MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 18 May 12

• Whither Goose Bay? (1)  Remember the “Goose Bay may not be getting what was promised” story?  Defence Minister MacKay had this to say shortly after the story was published:  “I wish to reaffirm that the defence team is working to fulfill our commitment for an operational mandate for Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay so that the Base, and the community, prospers for years to come. Minister Penashue and I look forward to announcing this operational mandate as soon as work is complete. Our government is committed to ensuring a clear operational mandate for 5 Wing Goose Bay that takes advantage of its unique location and enhances the protection of Canadian sovereignty, including in the Arctic ….”  I wonder if that means “we’ll soon have a specific job for Goose Bay to do soon”?  I personally enjoy the thought and imagination that went into the title of the statement.
• Whither Goose Bay? (2)  More on Goose Bay from the House of Commons yesterday, this time from Minister for the area Peter Penashue:  “Mr. Speaker, I can reaffirm that our government is working to fulfill our commitment for an operational mandate for 5 Wing Goose Bay that takes advantage of a unique location and enhances the protection of Canadian sovereignty, including in the Arctic. Since 2006, our government has consistently worked to ensure the future viability of 5 Wing Goose Bay through investments, such as runway resurfacing and decontaminating sites around the base.”  Well, the feds DID spend ~$16M to leverage more than $300M to do environmental clean-up in the area….
• Whither Goose Bay? (3)  In fact, lookit all the recent MERX listings that pop up for “Goose Bay” and “5 Wing” (including a search for someone to provide “site support services” at 5 Wing Goose Bay, with more on that contract – including how DND’ll engage industry and Aboriginal groups as part of the work – in bid documents here)
• Afghanistan  Interested in how many projects Canada funded to help women in Afghanistan, and how much each one cost?  Check out this written response to an MP’s question (via Google Docs)
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1a)  Remember this Canadian Press story?  “The Harper government called in the RCMP to investigate a politically embarrassing story involving the decision to sole-source the purchase of the F-35 stealth fighter, claiming it was a breach of national security, The Canadian Press has learned. The Mounties conducted a five-month review into an alleged leak of cabinet documents under the Security of Information Act, recently used to charge a naval intelligence officer in an apparent spy case ….”  CP Reporter Murray Brewster is kindly sharing the documents this story was based on – check here (Google Docs)  Special thanks to Murray and CP.  More discussion of this story over at Army.ca
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1b)  The Government’s Message on this, from the Public Works Minister:  “Mr. Speaker, the RCMP was asked by the Clerk of the Privy Council to look into a possible unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, which is done from time to time.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2)  Opposition MP’s getting antsy about costs again after some reported U.S. defence cuts  “A U.S. Congressional recommendation to cut $528-million from planned F-35 fighter jet acquisitions over the next year suggests the costly project the Conservative government has signed on to may be “crumbling before our eyes,” NDP MP Matthew Kellway says. Mr. Kellway (Beaches-East York, Ont.) and other critics said the reprimand from a powerful budget appropriations panel in the U.S. House of Representatives should make Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) take a serious look at “alternatives.” Despite increasing U.S. Department of Defense requests for spending by a total of $5-billion on a range of other weapons and system procurements, and other defence areas, the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee recommended $528.5-million in procurement cuts for the F-35, Gannet Company’s DefenseNews.com reported. The reduction would be a six per cent drop in the $8.9-billion U.S. Department of Defense request for funding in the 2013 fiscal year, including $5.2-billion for 25 F-35s. Opposition MPs said the U.S. procurement costs for 2013 are an indication of how much the estimated costs for the sophisticated new fighter jets have risen since the Harper government announced in 2010 it intended to acquire 65 air force versions of the F-35 at an initial purchase price of $5.58-billion with an additional $2.98-billion for add-ons and weapons in Canada ….”
• What’s Canada Buying? (1)  Potential bidders get more time to send in a proposal to convert some armoured vehicles and artillery guns into display pieces (via Army.ca)
• What’s Canada Buying? (2)  Wanted: someone to “to design and develop a knowledge-rich agent-based social simulation architecture and to carry out a parameter sweeping analysis of the system to fully understand social identity dynamics in the model and to see where various real world societies lie on this possibility-space of artificial worlds” (software to simulate people from different societies and with different thought processes to help train troops to interact?) – more in bid document extract here
• Way Up North (1)  Remember this CP story?  “Six years after the Harper government declared the Arctic to be a new operations area for the Canadian military, the army has struggled to find enough parkas, cold-weather tents, lanterns and heaters to equip forces that take part in its annual summer exercise. The “critical equipment shortfalls” were so bad last year, the head of the army approved a request by area commanders to buy missing gear themselves, say internal briefing documents ….” More sharing from Murray Brewster/CP – documents here and here (via Scribd.com)
• Way Up North (2)  Researcher wonders if it’s time to consider using more unmanned aerial vehicles to keep an eye on places  “In Canada, could drone technology help with Arctic surveillance? If so, should it lead us to re-think the acquisition of Arctic patrol vessels? What other Canadian military priorities could drones help us to meet at lower cost? These and other questions like them are wide-ranging. The answers could have transformative implications. Now is the time to think them through ….”
• Way Up North (3)  Elsewhere in the Arctic neighbourhood….  “The largest military exercise in the High North, inside and immediately outside the Arctic Circle, since the end of the Cold War (and perhaps even before) was completed on March 21 in northern Norway. Except for the crash of a Norwegian military transport plane in Sweden during its course the world would have been unaware of it. Cold Response 2012 was conducted from March 12-21 primarily in Norway but also in Sweden with the participation of 16,300 troops from fifteen nations as part of full spectrum – air, sea, infantry and special forces – maneuvers against the backdrop of the past three years’ new scramble for the Arctic. The term High North is a translation of the Norwegian designation nordområdene which was adopted by NATO in January of 2009 for its two-day Seminar on Security Prospects in the High North in Reykjavík, Iceland attended by the bloc’s secretary general, chairman of its Military Committee and two top military commanders, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. Four of the five Arctic claimants – the United States, Canada, Norway and Denmark – are members of NATO. The other, Russia, is not. In 2010 Norway became the first Arctic nation to move its military command center within the Arctic Circle, transferring the Norwegian Operational Command Headquarters from Stavanger to Bodø, a five-story complex built during the Cold War to withstand a nuclear attack. The preceding year Norway purchased 48 Lockheed Martin F-35 fifth generation multirole fighters ….”
• Here’s why it’s called QUESTION Period, not “Answer Period”:  “Mr. Peter Stoffer (Sackville—Eastern Shore, NDP): Mr. Speaker, when Canadian military personnel serve their country, they do not get to make up their minds. They follow orders. Unfortunately, many of them become disabled. Over 6,500 disabled veterans and their leader Dennis Manuge are asking the government to stop the appeal of Justice Barnes’ decision to end the SISIP clawback. These are the heroes of our country. Unfortunately, they served their country and became disabled. Two different judges have ruled to stop the SISIP clawback. Will the government now serve these disabled people by stopping the legal proceedings, meet with Dennis Manuge’s legal team and pay out the money they so rightfully deserve? Hon. Julian Fantino (Associate Minister of National Defence, CPC): Mr. Speaker, we are committed to supporting our veterans and those who have served our country so ably. I would like to also point out for the member that the government has stood up for our veterans and brought a number of programs, which I can list. In that regard, we are also saying, once and for all, that we will not be second to anyone when it comes to looking after our men and women in uniform, those who serve today and those who have served very ably in the past.”
• Former head Canadian civilian in Kandahar Elissa Golberg:  helping doesn’t always mean just sending the troops  “…. Canada does not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to disaster response, recognizing that needs vary from crisis to crisis, and that our mechanisms must do the same. Financial support, for instance, may include funding through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), civilian-led efforts, the United Nations, and/or, other humanitarian organizations such as the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement. This is often the most effective means of providing life-saving assistance, as these operations are on the ground, able to recognize the most urgent needs of the affected areas. However, Canada also maintains emergency relief stocks that can be shipped quickly, and can deploy pre-identified Canadian civilian technical and humanitarian experts – including a Canadian Red Cross field hospital – when additional support is needed. In certain situations, when local and international capacities to respond are overwhelmed, Canada can, and does, deploy Canadian Forces personnel and assets. In specific contexts, the Canadian Forces bring unique capabilities and can provide valued logistics support (including airlift), or medical, engineering, and communications expertise to assist in responding to natural disasters ….”
• Analyst on how General Leslie’s recommendations on reorganizing DND’s “head shed” should be done:  “…. Leslie’s analysis was as meticulous as it was shocking. Between 2004 and 2010 the number of people in DND/CF grew by 18 per cent. The regular force grew by 11 per cent, but the number of full-time reservists at NDHQ grew by 22 per cent and the number of civilians by 33 per cent. In sum, the non-operational “tail” grew by 40 per cent; the front-line trigger-pullers — the “tooth” — by 10 per cent. His recommendations were obvious: reduce NDHQ staff, especially civilians, consultants, and full-time reservists, but maintain expenditures on spare parts, capital and infrastructure, to maintain future effectiveness. Unfortunately, the most valuable part of the DND/CF “diarchy,” namely the front-line forces, are also the most vulnerable when it comes to cuts. We all know that Canadians do not admire the Canadian Forces because of the valiant work of tweedy, bow-tied civilian consultants at NDHQ. We also know how good bureaucrats are at protecting themselves and that their measure of success has nothing to do with military effectiveness or taking care of veterans. This is the context within which to understand the F-35 controversy. Of course the RCAF requires an “affordable replacement” for the CF-18. The serious strategic question is this: 20 years hence, will Canadian pilots be flying an up-to-date or obsolete aircraft? Gen. Leslie’s report has provided the government with principles for decision and excellent detailed advice. They have an opportunity to act in the interest of all Canadians. Even with fiscal restraint, all it takes is leadership.”
• Oopsie – glad nobody was injured  “A Snowbird jet was damaged when it hit a bird during the aerobatic team’s first show of the season. The military precision flying team’s performance over 15 Wing Moose Jaw on Wednesday was going well until one of the Tutor jets struck the bird. Team lead Major Wayne Mott says they stopped the show so the pilot could land, then re-started the performance. Mott says the minor damage to the plane should be fixed by Friday when the team leaves for a Winnipeg show this weekend ….”
• “Prime Minister Stephen Harper …. announced that he will travel to the United States to participate in the G-8 Leaders’ Summit at Camp David, Maryland, on May 18 and 19, 2012. He will then participate in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Chicago, Illinois, on May 20 and 21, 2012. At the G-8 Summit, Prime Minister Harper will reinforce Canada’s commitment to working with international partners to bring forward concrete solutions to the world’s most pressing economic, political, social and security challenges …. At the NATO summit, Prime Minister Harper will reinforce Canada’s commitment to helping advance ongoing issues that are central to the success of the Alliance. The Prime Minister will be joined by Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and Minister of National Defence, Peter MacKay ….” - more from media here
• Defence Minister speaks to Lithuania’s Defence Minister
• Defence Ministers says “way to go” to latest Royal Military College graduating class

