sub base and listening posts and drones? Uh... oh well. At least we're supposed to build some 'slushbreakers' but the PBO is saying there isn't nearly enough money set aside for them.

Parliamentary Budget Officer Jean-Denis Frechette said there's little chance the government can afford to buy between six and eight vessels on a budget of $3.1 billion. Frechette said that's only enough money to pay for four Arctic patrol ships — and even then, there's only a 50 per cent chance the vessels get built on that budget.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/arctic-patrol-ships-budget-insufficient-to-buy-6-vessels-pbo-1.2815446

So I guess we'll just write the Russians an angry letter.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/10/31/russia-warns-its-coming-for-the-arctics-oil-including-an-area-canada-claims-as-its-own/

http://o.canada.com/news/while-canada-makes-fanciful-claims-russia-acts-to-secure-its-position-in-the-arctic

[cybercoma]

Defending the North has been on the table for over 15 years. The Liberals did nothing. Harper talked a big game and had a chance to do something. Ultimately, history will show that Harper lost us the North.

[Argus]

Defending the North has been on the table for over 15 years. The Liberals did nothing. Harper talked a big game and had a chance to do something. Ultimately, history will show that Harper lost us the North.

And unfortunately there's no alternative to him. The idea Mulcair or Trudeau would do any better in this regard is quite literally laughable.

Edited November 2, 2014 by Argus

[Smallc]

He actually had done some things. The exercises and the research station are not insignificant. He simply needs to do more.

[eyeball]

Do more with what though? Moscow has the raw power to pretty much do whatever it wants. It's not so much a matter of what a state can do but how it does things. This being the case it may be that the only thing we can do is to concentrate more power in Ottawa so that maybe one day it will be able to compete in a similar fashion.

We need more galvanizing events.

[cybercoma]

He actually had done some things. The exercises and the research station are not insignificant. He simply needs to do more.

You mean the research stations in the north he shut down?

[Smallc]

No, I'm talking about the large one that's currently under construction.

[On Guard for Thee]

He's shut down a hell of a lot more science than he is trying to open. PEARL, Interlake etc. I think this CHARS thing is just another CPC ruse. It will be studying the type of science that doesn't affect his plans for arctic development. Maybe spending a few bucks to get some ships in the water to patrol the place might be better use of funds.

[peoples advocate]

oh really! Have you ever... ever... "criticized" your boy, your favoured party, without throwing equal/greater negative emphasis on/toward past Liberal leaders/governments? You've done exactly that in your latest posts this morning in the 2 currently active threads in this forum. Like I said/implied... you simply can't find fault/criticism with your boy/party without first/also mentioning something along the lines of "he/they're bad... but their sure better than those past Liberals". Right Argus... you're balanced - fer sure!

See this is part of the problem in this site it seems it is always mine is bigger than yours. We as the people of this great country should realize the mainly three party system is antiquated and we need something different.

I thought the whole purpose of government was to push this country ahead and make it an even greater place for us to live. So what if instead of untold millions spent on elections we have the best of the best from all parties work together to make Canada a true leader and innovator of government.

I know why would actual thinking men work together when they can have access to ego inflating job titles.

[peoples advocate]

He's shut down a hell of a lot more science than he is trying to open. PEARL, Interlake etc. I think this CHARS thing is just another CPC ruse. It will be studying the type of science that doesn't affect his plans for arctic development. Maybe spending a few bucks to get some ships in the water to patrol the place might be better use of funds.

This is true and very sad for all of us.

[peoples advocate]

You mean the research stations in the north he shut down?

I would like to tell you I was working in Cambridge bay and they may say they shut those stations down but there are military personnel at the station there , Doing what I don't know .

[Derek 2.0]

I would like to tell you I was working in Cambridge bay and they may say they shut those stations down but there are military personnel at the station there , Doing what I don't know .

I'm in Cambridge Bay right now (Did you ever go to the Elk's club?) and the former DEW line site out towards the airport is apart of the current replacement for the DEW line...........

[Derek 2.0]

You mean the research stations in the north he shut down?

Replaced by the massive CHARS site here in Cambridge Bay?

[Derek 2.0]

He's shut down a hell of a lot more science than he is trying to open. PEARL, Interlake etc. I think this CHARS thing is just another CPC ruse. It will be studying the type of science that doesn't affect his plans for arctic development. Maybe spending a few bucks to get some ships in the water to patrol the place might be better use of funds.

No, CHARS will be studying various topics of research and will start housing scientists later this Spring.........And of course, the "water around the place" is currently frozen.........enough that the Canadian Coast Guards current polar icebreaker was unable to free the last supply barge of the season.....patrols can now be done by snowmobile.

[PIK]

Harper is definitely getting under putins skin. Harper spent the nite on a frigate and putin had two Russia ships follow it while harper was on board.

[Je suis Omar]

Harper spent the nite on a frigate, hiding in a closet.

[dre]

The problem is the focus on keeping the North has been mostly military... and that is guaranteed not to work.

If we want to keep the North we need to start developing it. Opening it up for mining, oil and gas exploration, and encouraging the existance of communities there. If we arent going to use it someone else will, and a few stupid little boats is not going to make any difference.