Canada: 'Bankrupt' Forces May Shut 5 Bases (Their MILITARY is BANKRUPT!?)

The National Post ^ | February 24, 2004 | Chris Wattie

[quidnunc]

Internal reports say $500M shortfall may cause closures from Winnipeg to Labrador

Canada's army, navy and air force are facing a funding shortfall of up to half a billion dollars, defence sources told the National Post, and the military is recommending drastic measures to make up the difference, including closing some of the largest bases in the country.

The federal government is stalling the release of internal documents that outline the looming financial crisis, but military sources said the reports indicate that in the fiscal year beginning on April 1, the air force expects to be $150-million short of funds needed to fulfill its commitments, the navy will be $150-million shy of its needs and the army will be as much as $200-million short.

The figures were submitted to General Ray Henault, the Chief of Defence Staff, last month by the heads of the land staff, the maritime staff and the air staff in anticipation of this year's defence budget.

The military sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the reports foresee a situation so dire that they recommend curtailing operations, dry-docking ships and mothballing vehicles or aircraft and closing at least four Canadian Forces bases.

Unless additional funding is awarded by the government, the air force is suggesting closing bases at Goose Bay, Nfld., Bagotville, Que., North Bay and Winnipeg, the sources said.

Further, the air force report says that unless its fleet of ageing CC-130 Hercules transport planes is replaced or modernized, the main transport base at Trenton should be closed within 10 years. "There won't be enough Hercs flying by then to justify keeping that base open," one air force source said.

The navy predicts it will not be able to live up to treaty obligations to NATO and other alliances and cannot carry out enough patrols of Canadian waters to comply with agreements with other government departments such as Immigration Canada or Fisheries and Oceans.

"We will not be able to meet our domestic defence obligations," one naval officer said.

-snip-

[quidnunc]

Quote:

"This is a look forward … at what they need in order to keep the army going," he said. "Nobody has ever seen a bankrupt military in a developed country…. This year I predict we will see that in Canada."

Gad!

[ElkGroveDan]

...but at least everyone has free health care!

[BigWaveBetty]

But they have free health care! (cough, cough)

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Three guesses on who will have to defend them and the first two that aren't America don't count.

[sheik yerbouty]

Canaduh?

[optimistically_conservative]

All your bases belong to us!!!

BWAHAHAHAHahahahah......

Ha

[The Duke]

Hey, that was some party our compadres up north had though, wasn't it!?!? :)

[dead]

Pretty sad when your country is vulnerable to an armed takeover by the military forces of Chad or Guyana.

Oh wait, they can always count on the American taxpayer to save their ass.

It's like we have an unemployable brother-in-law living in our attic.

[slouper]

Canada has a military? Awwwwwww, that's so cute.

[kennedy]

cannot carry out enough patrols of Canadian waters to comply with agreements with other government departments such as Immigration Canada

In other words, either the U.S. Navy is going to have to start patrolling the Canadian coast or the U.S. Army is going to have to start patrolling the U.S./Canadian border.

[CobaltBlue]

Maybe they'll sell the bases to us?

[Diogenesis]

[Sender]

If they hadn't passed C-68 and started the $1 billion gun registry, they'd still have money. Odd that they only meant to disarm the civilians.

[albertabound]

What is the American taxpayer supposed to save our ass from? We have never asked you for anything to my knowledge. The libs decided to spend all the tax money on gun control and Quebec payola and now the chickens are coming home to roost and the Armed Forcess who hate the libs are building some nice big perches for the chickens to sit on. It is all about the coming election and about kicking the Liberals out on thier fat asses.

[demnomo]

I didn't know Canada even had a military. What about all of those guys on horses? ;)

[evad]

Canada has a military?

Who woulda thunk it?

What does it do?

[dead]

What is the American taxpayer supposed to save our ass from? We have never asked you for anything to my knowledge.

Not yet. But if threatened by a superior military (like that of, say, Tuvalu), do you think it will be Germany, France or the US who will volunteer to help you resist the Tuvaluan hordes?

Good luck getting your liberals out of office and restoring your military, but until then, we got your back.

[Blue Screen of Death]

Well, the Military could put on a few car washes and bake sales.

[AmishDude]

Canada has a great military . . . for me to poop on!

[ElkGroveDan]

beat you by 20 seconds