Posted on 11/26/2005 7:59:15 AM PST by NorthOf45
Canadian Forces chief says the public, not politicians, will save military
Dene Moore Canadian Press November 25, 2005
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. (CP) - The chief of the Canadian Armed Forces says he won't be lining up for federal spending promises ahead of a probable January election.
Gen. Rick Hillier, in a speech delivered Friday to a local service club, said that he will rely on the Canadian public, not politicians, to ensure a strong military. "My wish list is that Canadians understand and see us fully and understand the value they get from us and out of that will come all the necessary investment we need," he said.
"The investment is recognized as needed by Canadians and, therefore, they are going to insist that no matter who forms the government of Canada, the investment has to continue."
The last budget gave the military its largest increase in 20 years after years of cuts, bringing spending up to $14.3 billion for the year.
The Liberals promised $12.8 billion in new spending over the next five years and earlier this week announced nearly $5 billion for new military transport aircraft.
But the promised new funds still leave the military budget well below peak defence spending more than a decade ago and the state of the Canadian military, particularly its aging equipment, has become the butt of many jokes.
When Hillier, a native of Newfoundland and Labrador, became Canada's top soldier in February, his inaugural speech appealed to the government to spend more on the military.
A Senate committee report released in September said the annual military budget should be $25 to $35 billion a year.
Hillier said it is important that the Armed Forces connect with the public.
"We've never done that as a strategy in the Canadian Forces, ever, and we've paid a terrible price for that," Hillier told about 150 people at the luncheon speech in St. John's.
"We got distanced from society these past decades and when something went horribly wrong, our society, our population was quite eager and quite willing to dispense with us . . . and simply become our critic," he said.
"We're no longer going to let that occur. This is your army and navy and Armed Forces," he told the crowd.
"If you like it, support it, and if you don't, get involved in helping shape it and change it."
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Hillier is a good man. I have been to Northern Arm where he is from in Newfoudland.
He is smart in publicly non-aligning himself or the military with any specific party. However he needs to send out some of his adjutants to quietly keep in touch with all of the parties running federally. He would be very smart to do that and I assume he is on the QT.
I hope he brings the RCHR Blackwatch back on line from a reserve unit. Nothing could be more neaningful to ENglish Canada than such a gesture, and then Canada's military would have wider public support
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Amen.
G-d protect him and grant his eloquent defense of a beleaguered Canadian military be heard.
Yeah, but Carolyn Parrish doesn't like him....
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