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 17 May 12

• Afghanistan  The latest tally of wounded (April 2002 through 31 Dec 11), according to a written response to a question from an MP:  635 “wounded in action”, 1412 “non-battle related injuries”
• Here’s a chance to listen to Canada’s first ROCK (Representative of Canada in Kandahar) Elissa Golberg “imagine what role the military can play in complex crises” as part of an online discussion organized by the Canadian International Council - the topic of this morning’s (11am Eastern) discussion:  “the role the Canadian military can play in disaster relief operations abroad.”
• Where’s the Chair of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board Been Travelling?  Check out the discussion over at Army.ca, where some folks seem…. underwhelmed by the Chair’s travel itinerary of late.
• “Researchers studying the brains of soldiers exposed to blast injuries have found evidence of a degenerative disease also detected in athletes who have suffered repeated blows to the head, raising a worrisome prospect for thousands of combat veterans. Scientists from the United States and England say brain tissue in four American military members showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a progressive disease normally linked to repetitive concussions. The condition has been identified in more than a dozen professional football players who have died after suffering multiple concussions …. Patric Stanton, a cell biologist at the New York Medical College, said the international team of scientists found telltale signs of the disease in veterans exposed to even just one blast from an improvised explosive device  …. Col. Rakesh Jetly, a senior Canadian Forces psychiatrist, said he had read the Boston University report and was awaiting further details on the research. He added that the Canadian Forces has created a special panel on managing brain injuries in the military. “The Canadian Forces Health Services is constantly studying evidence-based research related to blast exposure and seeking ways to improve care to personnel suffering from brain injuries,” he said in an emailed statement ….”  You have to pay to access the entire paper, but here’s the journal abstract and here’s the University’s news release on the study.
• “The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is pleased to be working with the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) chapter at Memorial University in Newfoundland to help Canadian Forces members transition to civilian life by launching and sustaining successful businesses. Uniquely Canadian, The Prince’s Operation Entrepreneur is an exclusive national program for transitioning or transitioned Canadian Forces members interested in becoming entrepreneurs. It offers them entrepreneurial education and business planning support, access to start-up and growth financing, specialized business mentoring, the opportunity to attend entrepreneurship boot camp and networking and community support. The Prince’s Operation Entrepreneur program is supported by Prince’s Charities Canada, the Department of National Defence (DND), Veteran Affairs Canada (VAC), and Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE). The program was created and built upon the foundation of the CYBF’s 16 years of experience in mentoring and financing new entrepreneurs and the “Based in Business” educational boot camp offered by SIFE Memorial ….”
• Q)  When is the first official mention of a project to convert Leopard tanks into armoured engineer vehicles not really an “announcement”?  A)  When it’s a “Backgrounder” that doesn’t include 1)  a Ministerial quote or 2)  any dollar amounts.  You can also see the CF Info-machine announcement Backgrounder here if the link above doesn’t work.
• Looks like Goose Bay isn’t getting its promised battalion of troops or unmanned aerial vehicle unit anytime soon – here’s the 2006 letter from Stephen Harper promising this (PDF), some discussion here and here on this over at Army.ca, and here’s part of a written response to an MP’s question on that very issue (PDF) from this story from CBC.ca:  “…. (Defence Minister Peter) MacKay confirmed “there are currently no plans” to establish a 650-member battalion at 5 Wing. As for the unmanned aerial vehicle squadron in Goose Bay, there is nothing firm on the horizon for that either. “As part of the [defence strategy], there will be a surveillance ‘system of systems’ that will be comprised of sensors, unmanned vehicles and satellites that will keep Canada’s maritime approaches safe and secure, including in the Arctic,” MacKay’s response notes ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1)  No sign of the obtained documents mentioned in this Canadian Press story being shared yet, so no word on what else might be in them. “The Harper government called in the RCMP to investigate a politically embarrassing story involving the decision to sole-source the purchase of the F-35 stealth fighter, claiming it was a breach of national security, The Canadian Press has learned. The Mounties conducted a five-month review into an alleged leak of cabinet documents under the Security of Information Act, recently used to charge a naval intelligence officer in an apparent spy case. Records obtained under the Access to Information Act show investigators had doubts almost from the outset in July 2010 that any laws were broken in the Globe and Mail story. The story revealed angst within government about possible alienation from Washington if a competition was held to replace the air force’s CF-18s. Still, the review pressed ahead and drew in one of the RCMP’s four Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams, whose job it is to chase terrorism threats. It was shut down in December 2010 for lack of evidence ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2)  Yet ANOTHER worry (for some, anyway)  “And then there was the software. Already, the F-35 program has been singled out as a target for international hackers and now a former vice-chairman of the U.S. military Joint Cheifs of Staff is raising the issue again. Marine Gen. James “Hoss” Cartwright told the Joint Warfighting Conference that he fears the F-35 could prove to be as vulnerable to enemy hackers as older Humvees were to roadside bombs, according to a report from AOL Defense. “We built the F-35 with absolutely no protection for it from a cyber standpoint,” he said, adding that there ought to be a switch that can shut off the aircraft’s electronic transmission functions in case enemies access them. Cartwright’s words come only months after Chinese hackers broke into computers owned by UK defence manufacturer BAE in an attempt to steal details about the F-35’s design and electronic systems ….” – more from blogger/info curator Mark Collins on this worry
• F-35 Tug o’ War (3)  Meanwhile, an American analyst wonders if the Chinese will see as much angst over the development of their own next generation fighter.
• Taliban Propaganda Watch  Taliban web page calls for protests leading up to NATO leaders’ meeting in Chicago (links to non-terrorist site)
• “Four members of the Royal Canadian Navy will be given the opportunity to avoid having a criminal record for impersonating police. The Crown has agreed to refer the charge against the sailors to the province’s adult diversion program, a Dartmouth provincial court judge was told Wednesday. If the young men accept responsibility for their actions and meet the terms of a contract to be drawn up by a probation officer, the charge will be withdrawn by the prosecution. The four men were charged after someone in a car pulled in behind a vehicle that was parked on Bissett Road in Cole Harbour on March 25 at about 1 a.m. and activated blue and red flashing lights on the dash and a siren. After the fake police car pulled away without anyone getting out, the people in the other vehicle called 911. A few minutes later, RCMP stopped a Dodge Avenger matching the description of the suspicious car and arrested the four occupants for posing as police ….”
• PM: No need to worry about doing business with that big Chinese telecom  “Mr. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP): Mr. Speaker, earlier today, the Minister of Public Safety stood by a Conservative decision to roll out the red carpet for a Chinese company called Huawei. Huawei will be allowed to buy up key telecommunications assets in Canada, despite the fact that the United States and Australia have blocked it from major telecom projects due to serious national security concerns. The United States and Australia are two of our closest allies. They still see the risk. Why did the Prime Minister choose to ignore their warnings? Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP is speaking of some contractual relationships between some Canadian companies and foreign companies. The particular concerns that he raised in fact have been addressed. Those concerns have been examined and those concerns have been addressed in our mind. I would remind the leader of the NDP that we do not take dictates on security from the United States.”
• A piece of Canadian underwater military history is closer to having a permanent home near London, Ontario  “The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, has signed an agreement that will allow the Elgin Military Museum in St. Thomas, Ontario, to take possession of one of the Royal Canadian Navy’s decommissioned submarines – the former HMCS Ojibwa – for permanent, public display. HMCS Ojibwa is an Oberon-class submarine, commissioned in 1965 and removed from operational service in 1998. Ojibwa was one of three Oberon-class diesel-electric submarines acquired in the 1960s by the RCN; the others being Onandaga and Okanagan. A fourth Oberon-class submarine, Olympus, was acquired in 1989 to serve as a stationary training vessel in Halifax …. The museum will fund the physical transfer of the 90-metre Ojibwa from Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia, to a site at Port Burwell, Ontario, and Ojibwa’s establishment as a museum open to the public.”  More from the museum’s home page on the project here (including their news release), from hometown media here and here – also, a bit more of the history of the hunt for a home for HMCS Ojibwa here (via Army.ca)
• “Swaths of academics and historians have descended upon the Greek island of Thasos to investigate newfound airplane wreckage on the side of a mountain. But it is a local amateur sleuth who may be the closest to solving a 95-year-old mystery involving the disappearance of a Canadian First World War pilot. Details on the life of Flight Lieutenant Warner Hutchins Peberdy are largely confined to a graduation photograph from the Curtiss Aviation School in Toronto and a series of scrawled records locked in the British National Archives. Mr. Peberdy left the British Airfield in the village of Prinos on an ill-fated reconnaissance mission in January 1917 and has since been considered missing in action, presumed dead in the Aegean Sea ….”
• War of 1812  “The Grande Parade and Military Tattoo on June 23, 2012 will be one of the largest 1812 Bicentennial celebrations in North America, and General Rick Hillier will be there to salute the passing procession as the Honourary Parade Marshal. General Hillier is the Former Chief of the Defence Staff for the Canadian Forces, the highest rank in the Canadian Forces. He held this position from February 2005 until his retirement in July 2008 after a 35-year long career in the Canadian Forces. This June, General Hillier will commemorate the War of 1812 as the Honourary Parade Marshal at the largest 1812 Bicentennial parade in North America. The parade will take place in Fort Erie, ON, on the ground that was once the most contested site in North America during the War of 1812 ….”

Taliban calling for protests pre-NATO meeting in Chicago

Usual disclaimer – don’t click on a Taliban page link if you don’t want the Taliban’s webmeisters getting your information.  Sharing this with you for information’s sake =/= agreement or endorsement of the message.

If the realities are not accepted, the Chicago Conference will be another failure - Screen capture of statement at non-terrorist site

Wednesday, 16 May 2012 15:09

It is decided that on 20th and 21st dates of the current month the twenty-fifth meeting of the NATO member countries is going to be held in Chicago, USA. According to the reports besides the 28 member countries, 60 more countries will also participate and among other issues, the issue of Afghanistan will also be discussed. It is said that the meeting will be held behind closed doors and the public will be kept away from the conference.

The reality is that there are 140,000 troops of NATO and America is present inside Afghanistan even now. Moreover 300,000 people of national army and police working as their stooges are also there. But they are a total failure in front of the national and Islamic resistance. The reason is quite obvious. Armies can fight armies but cannot fight nations.

The biggest mistake of the invaders is that they construe the national and Islamic movement (resistance) as terrorism just for their malicious objectives. As long as the invaders do not accept the ground realities in Afghanistan and do not acknowledge the natural rights of the Afghan nation, the Afghan issue can neither be solved by the strategic co-operation nor by the NATO meetings. A lasting occupation means a lasting resistance.

If they really do hold up human rights and justice, they should include the end of the occupation, the trial of the those troops who violated human rights, halting violations of the sanctities of Afghan Muslim nation including the indiscriminate massacre of the innocent Afghans and the cruelties of the warlords in their agenda. They should give the right of full freedom to the Afghan nation. If they neglect all these issues and support the colonial plans of America, then all the slogans of supporting human rights and justice are all white lies and their destiny will not differ than those whose imperialism was wiped out from this soil and who have now become only the memories of the past.

In last April a joint survey of CBS and the New York Times showed that 69% Americans are against the war in Afghanistan and they consider it a useless, meaningless and an un-winnable war.

In the beginning the white house officials wanted to justify the illegal invasion of Afghanistan under the title of the so called war on terrorism and on the other side to deceive the Afghans by the democracy, freedom and human rights; but their deeds showed that these invaders are the biggest violators of the basic human rights. In the past ten years, the life of the ordinary Afghans has worsened both economically and security wise. 40% population of the country is living under the poverty line. Electricity is brought from a neighboring country with such a huge amount which would have been sufficient for the construction of a dam inside the country.

Similarly 80% of the funds collected under the name of Afghanistan go back into the pockets and bank accounts of these invaders, NGOs and the warlords. The press says that this corruption has now even entered the UN offices and millions of dollars have been embezzled.

The colonial game of the Americans is a total failure in Afghanistan. We call upon the nation of America and the NATO member countries to arrange large scale protests prior to the Chicago conference. Similarly we request the politicians and writers of the world having free conscience to disclose the atrocities of the Americans and their allied forces inside Afghanistan and to support the Afghans morally in their just demand.

We consider it the duty of every human being for having a peaceful world and insuring justice.

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 16 May 12

• Afghanistan (1)  “Canada is to cut its military footprint in Afghanistan by more than 100 soldiers beginning in July, with further reductions likely over the next year. “We’ll have less than we have there now. We will have less than 800,” said Lt.-Gen. Peter Devlin, the head of the army, which provides most of the troops for the training mission that began in Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat last year while thousands of Canadian combat forces left Kandahar. Those returning home from South Asia beginning this summer are part of a group of more than 900 trainers mostly drawn from a New-Brunswick-based battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment, which only arrived in Afghanistan two months ago. Canadian Maj.-Gen. Mike Day, who runs NATO’s training mission in Afghanistan, indicated when he spoke with Postmedia News in Kabul in February that he was preparing recommendations to cut the number of alliance trainers because the training program would soon be larger than what was needed for the Afghan army. The force has expanded rapidly to more than 300,000 soldiers and is now taking in fewer new soldiers. “The numbers may go down,” Defence Minister Peter MacKay acknowledged. “(The Afghans) are going to run out of recruits to train over the next 18 months. We don’t want our soldiers to be there if they are only sitting on their rucksacks.” ….”
• Afghanistan (2)  What Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird had to say in the House of Commons on the future of Canada’s role in Afghanistan:  “Canada is committed until 2014 to participate in an international mission to train Afghan security forces to prevent that country from becoming a safe haven for terrorists. We will assess that as we will assess what is necessary to meet those objectives. We have not made any final decisions at this time …. We e sent a training mission to Afghanistan that arrived last year and will go until 2014 to help the Afghan forces develop the capacity so that they can provide for themselves and their country’s own security. The men and women of the Canadian Forces are doing an absolutely splendid job representing Canada and assisting the people of Afghanistan in that security. We wish them very well in that important mission. The House of Commons did vote on the combat mission, as the House is permitted to by any of the opposition parties from time to time. The Prime Minister has made a commitment that before any combat troops or any military mission takes place off our shores that there will be a vote and that he will consult Parliament. The Prime Minister has shown more respect to Parliament in that regard than any prime minister in our history.”
• Mark Collins spots an interesting tidbit buried in the above-mentioned story:  “…. “On Nov. 1, 2012 we will be ready to do anything the government of Canada asks us to do. And we will get better over time,” the “three-leaf” general [Lt.-Gen. Peter Devlin, the head of the army] said. “All the high readiness bits of (Quebec-based) 5 Brigade — the troops, the task force HQ, the enablers, etc. — they will be operationally ready then ….”
• Syria (1)  “The escalating violence and unrest in Syria has added to the risks and challenges faced by Canadian Forces (CF) members working for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). Recent events that have been widely reported in the media have added challenges to the entire UNDOF team, as well as the three Canadians who serve in it. Maj Catry, a Royal Canadian Dragoon officer based out of CFB Kingston, has noted that because of the unrest in Syria, as well as Nakba and Naksa Day protests last year, UNDOF’s work load, tempo and intensity have increased dramatically in maintaining the peace in the Golan Heights. As the Military Assistant/Advisor to the Force Commander of UNDOF and as the Force’s Senior Staff Officer for personnel respectively, Maj Catry says he and Lieutenant-Commander Rohe, a Royal Canadian Navy Finance Officer from Ottawa, are busier than usual dealing with contingency plans and preparations. ““My job has changed in the sense that it has become busier and slightly more tension filled due to the increasingly more complex situation,”” says Maj Catry. ““Whenever UNDOF goes high-tempo, we go high-tempo.”” Maj Catry says the recent events have made the environment more complex and risky, but adds that the experience the CF members have from previous deployments helps them adjust to the dynamic situation in Syria. They take care to identify and avoid problematic areas in Damascus, and keep their protective gear close at hand ….” - more on Operation Gladius here and the U.N. mission it supports here
• Syria (2)  Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister being “appalled” at, “concerned by”, and condemning the latest violence in Syria over the past few days.  The latest from Syria here (Google News) and here (European Commission news aggregator, English-language news on Syria)
• “Opposition MPs and military observers are reacting largely in favour to a major overhaul being made to the Canadian Forces, one that cuts a quarter of the command structure put in place in 2006 through consolidating several headquarters. Yet while several heralded the change as a long time coming, the Department of National Defence has passed on going as far as retired lieutenant-general Andrew Leslie had envisioned in his controversial report. Even so, the government considers this move as “one phase of the defence renewal initiative.” On May 11, Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced a new, unified single operational command, called the Canadian Joint Operations Command. It consolidates three headquarters offices—one overseeing continental missions, another overseeing overseas operations, and a third providing operational support. The new structure will result in a 25 per cent cut to national-level headquarters overhead, according to DND. It will free up staff to be shuffled around to different offices, and allow the military to “focus on domestic operations.” The structure will be phased in over several months, and will be commanded by a lieutenant-general. …. Mr. MacKay’s spokesperson, Jay Paxton, wrote in an email that the May 11 announcement was “one phase of the defence renewal initiative.” “This tranche will result in a 25 per cent reduction in national-level command and control overhead, and will result in a more efficient use of administrative resources,” he wrote ….”
• QMI’s Ottawa boss David Akin raises a good point re: the upcoming NATO meeting in Chicago:  “…. The bigger issue for Canada at this weekend’s NATO summit is getting the alliance to break out of its Eurocentric mindset. As retired Canadian colonel George Petrolekas told MPs Tuesday: “It’s trying to push NATO to recognize their boundaries don’t end in the Bay of Biscay. They end in the Straits of Juan de Fuca.” His point: NATO still thinks its boundaries are the western shores of France rather than the western shores of Canada and the U.S. If NATO members could figure that out, that would indeed be smart defence.”
• Where’s the Chair of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board Been Travelling? (1)  “The chairman of an embattled veterans review board billed taxpayers on two occasions to attend high-brow lectures in Britain where his wife was a participant. John Larlee has regularly attended the Cambridge Lecture series, but went on the federal government’s dime in 2009 and 2011. The prominent events at Queen’s College at Cambridge University north of London, attract movers and shakers in the British and Canadian political and legal communities. Set amid the neatly manicured lawns, waterways and stone ramparts of the centuries-old university, the lectures have featured the likes of former prime minister Paul Martin and Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin of the Supreme Court of Canada. Larlee’s bills for both trips, listed as professional development in the expense records of the Veterans Review and Appeal board, totalled $7,285.97, including flights, accommodations and meals. His wife, Justice Margaret Larlee of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal, has been a fixture at the events. She was moderator of a panel on ending rape in both war and politics at the 2009 conference and led a discussion in 2011 on the role of Israel’s supreme court in the fight against terrorism. Justice Larlee was also featured at the 2007 lectures, discussing commissions of inquiry and whether they are worth the money. Her husband accompanied her that year as well, but paid for the trip out of his pocket, according to a veterans board spokeswoman. The chairman refused an interview request, but Danielle Gauthier, who speaks for the independent agency, says the trips were justified ….”
• Where’s the Chair of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board Been Travelling? (2)  “Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney has ordered a ban on international travel for members of an arm’s-length agency that reviews the claims of veterans. The order late Tuesday follows growing controversy over expense claims from John Larlee, chairman of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board since 2009. The Canadian Press reported this week that Larlee took two taxpayer-funded trips to attend lectures in Britain, where his wife was also a participant. A group representing Canada’s veterans, the Canadian Veterans Advocacy, says the trips are suspect and wants Larlee called to account before a House of Commons committee. New Democrats went further on Tuesday and demanded he be fired. The minister turned aside those demands, saying the board is an arm’s-length agency that is accountable for its own actions. “We will stand by the tribunal and expect all board members to be responsible and show respect for taxpayer dollars at all times,” he told the Commons. “I am confident this board will keep on providing good services for our veterans.” ….” - more from Minister Blaney during Question Period in the House of Commons yesterday
• Where’s the Chair of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board Been Travelling? (3)
• “A retired RCMP officer from Bath has filed a complaint with the Auditor General of Canada demanding members of the federal police force have access to more mental health treatment programs. Eric Rebiere, 54, who in 2006 left the police force after 24 years, said the federal government has refused to fund treatment for RCMP officers suffering post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other occupational stress injuries (OSI). Rebiere said he plans to follow his complaint to the auditor general with a similar submission to the Canadian Human Rights Commission. “It is a human rights issue. You can’t put money ahead of lives,” Rebiere said. “Like the military, Canada has a moral obligation to take care of the RCMP, injured officers and veterans.” ….”
• Way Up North/What’s Canada Buying?  “Department of National Defence, 1 ESU, Moncton, NB, requires one supplier to provide accommodations, meals and vehicle rental for the period July 14, 2012 – August 5, 2012 for military personnel as they undertake improvements to their C-Span project at Resolute Bay Airfield, Resolute Bay, NU. The estimated value of the contract: $131,250.00, taxes included ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1a)  Welcome back to the stand, Mr. Auditor General  “The auditor general is blasting critics of his report on the Harper government’s stealth fighter program. Michael Ferguson is making a repeat appearance before the Commons public accounts committee, saying he stands behind the facts and figures in his April 3 audit, which set off a heated political debate. The report accuses National Defence of hiding the full cost of the F-35 program by not publicly reporting $10 billion in operational expenses and criticizes Public Works for not demanding more justification for the sole-source purchase. Defence Minister Peter MacKay calls the discrepancy an accounting difference, but Ferguson says Treasury Board policy requires life-cycle cost reporting ….” 
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1b)  “Auditor General Michael Ferguson responded directly to officials from the Defence Department …. disputing their contention that they aren’t required to count the full costs of a project like the F-35 fighter jet procurement. “I am concerned with suggestions that accurate estimation and the inclusion of personnel, operating and maintenance costs are not important, since they would be incurred regardless of the aircraft selected to replace the CF-18,” Ferguson said in his opening remarks to the House of Commons public accounts committee Tuesday ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2a)  No political overstatement here ….  “Angry and frustrated over what they see as an intentional effort to obfuscate, opposition members declared Tuesday that their confidence in Defence officials is wearing thin and the department is either out of control or, worse, gone “rogue.”  There’s no faith in this department anymore,” NDP MP Malcolm Allen said following another round of parliamentary committee hearings into the troubled F-35 stealth fighter program. “None whatsoever.” ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2a)  Meanwhile, Minister Fantino remains on message in the House  “We have, as was indicated, accepted the findings. We are acting on the recommendation of the Auditor General. There is a seven step plan in place. We intend to honour that stepped plan. There is a secretariat in place that will put finite numbers to the issues that the Auditor General was concerned about …. The Government of Canada is taking action to ensure that due diligence, oversight and transparency are firmly embedded in the process to replace Canada’s aging fighter aircraft. We are following a seven step action plan to fulfill and exceed the Auditor General’s recommendation. We are going to stick to that and do the best we can for our men and women in the Canadian Forces, as well as Canadians.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (3)  Analysts: Remember, it’s still early days to be guessing prices/costs  “Debates about the costs of the F-35 stealth fighter overlook a crucial point: It is only a prototype that’s still being tested and modified. As the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported in March, the Pentagon is “incurring substantial additional costs to retrofit produced aircraft to correct deficiencies discovered in testing.” Worse yet, “until manufacturing processes are in control and engineering design changes resulting from information gained during developmental testing are reduced, there is risk of more cost growth.” Design changes are needed with regard to the “fibre mat” that is cured into the composite surfaces of the aircraft, and which provides a large portion of its stealth …. How much will the final version of the F-35 actually cost? How long is a piece of string?”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (4)  In other news, some good news to report (via the Lockheed-Martin Info-machine):  “The twelfth Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II destined for the training fleet at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., was ferried today. U.S. Marine Corps pilot Lt. Col. Fred Schenk piloted the aircraft, known as BF-11, which departed Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas at 10:02 a.m. CDT for an approximate 90-minute flight to Florida’s Emerald Coast. The F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing production jet is now assigned to the Marine Fighter/Attack Training Squadron 501 residing with the host 33d Fighter Wing, where it will be used for pilot and maintainer training ….”
• Memorial to Canadian animals of war set for dedication 1 Jul 12 in Nova Scotia (via Army.ca)
• “A security geek once portrayed by police as a budding terrorist flashed victory signs Tuesday after his acquittal on charges of possessing explosives ahead of the G20 summit marred by violence and mass arrests. Despite his two-year ordeal, which included 11 months in jail following his arrest two years ago, an ecstatic Byron Sonne said he would continue to “test” the system. “I’m not going to stop,” a trembling Sonne, 39, said after his exoneration. “It’s more important than ever that we fight against the slippery slope of what’s being done with our rights, against our ability to participate how we see fit.” Sonne was arrested in the days before the June 2010 summit. Although police found no bombs, he was charged with four counts of possessing explosives and one of counselling mischief. Police alleged he planned to combine the myriad neatly labelled legal chemicals he had at his upscale home into explosives, and that he incited others to scale or tear down the three-metre security fence erected around the main downtown summit site. “You guys are making me look like some kind of terrorist or something,” he told police after his arrest. In her 87-page judgment that took almost two hours to read, Ontario Superior Court Justice Nancy Spies accepted Sonne’s claims the chemicals police seized could have been used in pursuit of his rocketry hobby, for camping or for gardening ….” – more here (via Google News search)
• “Two people among 492 Tamil refugee claimants who landed on the West Coast of Canada two years ago have now been charged with helping to organize the smuggling operation. Lesly Jana Emmanuel and Kunarobinson Christhurajah are accused of organizing, inducing and aiding in the operation that brought the Tamils by boat to British Columbia. The MV Sun Sea landed off Victoria in August 2010 with the refugee claimants on board. The court indictment against the pair alleges they planned their crimes between August 2009 and August 2010 in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand ….” – more from the RCMP here, and from media here
• “The former head of U.S. counter-espionage says the Harper government is putting North American security at risk by allowing a giant Chinese technology company to participate in major Canadian telecommunications projects. In an exclusive interview in Washington, Michelle K. Van Cleave told CBC News the involvement of Huawei Technologies in Canadian telecom networks risks turning the information highway into a freeway for Chinese espionage against both the U.S. and Canada. Huawei has long argued there is no evidence linking the company to the growing tidal wave of international computer hacking and other forms of espionage originating in China. Nonetheless, the U.S. and Australia have already blocked Huawei from major telecom projects in those countries, and otherwise made it clear they regard China’s largest telecommunications company as a potential security threat. Van Cleave, who served as top spy-catcher for the Bush administration until 2006, describes Huawei as a potential “stalking horse” for Chinese military and intelligence objectives. Even Canada’s own intelligence agencies have warned the Harper government of the risks of throwing open the door to Chinese telecom companies. Despite all the warnings, the federal and Ontario governments have rolled out the red carpet to Huawei, officially praising the Chinese company’s partnerships in Canadian telecom projects with Telus, Bell, SaskTel and WIND Mobile ….”  More on why the Aussies are worried about Huawei here and here and a U.S. open source intelligence document on the company here
• War of 1812  Some of the usual suspects bemoan  “The big project this year is an attempt to rebrand the War of 1812 between Britain (along with its Canadian colony) and the United States. That part of the war fought on what is now Canadian soil was, in reality, a series of tawdry and incompetently planned skirmishes in which neither side really won. But the “new warriors”, led by the Prime Minister Stephen Harper and assisted by a platoon of Defence department flacks and eager academics, are attempting to turn 1812 into an epic Canadian victory. This is not only or even mainly about history — it is rather about using history to justify and glorify Canada’s recent military adventures in places like Afghanistan and Libya, and to justify bloated expenditures on new jet planes and military hardware, not to mention to sustain an increasingly autocratic Canadian political regime ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 15 May 12

• Libya  More squabbling over the cost of the mission in the House of Commons here and here
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1a)  “Official statements and a DND report that Cabinet tabled in the House of Commons last week indicate Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government has no intention of changing course in its plan to acquire a fleet of 65 F-35 stealth fighter jets—which U.S. forecasts suggest will now cost Canada at least $41-billion to buy and maintain over an expected 30-year minimum lifetime. Treasury Board President Tony Clement (Parry Sound-Muskoka, Ont.) tabled a new yearly planning report for the F-35 project in the Commons last Tuesday which shows the government expects its first aircraft delivery in 2017, one year later than an initial timetable set last year. The report was produced despite the government’s earlier claims, following a scathing report on the project from Auditor General Michael Ferguson on April 3, that the F-35 plan wasn’t a done deal and, at one point, suggesting it was even considering other aircraft for replacement of Canada’s aging CF-18 jet fighters. The annual Department of National Defence report on plans and priorities, including the jet project, was buried in a sheaf of reports Mr. Clement tabled in a virtually vacant House a few seconds after 10 a.m., between Speaker Andrew Scheer’s (Regina-Qu’Appelle, Sask.) opening and routine tabling of petitions by backbench MPs ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1b)  Let’s compare and contrast, shall we?  Earlier this month, there was this posting on the Treasury Board web page, listing the Prime Contractor for the “Next Generation Fighter Capability” project as “Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth, Texas, USA”, with the project in the “Option Analysis” phase.  Note also this correction.  Now, we have the latest posting at the Treasury Board web page showing the Prime Contractor as the “Joint Strike Fighter Program Office (JPO), Washington, DC, USA” and the “Major Subcontractor(s)” being “Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth, Texas, USA”, with the project at the following phase:  “Options Analysis: An interim Project Management Office was stood up in October 2010 and work has been initiated to advance a Treasury Board submission seeking the required expenditure authorities for definition stage activities.”  We’ll have to see how the politicians (and eventually the Generals again?) message their way out of this one, especially in light of statements in the House of Commons like this one from DND acquisitions political czar Julian Fantino:  “No decision has been made with respect to the acquisition of our replacement aircraft for the CF-18s. We are not in a position to guess. We are acting very diligently and responsibly on the recommendations of the Auditor General. Decisions will be forthcoming once the facts and figures are known, upon which decisions can be made.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1c)  Minister Fantino as of yesterday in the House of Commons:  “Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has taken action to ensure that due diligence, oversight and transparency are firmly embedded in the process to replace Canada’s aging fighter aircraft. We are following a seven-step action plan to fulfill and/or exceed the Auditor General’s recommendation. This includes freezing the funding and establishing a separate secretariat outside National Defence to lead this project moving forward.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2)  “Auditor General Michael Ferguson today will make his second appearance before MPs studying the process to replace Canada’s CF-18 fighter jets with F-35 aircraft, more than a month after his report exposed internal estimates far higher than the ones disclosed publicly. Ferguson was initially scheduled to appear for a second time before the public accounts committee on May 8, but an unexpected medical treatment left him recovering at home ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (3a)  Ceasefire.ca not buying the “the media didn’t tell the whole story about initial Libya estimates” messaging
• F-35 Tug o’ War (3b)  It costs money for Ceasefire.ca to hold news conferences – won’t you give now?  Operators are standing by …. 
• Afghanistan  Zaaaaat right?  “The head of NATO says he wants Canadian soldiers to extend their stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014. While Ottawa has said 900 of our remaining troops will be coming home in a couple of years, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said training Afghanistan’s army is going to take time, and he wants the Canadian Forces to stay longer. “I appreciate very much that Canada provides trainers for our training mission in Afghanistan and I hope Canada will be in a position to continue that contribution also after 2014,” Rasmussen said Monday in an exclusive interview with Global National’s Sean Mallen at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels. “From that time on, the Afghans will have full responsibility, but they still need our assistance and this is the reason why we will continue a training mission,” the NATO Secretary General added. “And I hope Canada will continue to support our training mission.” It appears Prime Minister Stephen Harper is open to keeping Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan a little longer. “We will assess what is necessary to make sure that Afghanistan continues to progress toward being a state that is not a threat to global security, and that is able to take care of its own security,” he said in Ottawa on Monday. “Those are our objectives and beyond that, we haven’t made any final decisions.” ….”
• Speaking of documents filed for Parliament, Mark Collins shares the latest list of less-than-top-speed defence acquisition efforts
• Another Big Honkin’ Ships update  “The Royal Canadian Navy’s plans to acquire six to eight ice-capable Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) are facing yet another obstacle. On Tuesday in the Canadian House of Commons, the 2012-13 Reports on Plans and Priorities were tabled. The reports sum up the expected revenue, expenditures, and projects of each government agency and department in Canada. National Defence’s plans and priorities show that the AOPS will be delayed another three years, with delivery now scheduled for 2018. The first ship will not be operational until 2019, and that full operational capability of all of the ships will not be reached until 2023. The Treasury Board gave preliminary approval to the project in May 2007, so by the time the project is finally completed, over fifteen years will have elapsed ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?  Wanted: someone to do a “social dynamics” study to “assess the effects of socio-structural beliefs and …. to explore the intergroup effects of maintaining, bolstering and changing group identity” (more in Statement of Work here), and ballistic plates and “training plate kits”
• More Info-machine (U.S.) material on Exercise Cougar Salvo 12 in Idaho, involving Canadian and U.S. troops. Compare and contrast with the Army.ca discussion of said exercise.
• Speaking of exercises, the Veterans Affairs Minister had a chance to drop by on a recent exercise – Spartan Bear – in southern Ontario.
• “CBC News has learned that the Canadian military has decided to use “virtual reality therapy” in a pilot project to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. The new therapy method puts soldiers in a computer-animated situation that recreates the specific incident that left the soldiers traumatized. A therapist then helps the soldiers to work through their memories. It is estimated that 17 per cent of Canadian soldiers who did dangerous patrols outside of their base in Afghanistan, and who are now home, are reporting symptoms of PTSD. The Canadian Forces says the therapy seems to appeal to a younger generation of soldiers comfortable with video games. The VR therapy was pioneered by Dr. Skip Rizzo at the University of Southern California. He says that “the research shows, pretty consistently over the years, that by having the person gradually imagine or be exposed in VR to events in the traumatic memories, that they’re able to process emotional memories.” Last year, the Canadian Forces told CBC’s Diana Swain it was not convinced that there was enough research to prove the therapy could work. Now, in an email to CBC News, it says it is launching a pilot project paying “close attention to research in this area.” ….”
• Mark Collins and others on whether the CF can “maintain its expeditionary capabilities across all three services: army, navy and air force”?
• Libya  Oopsie….  “Dozens of Libyan civilians died in NATO air strikes on sites with no apparent military value, Human Rights Watch said in a report Monday that called on Canada and other participants in last year’s conflict to probe whether laws of war were violated. Described as the most extensive study to date of civilian casualties caused by NATO’s seven-month air campaign in Libya, the report said the overall number of deaths was low but that eight bombings of residential homes had killed 72 and wounded dozens more. One of the bombings may have killed a high-ranking military commander but seven civilians also died, the report said. At five of the sites, only “possible signs” of a military presence were found while at the remaining two there was no evidence of a valid military target. NATO took important steps to minimize civilian casualties during the Libya campaign, but information and investigations are needed to explain why 72 civilians died,” said Fred Abrahams, who authored the report, Unacknowledged Deaths: Civilian Casualties in NATO’s Air Campaign in Libya. Human Rights Watch wants the issue raised at the NATO heads of state summit in Chicago later this month and called on the alliance to investigate all potentially unlawful attacks and report the findings to the United Nations Security Council ….”
• South Africa’s military learning from Canada  “Defence and Military Veterans Minister Lindiwe Sisulu today launched the Military Ombud Office, which will deal with complaints from defence force members. Lieutenant-General Themba Mathanzima was sworn in as the Ombudsman during the launch in Pretoria. “The Ombud will investigate complaints lodged in writing by the members. The Military Ombud is a soldiers’ appeal office to internal military grievance management procedures,” she explained. According to the department, the Military Ombudsman will investigate complaints and serve as a neutral third party on matters related to the Department of Defence and the South African National Defence Force, acting independently of the chain of command and managers …. Sisulu had introduced the Military Ombudsman Bill to the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans last year. At the time, she referred to a similar institution in Canada which is tasked with the responsibility of reviewing and investigating concerns and complaints from current and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces, departmental employees, and their immediate family members who believe that they have been treated improperly or unfairly by the Canadian Department of National Defence Force or Canadian Forces ….” - more from South African media here and here
• “With all the focus as of late on the Conservative government’s extensive anti-crime agenda and the pending purchase of the F-35 jets, a significant legislative accomplishment has been lost in the shuffle. This spring, the government fulfilled an important election promise in the passage of the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act (JVTA) as part of Bill C-10: the Safe Streets and Communities Act. The passage of the legislation is the product of seven years of advocacy by the Canadian Coalition Against Terror (C-CAT), representing terror victims across Canada. The law enables victims of terrorism to sue individuals, organizations and states for loss or damage suffered as a result of terrorist related acts or omissions on, or after, January 1, 1985 …. Canada has taken a bold and courageous stand in the fight against terrorism. The JVTA has the potential to turn hundreds of Canadian victims of terrorism into “foot soldiers” in the battle against terrorist atrocities. For this, the federal government must be commended. The controversy surrounding the many issues related to other bills contained within Bill C-10 must not cloud the importance of the step that has been taken. The enactment the JVTA cannot help but move Canada in the direction of fulfilling its promise of being a stronger, safer and better country that fights terrorism in every dark corner of the world.”
• RCMP watchdog report:  RCMP actions during G-20 protests “reasonable and appropriate”  “Mr. Ian McPhail, the Interim Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (Commission), today released the Commission’s report on its public interest investigation into the actions of the RCMP at the 2010 G8/G20 Summits. “The Commission found that, while there was room for improvement in some areas, the actions of the RCMP and its members in the context of the G8 and G20 Summits were reasonable and appropriate,” said Mr. McPhail …. The RCMP had the primary responsibility for the security of both summits and the protection of visiting dignitaries. In carrying out its responsibilities, the RCMP conducted itself in a reasonable and appropriate manner. Planning for both events was found to be thorough. The investigation did not reveal any instances of unreasonable use of force by RCMP members and found that although the RCMP’s involvement in the “kettling” incident was not consistent with its policies and practices, it was reasonable in the circumstances. The Commission also found that the RCMP played no role in the planning, management and operation of the Eastern Avenue Detention Centre or any of the arrests carried out at Queen’s Park, the University of Toronto or The Esplanade. The Commission has, however, recommended a number of improvements to RCMP policy and practice in the areas of:: record keeping; integrated post-event debriefings; the clarification of operational policies with policing partners; and procedures for intelligence investigations in the context of major events ….”  You can find the report here, and media coverage here, here and here

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 14 May 12

• More on the (allegedly) “hidden” information on converting Leopards to Armoured Engineering Vehicles  “Defence Minister Peter MacKay is denying the Department of National Defence tried to hide details of its military spending by quietly awarding a $105-million contract to a German company to build armoured vehicles. Speaking exclusively to CTV’s Question Period, MacKay said information about the project was readily available online. “That information was on a DND and Public Works website for three years,” MacKay said in an interview that will air Sunday. “It was released accurately in detail at the time … and suggestions otherwise are simply false.” However, critics say that DND’s website did not include an announcement that the contract was awarded to the German firm FFG. A notice about the deal was posted in April on an industry website where companies can bid on government work. “The fact they didn’t issue a press release suggests they didn’t want people to know about it. So it gives a perception they were nervous about this, and they were trying to cover it up,” said Steven Staples, president of the Rideau Institute, an Ottawa-based think tank that has scrutinized DND’s spending figures ….”  Come on, Steve — I’m sure the Government Info-machine saves its news release ammo for only the most critical of events – like less than $6,000 worth of roof work at various armouries in Montreal (alternate site for news release here if first link doesn’t work)
• Libya  More on the media’s latest fox hunt on how much the Libya campaign cost  “…. “The actual cost when I was asked at the time was $50 million. Anything else is an estimate and this was exactly to avoid what we’re doing here. ‘Well you said it was going to be $104 (million) and it turned out to be $105 (million),’” MacKay told Global Television’s The West Block. “We gave it actual costs up to the date of Oct. 13, and I said at that time there would be more costs incurred to bring the equipment back, to wrap up the mission, and that was accurate that was honest, open and truthful.” ….” – more here and here.
• Afghanistan  Taliban trumpet latest push again (link to non-terrorist site)
• Training exercise wraps up in southern Ontario  “Cpl. Paul Galton’s connection with soldiers of the Afghan National Army was “a definite privilege.” He was a driver in Afghanistan just two years ago, among Canadian soldiers there whose role was to liaison between coalition forces and the Afghan army. With little language in common, he shared meals, communicating largely with gestures. “It allowed me to experience a whole different world,” said Galton, whose mother owns a hobby farm near Chatsworth. That’s not far from where he was based this weekend at Keady with the Royal Canadian Dragoons A Squadron. “It’s a culture that’s completely different than ours. I did enjoy that, I really did. It allowed you to explore yourself as well, and expand your views.” In Grey-Bruce this week for the large-scale, highly visible Operation Spartan Bear II training operation, Galton and other soldiers said Saturday they’ve had a warm welcome here. At Keady, neighbours would bring over “pots of coffee” and two little girls baked and delivered cookies ….”
• Canadians giving the Aussies some advice re: women in combat roles  “A Canadian military delegation invited to Australia by the Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, is sharing Canada’s experience of integrating women into combat roles. he Canadian team is touring major military bases from Melbourne to Townsville from 7-18 May. They will meet with staff at combat training centres including Singleton and Puckapunyal. The visit will enable Australian Defence personnel and the Canadian delegation to discuss a shared commitment to gender equality and inclusion across the workforce. The delegation includes Colonel Jennie Carignan, Captain Géneviève Bertrand, Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Stapleford and military sociologist Ms Karen Davis ….”
• Columnist plays goofy with “Viagra for the troops” story  “The news took me by surprise, the Department of Defence is no longer going to pay for Viagra for the droops, er. the troops. Oh, it didn’t take me by surprise that, due to budget constraints, the little blue pills were no longer free for those in uniform. It surprised me that it was free in the first place. Because nothing is free, you and I pay for bill the pill. I am all for supporting the men who dedicate themselves to the military and keeping up their morale is important. But my support stops when it comes to their nether regions. The Toronto Star, in a recent editorial, said the cost is minimal and the troops should continue to receive the pill courtesy of the taxpayers. The Toronto Star, the most liberal of newspapers, would give anything to anybody free, as long as it is not their employees. In Britain, people, especially those in the service, are encouraged to keep a stiff upper lip. Viagra for our troops gives that saying a new meaning, one that Queen Victoria, given her times, would be loath to endorse. In short, unless it is covered by a drug plan, and you know it isn’t, because even though the blue remedy is by prescription only, insurance companies are too stingy to foot the bill, we should not be paying for the male equivalent of Cooper’s droop ….”  Well, there’s an argument to be made that CF members are covered by a drug plan (one paid for by taxpayers). If such “covered” meds are such a concern, maybe media outlets would like to share info on how much they spend on Viagra for their employees covered under drug plans, no? Just sayin’ …
• What’s Canada Buying?  Someone to develop military apps (Android and/or iPhone) for the Canadian Forces
• “The pressure of performing for dignitaries at international events and Canadian Forces members stationed around the world is all in a day’s work for the Royal Canadian Air Force Band. But the 13 RCAFB professional musicians from 17 Wing Winnipeg who’ve entered Global’s Canada Sings competition have faced a whole new challenge—singing and dancing on national television. “We came up from guys who had never danced and could never have done any choreography to guys who actually held it all together,” chuckled Sgt. David Grenon, team captain of the song and dance troupe they’ve dubbed Super Sonic. “We made it look not too bad.” Super Sonic is one of 12 glee club teams made up of everyday working folks from workplaces across Canada competing on the second season of the six-part competition later this month. Grenon said a coach from the show spent a whirlwind week with Super Sonic in Winnipeg last February teaching the crew dance moves and the mash-ups they would be performing, and after a month of practice, the team was flown to Toronto to shoot the big show …. The top team wins $25,000 for a charity of their choice, and all the other competitors get $5,000 to pass along to a good cause. Whatever amount Super Sonic wins will go to Support Our Troops’ Soldier On program, which provides resources and opportunities for ill and injured military personnel ….”
• “The Sri Lankan military is thought to be involved in the murder of a Canadian citizen of Tamil origin, according to journalists in Sri Lanka. The founding editor of a nationalist Tamil news organization told QMI Agency Sunday that his journalists on the ground in northern Sri Lanka reported that the Montreal man was murdered after trying to reclaim property seized by the military. Andrew Mahendrarajah Antonipillai, 53, was found dead in northern Sri Lanka in early May, his family told QMI Agency on Saturday. Jeya Kopinath, 42, founding editor of TamilNet, a Tamil nationalist news site, said his journalists reported that Antonipillai’s throat was slit and his penis cut off, just outside the northern Sri Lankan town of Kilinochchi ….”

TALIBAN PROPAGANDA WATCH – 132250UTC May 12

NOTE:  Do NOT click on a link to the Taliban’s or other terrorist web pages if you don’t want the webmasters to see your computer’s IP number. This material is from web pages and forums carrying statements attributed to the Taliban, Taliban spokespersons or supporters of the Taliban, or analysis thereof. Posting of this material neither confirms nor endorses any of its content – it is shared for information only. When material translated into English is not available, Google Translate is used to translate the original  – this is only a machine translation, NOT an official one.

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The wrath of Jihad ‘Al Farooq Operation’ launched in Afghanistan (screen capture at Google Docs)
Sunday, 13 May 2012 01:48

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Al Farooq operation is the name of the country-wide Islamic Emirate’s offensive this year. A year has passed since the launch of Al Badr operation which still terrorizes the hearts and souls of the Kuffar invaders. Al Badr was an operation that kept the world media engaged with shocking news of courageous efforts against the occupying forces.

Al Badr operation of course could not totally avenge the cruelty, genocide, disgrace and other acts of wildness directed against our people, however, it was a wave of joy for all those that have suffered from those brutalities. It was a message from the heirs of all the martyrs and the homeless that went back to the west with the dead bodies of the Jewish troops. May they put these messages on their tombstones.

As we all know the occupying enemy is facing a disastrous defeat. This year’s ‘Al Farooq Military operation’ has been launched to counter all of their conspiracies; and so far we have inflicted considerable damage to these enemies across the country especially in the capital Kabul. Now, the enemy is trying all its tricks to bring rift between the Mujahideen and the general public. They are dedicated to conceal their defeat and pave their way to eventual withdrawal.

Now that the New Year’s operation ‘Al Farooq’ has been launched, thousands of martyrdom lovers and those who want to gain the exalted title of ‘Ghazi’ will draw into the ranks of the Mujahideen. We will soon observe that ‘Al Farooq’ will replace ‘Al Badr’ as the message of fear and terror and will deprive them of their sleep. We believe this because the start of the operation this year indicates how successful it will be over the course of the year.

The coward father of the crusaders and Zionists ‘Obama’ came to Afghanistan in the dark of the night to sign a shameful pact with his local servant. On the same night Al Farooq operation was launched which targeted the American base of ‘Green Village’ in the capital Kabul, sending an alarming message to the Zionist president of America. Hearing this, the American crusader was not able to stick on the ground and left Afghanistan in the dark similar to the way he had entered. If a single strike against the so-called green village of the crusader army can force their leader to flee our homeland so soon, then let’s imagine how long will it take to terrorize their paid foot soldiers. When faced with the true Mujahideen who are ready to sacrifice their lives for their Deen, no crusader will be able to stay for long on the ground.

Inshallah, we will soon see the scattering of this Jewish alliance and soon the occupying forces will withdraw from our country. As the name ‘Al Farooq’ literally suggests, it is the operation that will show the world the difference (or farq) between ‘Haq’ (truth) and ‘Batil’ (Lie). The mass civilian population of Afghanistan have also come to the conclusion that the western occupiers are nothing but intruders who have been crossing lines in the areas of traditional, religious and cultural norms. They have now understood that the more they keep silent against these tyrannies the more such intrusions will increase and in fact such a silence can cause the unlimited wrath of Allah Almighty. With the launch of Al Farooq operation, we should know that a country wide armed resistance will take place and with Allah’s help and people’s support, the Islamic Emirate under the leadership of the Mujahideen will be revived. Such a move will be nothing but the interpretation of this holy verse:

(….)

Truth has arrived, and Falsehood perished: for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish.

With Allah’s help, the sons of Islam and Afghanistan have infiltrated the ranks of the army and the police and are impatiently waiting for their opportunity to kill as many crusaders as possible and quench their thirst for the blood of the enemy. Last year as well, as part of ‘Al Badr’ operation, the sacrifice of a courageous and faithful brother who had infiltrated the Afghan army led to the death of 17 French invader soldiers. Following that attack, the French unilaterally decided to bring out their troops from Afghanistan. This French decision nevertheless terrorized all the other satanic allies as well.

The invaders should be made aware that the names of these operations are not merely accidental rather they have a special meaning and interpretation. With every success, the truthfulness of these names appears before all the faithful ones. The people of Afghanistan and the rest of the world should look forward to the spontaneous attacks of the lion-hearts of the Islamic Emirate. They should see how many more coffins of filthy soldiers will be transported back to their homelands. How many crusader mothers will never see their sons again and how many more of the filthy night partners will lose their dreams!

Indeed the Muslims are looking forward to their heroes to destroy and humiliate their enemies; destroy their check posts, barracks and bases. The satanic plans of the crusaders will be countered by the brave moves of the Mujahideen and inshallah the flag of the Kufr will be brought down and the Islamic flag will be hoisted back in the holy land. Ameen

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MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 13 May 12

• More on the latest litigation on how Canada’s wounded warriors are treated  “An Edmonton soldier is among those launching a lawsuit against the federal government over changes to veteran benefits. In 2005, Ottawa made changes to the way that it calculates compensation for soldiers who are wounded in battle. Veterans say that, because of those changes, those who have been wounded since will receive much less over their lifetimes. “The government changed the rules on us halfway through the war,” said Major Mark Campbell, who is involved in building the lawsuit. “It’s the families. It’s not just me, this is about my family.” Campbell lost both his legs when Taliban fighters detonated an explosive that had been buried in the dirt in June 2008 …”
• More on the Minister’s estimate of how much the Libyan campaign cost, from a blogger who shares MORE of the interviews the CBC is basing its stories on:  “…. Did MacKay report the number he was given by his department by provided the caveat that more costs could come in? The CBC report does not mention this disclaimer on cost estimates and opposition upset over “misleading” Canadians does seems to hinge on the suggestion that MacKay was absolutely fixed on $50 million as a cost estimate. It would be fair to the Minister (and to the news consumer) to provide this extra context ….”
• An interesting exchange over at Army.ca on a recent exercise in the U.S. involving some Canadian reserve units:  what the papers say versus what some of the troops saw
• Afghanistan  An alternative view:  “NATO is not losing the war in Afghanistan. Canadians can be proud of all that has been accomplished there and feel some comfort that there are millions who have gained from our human losses. Of course those are just my opinions based on what I saw there late last year and through communications I still have with people still there. It was a story in the Toronto Star that prompted me to reach out to some of those people and find out what was going on. “NATO’s lies on Afghanistan continue” was the headline in the April 28 posting of a column by Haroon Siddiqui. His lead was “NATO cannot win in Afghanistan.” Time will tell who is right. But I also think the wishful thinking that NATO, and the people of Afghanistan, are just going to throw in the towel and allow the Taliban to return is absurd ….”
• Marc Hani Diab, 1986-2009, R.I.P.  “Young Marc Diab and his family would halt, standing still on the roadside, whenever Israeli tanks lurched through the streets of their Lebanese village in the 1990s. In the security zone along the Israel-Lebanon border, the military vehicles were a steel-plated reminder of the region’s political instability, an uncertain state in which some Ain-Ebel villagers saw no future. But in those tanks, filled with gun-toting troops, little Marc saw his: life as a soldier. “He used to say, even back in Lebanon when we used to have the Israeli army go through our streets all the time, ‘I want to be a soldier, I want to be a soldier,’” recalls eldest sister Jessica Diab, 30, of the time her brother was about 8. But Diab would not fight for Lebanon, where an only son is not permitted to enlist. He became a soldier in Canada, the peaceful country that lured his family from Ain-Ebel to Mississauga 12 years ago. But the soldier — who would die in Afghanistan at age 22 — carried a secret. A premonition of his death. One so strong that he made a farewell video for his family and entrusted a friend to show it at his funeral. Diab’s extraordinary story is the focus of an award-winning documentary If I Should Fall, which was invited to the GI Film Festival in Washington, D.C. Directed by 24-year-old Brendon Culliton of London, Ont., it will premiere Thursday at the Canadian Embassy before nearly 200 guests, including Pentagon officials ….”
• Wounded warrior, Trevor Greene, underwhelmed with the current government:  “…. Stephen Harper’s vision of Canada seems to begin, and end, in the tarsands, and everything else be damned. Tolerance is redefined as applying only to anyone who agrees with that vision. Everyone else is “radical,” an “extremist,” or even included in his government’s new program battling terrorism. This is an insult to those of us who have fought, and sacrificed for our country, against real radicals, real extremists and real terrorists. When I read about ministers of the Crown attacking and smearing heroes like David Suzuki, who are trying to put us on a more sustainable pathway, I wonder what’s happened to Canada. I fear for the kind of world my daughter and son stand to inherit should we cave in to this oil-driven agenda. Not a good one, I am certain. If my own story gives inspiration to others, and I hope it does, then it’s about exactly that — hope. I was given little chance of surviving, let alone thriving, and I’ve already half proven that wrong ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?  “The Department of National Defence has a requirement for training services in support of the CF188 aircrews using a CF188 simulation training system called the Advanced Distributed Combat Training System (ADCTS) ….”
• Happy Mom’s Day from the Minister  “On Sunday, May 13th it is important that we take time to celebrate Mother’s Day; a day set aside each year to honour and recognize motherhood, and to thank mothers for all they bring to our society and to our lives. I would like to pay particular homage to the mothers within the ranks of the Canadian Forces, the wives and partners of CF members, and to the mothers of our CF members, past and present. We thank you for your compassion, your encouragement and your guidance, and we are blessed to have you as a part of the CF family. To the mothers within the Canadian Forces, we are especially grateful to you for your dedication, your strength and your perseverance through the long hours of work, the training and the deployments, which separate you from your families, occasionally for many months at a time. Your commitment through these challenges is nothing short of heroic, and I know that all Canadians join me in saluting you. To all mothers, on this day, we respect all that you do and thank you for being there for us, for your support, your strength, and for your love. And, I would like to extend my thoughts and prayers to mothers who lost loved ones in service to our nation. We think of you often and we hold you in our hearts this Mother’s Day. I sincerely wish all mothers a wonderful Mother’s Day, and thank you for brightening our every day.”
• Good show!  “From May 12 to 16, 2012, 15 military members from Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School (CFLRS) will cycle from Rivière-du-Loup to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, a distance of more than 550 kilometres, with the goal of raising $15 000 for Opération Enfant Soleil. “This activity is a chance for us to combine two values dear to us in the Canadian Forces: physical fitness and community involvement,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Ross Ermel, Commandant CFLRS. This fund-raising campaign, which involves personnel from CFLRS and Saint-Jean Garrison, was launched in April and included a barbecue at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in May. Even before leaving on their bike tour, CFLRS had already raised $8 400. The rest of the fundraising will take place during the bike trip, when the team stops for barbecues in the different towns along the route, including Rivière-du-Loup, La Pocatière, Montmagny, Lévis, Donnacona, Trois-Rivières, Berthierville and Pointe-aux-Trembles ….”
• “A man and three women in their early twenties have been charged with committing a terrorism-related prank following smoke-bomb attacks that crippled the Montreal subway system Thursday. The suspects, Francois-Vivier Gagnon, Genevieve Vaillancourt, Vanessa L’Ecuyer and Roxanne Belisle, turned themselves in to authorities Friday. They appeared in court via video conference today to face charges of inciting fear of terrorism, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. They were also charged with conspiracy and mischief of over $5,000, while Gagnon was charged with possession of a prohibited weapon. Smoke bombs were set off at several metro stops at the height of rush hour Thursday morning, forcing the entire subway system to shut down ….” - more here and here
• Khadr Boy  “Residents of a quiet Scarborough neighbourhood are stunned to learn that terrorist Omar Khadr may be moving into their picturesque, tree-lined street when he returns to Canada. A Khadr family relative said Omar’s mom, Maha Elsamnah, used to live in the Midland and Eglinton Aves. area, before moving some time ago. The two-storey home is owned by Omar’s grandfather and is believed to be one of the places where he will be staying when he is released from prison. “She (Maha) moved out, don’t you know,” the relative yelled. “You should know that she moved out.” The man began swearing when asked questions about Omar and ran into the home and started taking photos of a Toronto Sun team. Various members of the Khadr family have been living in the neighbourhood for years without attracting much attention. Neighbours on the street said people regularly come and go from the home without associating with community members. “People and cars are always coming and going from there,” said one neighbour, who said he didn’t want to get involved. “They pretty well keep to themselves.” ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 12 May 12

• More on The (Not So) Mysterious Leopard MERX Posting (1)  Questions in the House of Commons on this story. with a response from the Foreign Affairs Minister:  “…. Let us look at a backgrounder on the website of the Department of National Defence dated July 8, 2009, which explains the whole project. Let us look at the MERX listing from April 11. It indicates very clearly a Leopard 2 conversion to an AEV, not transmission equipment. The minister has been completely open and completely transparent on this file.”  A note to whoever wrote the Minister’s Question Period response:  the award announcement on MERX (alternate site for posting here) appears to be dated April 5, not April 11.
• More on The (Not So) Mysterious Leopard MERX Posting (2)  Here’s the Minister of Defence’s response to a softball question on the issue from a fellow Conservative:  “…. The MERX posting clearly describes these projects. It is a detailed project description, and summaries appear in both the Public Works and Government Services and the Department of National Defence websites. We can table them. For almost three years that information has been publicly available. It was provided to the media and the general public July 8, 2009 ….”
• Big HQ changes (1)  “…. the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, is pleased to announce a new Operational Command and Control structure for all Canadian Forces (CF) operations and Naval transformation. This initiative is part of a renewed CF transformation effort – a process designed to ensure that the CF deliver results for Canadians. The CF will launch a revised Operational Command and Control structure with the creation of a single command, the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC). Consolidating the activities of Canada Command, Canadian Expeditionary Force Command, and Canadian Operational Support Command, this new headquarters will be responsible for conducting all CF operations in Canada, North America, and globally, in concert with national and international partners …. The new CJOC, which will be implemented in a phased approach in the upcoming months, will be commanded by a Lieutenant-General. This phase of the defence renewal initiative will result in a 25 per cent reduction in national-level command and control overhead, and it will make more efficient use of administrative resources. This will allow for a redistribution of CF personnel to emerging capabilities and operational demands, allowing the CF to remain ready to meet its core missions, with a focus on domestic operations ….” - more in the Backgrounder here, and more on the Royal Canadian Navy changes here.  Put more simply:  the CF spent ~$100M extra dollars for the Libyan operation over and above the money it would already be spending keeping those planes flying and those ships afloat on regular operations.
• Big HQ changes (2)  Now, in media speak (Canadian Press dialect):  “The Harper government quietly has announced a major shakeup at National Defence, a move that will largely return the military to its pre-Afghan combat mission structure, and possibly shed thousands of jobs. The restructuring of commands will see the headquarters that manage domestic, international and support operations merged into one structure. Defence Minister Peter MacKay says the overhaul is built on some lessons learned from the Afghan, Libyan and Olympic operations. MacKay says the new headquarters, known as Canadian Joint Operations Command, will be responsible for conducting all military missions at home and abroad at the best cost to taxpayers. The consolidation will result in a 25 per cent reduction in the size of defence command-and-control overhead — something described as a necessity in a review report by last year by the former head of the army, retired lieutenant-general Andrew Leslie. Precisely how many job losses or retirements that will mean is unclear ….” - Agence France-Presse’s version here
• Libya (1a)  “Defence Minister Peter MacKay is defending the government’s accounting of the costs of Canada’s military mission in Libya, following the release of new figures by the Department of National Defence that lay out the final cost of the deployment. The department puts the incremental costs of the mission — costs the military says would not have been incurred if Canadian Forces had not been deployed — at just under $100 million. And the total cost of the operation — a figure that includes everything from jet fuel to pilot salaries, including the salaries of military personnel — comes in at $347 million. Last October, MacKay told CBC Radio’s The House the Libyan mission had cost taxpayers less than $50 million. “As of Oct. 13, the figures that I’ve received have us well below that, somewhere under $50 million,” MacKay said ….” - more here and here
• Libya (1b)  When in doubt, bring in the Generals to back up the politicians, right?  “National Defence diced its figures as closely as it parsed its words in defending the cost of the Libya bombing campaign. The director of the military’s strategic joint staff was called to explain duelling figures on how much the Harper government spent on the NATO mission, which ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi last year. Maj.-Gen. Jon Vance defended Peter MacKay, the defence minister, who claimed last October the air and sea campaign was under budget and set back the federal treasury by only $50 million. The actual incremental cost ended up being $103.6 million when all of the bills were tallied last February. Vance says MacKay did not mislead the public and answered the question of how much had been spent up until that time. But he concedes the minister would have known the estimated cost when he was questioned and did not speculate on why MacKay chose to go with the lower figures exclusively. “He would have known what the estimated cost was — for sure,” said Vance. “The minister would have known what the all-up estimated cost of the mission could be. On that day, he knew what the cost of the mission was to that point in time.” ….” – more here (the General’s speaking notes) and here  Sorta like earlier this week with the mental health cuts/changes:  first the politicians speak, then the Generals.
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Headline Alert:  The worries are specific to another plane, but with a system that will apparently be used in the F-35 (which the government is keen to say that hasn’t been chosen to buy these days)  “U.S. fighter pilots are complaining that the same breathing apparatus systems expected to be used in the F-35 fighter jets Canada plans to buy are faulty and fail to deliver enough oxygen to pilots in certain flying situations. Two American air force pilots told the U.S newsmagazine show 60 Minutes earlier this week that the oxygen generator in F-22 fighter jets does not give them enough air during high altitude maneuvers. Lockheed Martin, which makes the F-22 as well as the F-35, plans to use the same oxygen system in both planes. The U.S. fighter pilots allege the system is not dependable and could cause a pilot to lose consciousness. This phenomenon is known as hypoxia and can be fatal. “I am not comfortable flying the F-22 right now,” U.S. Major Jeremy Gordon, who flys with the Virginia Guard, told the CBS show. The oxygen generator in the F-22s is made by Honeywell. After problems with the system first surfaced, the U.S grounded all its F-22s. But they were soon back in service after the air force failed to pinpoint the problem. Chris McCluskey, a spokesman for associate defence minister Julian Fantino said “questions concerning [the F-35] progress should be directed to the manufacturer.” Alison Orne, a spokesman for Lockheed Martin, based in Marietta, Ga., told QMI: “I have to refer you to your respective government for comments.” ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?  We have our last Hercules J-series plane!  “The Honourable Julian Fantino, Associate Minister of National Defence, joined by Lieutenant-General André Deschamps, Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and members of 8 Wing Trenton, today welcomed the ahead-of-schedule arrival of Canada’s 17th and final new CC-130J Hercules aircraft, which will be put to work very soon in the vital tactical airlift role across the country and around the world ….”
• A former security bureaucrat speaks out against getting rid of CSIS’s Inspector General (I.G.) to save some bucks  “…. The Minister is responsible for a portfolio, which employs some forty thousand individuals, of which CSIS is one portion. How can he possibly fulfill his responsibilities to the public and ensure that CSIS hasn’t stepped over the line? The reality is he cannot. In recognition of this fact Parliament in 1984 provided for the Office of the Inspector General. The I.G. and its staff are specifically tasked in sections 30 to 33 of the CSIS Act to examine the operation activities of the Service to ensure that it has not contravened its policies, Ministerial Directives, any law of Canada and further that it has not exercised its powers in either an unnecessary or unreasonable manner. Most importantly, CSIS is by law required to provide to the I.G. any information, report and explanation that the I.G. requires to fulfill its mandate. The Inspector General through an annual certificate provides its assessment of CSIS activities to the Minister, which assessment is shared with the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC). It is for this reason the Inspector General has been called the “Eyes and Ears” of the Minister ….”
• “Montreal police say they have arrested four people following Thursday’s multiple smoke bombing attacks that shut down the city’s metro system and stranded hundreds of thousands of people. The four people turned themselves in to police late Thursday afternoon, accompanied by their lawyers. Police questioned the four – three women and a man – to determine charges. “That could be mischief, but we’ll see what else it could be,” said police Sgt. Ian Lafrenière. He wouldn’t confirm that they are the same people as those captured in eyewitness images, but said the four were wanted in connection with the smoke bomb incident at the Lionel-Groulx station ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 11 May 12

• And so it comes to this…. “A group of injured Canadian soldiers is launching a class-action lawsuit against the federal government over services and benefits for veterans. The soldiers say Ottawa’s treatment of them is shameful, and a newer veterans charter – touted as an improvement – Is actually worse than the old one. Maj. Mark Campbell is one of these veterans. He lost both of his legs in June 2008 after an improvised explosive device detonated beneath him during a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan. His left leg was all but vapourized in the blast. His right leg barely hung on by a few strands of shredded bone and tissue. Today, he suffers phantom limb pain where his left leg below the knee used to be – an excruciating kind of torment so severe, he needs methadone to manage it. He’s on maximum allowable doses of other pain medications, and their list of side-effects is long. “But I have no choice,” the Edmonton father of two says. “It’s that, or I don’t want to live.” …. “I can take being legless. That’s not too hard to take,” he told Global News. “What’s really hard to take is seeing my family falling apart, watch my wife and children – my children failing school, because we’re looking at no long-term financial security.” Campbell is one of a growing number of veterans discovering their disability benefits are actually lower under the newer veterans charter, which was introduced in 2006. “(There is) 40 per cent less financial compensation over the course of my lifetime, easily.” The Equitas Society, a support group for veterans headed by Vancouver police officer Jim Scott, says the benefits have proven to be woefully inadequate. “The new veterans’ charter has reduced the benefits to disabled soldiers by one-third for severely disabled soldiers, and to up to 90 per cent for partially disabled soldiers,” Scott says, whose son was badly injured in Afghanistan. “They have no remedy other than the courts, because they have brought this issue to Veterans Affairs Canada and have been basically with presented with spin, denial and refusal that there is a problem.” Equitas also says disabled veterans are receiving less than what civilians get under workers’ compensation programs. The group has been working for months on the class-action lawsuit, even persuading national law firm Miller Thomson to take the case for free. A suit such as this would normally cost millions of dollars ….”
• What’s Canada Buying? (1a)  This story’s a bit odd  “Under fire for bungling multibillion-dollar equipment programs, the Conservative government is clamping down on the information Canadians receive about military spending, declaring previously public documents as now secret and quietly awarding a $105-million contract for 13 new armoured vehicles, then claiming the deal was for transmission parts. In early April the government awarded a $105-million contract to a German firm, FFG, to build 13 Leopard armoured engineering vehicles for the Canadian Forces. The only information put out by government was a brief and inaccurate notice stating that the company had been awarded a contract to provide “vehicular power transmission components.” The notice also claimed the deal was only for one item. But defence industry sources say the government is misleading the public; the deal is actually for 13 specialized armoured vehicles, and not transmission parts ….”  Here’s the original call for information/bidders for the Leopard-to-AEV conversion work from May 2011 (alternate site for the posting here).  Note one of the categories it’s classified under is “N2520: VEHICULAR POWER TRANSMISSION COMPONENTS”, even though anybody reading the description of the work has to realize it’s MORE than just transmission work.  Nobody complained then that I know of.  Here’s the award announcement for the biggest chunk of the work from last month (alternate site for posting here) – same classification, same bid title.  Conspiracy to hide info?  Doesn’t look like it to me.  Sour grapes among some “defence industry sources”?  Maaaaaaaaybe….
• What’s Canada Buying? (1b)  Now THIS part, later in the same story, is pretty clear:  “…. several days ago aerospace industry representatives at a meeting in Ottawa were asked by a senior Public Works official to avoid criticizing the Conservative government’s controversial F-35 stealth fighter purchase ….”  Here’s the Globe & Mail’s version:  “Ottawa is asking Canada’s aerospace industry to avoid making waves over the F-35 controversy as it sets up a new process to purchase its next fleet of fighter jets. While Canadian firms have expressed nervousness at the confusion surrounding the file, government officials told the country’s main players in the aerospace field that they are still committed to the Joint Strike Fighter program. The continued Canadian participation in the program ensures that contracts can keep flowing as Ottawa reviews its decision to enter into a contract with manufacturer Lockheed Martin to purchase the jets that will replace the CF-18s at the end of the decade. One of the top bureaucrats in Ottawa’s new national fighter jet secretariat, Tom Ring, told a meeting of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada this week that he is hoping for less media coverage as the new federal body is being established. Mr. Ring, assistant deputy minister of acquisitions, spoke to the AIAC to explain the Harper government’s seven-point plan, which was established in reaction to last month’s hard-hitting report by the Auditor-General into the muddled process to date to purchase the fighter jets. Sources said his message included an attempt to persuade the aerospace industry to avoid rocking the boat ….”
• What’s Canada Buying? (2)  Someone to teach the CF to speak in (different) tongues as required (alternate MERX posting site here if link doesn’t work)
• A reminder to those who think Afghanistan’s the only place the CF is working these days  “On Sunday evening, 15 April, a jet dropped bombs on a rural village, killing seven and wounding 14. Within hours, a helicopter with foreigners, including a CF member, inside loads some of the wounded and departs for a nearby hospital. Was this in Kandahar province? Helmand, perhaps? No. The incident in question happened in Mayom, South Sudan and the CF member was Major Morgan Hladik, a Military Liaison Officer for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Major Hladik is one of 14 CF members on Operation SOPRANO who are working with the UN to support peace in a new and increasingly war-torn country. Major Hladik, a reserve officer with the Governor General’s Foot Guards in Ottawa, was at a UN base in Bentiu – a rural town in Unity State bordering Sudan – when he heard reports that Sudanese Air Force jets had bombed Mayom approximately 75 kilometres to the west. Two of the bombs had landed inside the UN County Support Base compound, damaging the generator, radio equipment and buildings ….”  More on Operation Soprano here
• Canada’s Army boss drops by troops in Afghanistan, the Middle East  “Lieutenant-General Peter Devlin, Army Commander, along with the Army Sergeant-Major Chief Warrant Officer Giovanni Moretti and a collection of honorary colonels, toured Canadian Forces (CF) missions in the Middle East and Afghanistan between 22 and 28 April, 2012 to get a first-hand look at the work CF members are doing in some critical regions of the world ….”
• Afghanistan (1)  “ “I am Tarzan,” yells Manha Judin, as he effortlessly negotiates the Weaver, a daunting structure on the new obstacle course at the Kabul Military Training Centre (KMTC). One of eight Afghan National Army (ANA) instructors being introduced to the course, Manha is easily the most enthusiastic. The symbolism of the new training aid is hard to escape. There is an obvious parallel between the challenge of successfully negotiating this obstacle course and the challenges facing the ANA as it tries to grow sufficiently in quantity, quality and capability that Afghanistan will be ready to take responsibility for its own security by 2014. “They are soldiers; they are like us,” said Master Warrant Officer Bradley Rogers, lead training advisor for the ANA Instructor Branch. “”And they train like us. I spent two and a half years at recruit school, overseeing this kind of training exactly. They are working their problems out. They are the guys who will be in charge. They will be just fine.”" The course also underscores the relationship between Canadian advisors and their ANA counterparts ….”
• Afghanistan (2)  Column on why Canada should keep funding World Vision to help women, children  “…. Dave Toycen says that far too many mothers and babies continue to die during childbirth in Afghanistan. “Whenever that happens in a culture, it wreaks a terrible price,” says the president of World Vision Canada, a Christian non-governmental organization that delivers humanitarian aid and long-term development assistance in Afghanistan. World Vision’s work in Afghanistan is “particularly focused on child maternal health,” Toycen says. The NGO trains midwives, provides nutrition programs for expectant mothers and newborns, and promotes education for both boys and girls. “In the areas where we’ve been working, there’s no question that mothers that are giving birth are clearly not dying in the numbers that they were before,” says Toycen …. Given Afghanistan’s misogynistic culture, can Canadians really make a difference in the lives of women and girls? “Yes, there’s no question that girls and women are in an inferior role in the culture,” Toycen concedes. But he doesn’t think that should be used as an excuse for inaction. “How are [Afghanistan’s problems] going to get better if nobody is there helping with education, if nobody is there helping with health?” …. Last month, Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the House of Commons that the current plan is to complete the training mission in 2014, “but as we approach that date, we will examine all options and we will take the decision that is in the best interest of our security objectives for the globe.” In other words, the future of the Afghan mission is uncertain. If Canada and the rest of NATO stick to the strategic timetable and withdraw in 2014, will World Vision remain in Afghanistan? “We’re going to stay there as long as we can operate,” Toycen answers. “We’ve been there now for over 10 years. And as long as we can help women and children in the country, we will stay.” However, World Vision’s continued presence in Afghanistan isn’t a sure bet …. The Harper government should help World Vision do just that. To that end, the Prime Minister ought to reverse the approximately 10-per-cent reduction of CIDA’s $3.4-billion budget and instruct the agency to enter into negotiations with World Vision to support the NGO’s work in Afghanistan.”
• Stuart Langridge, R.I.P.  “A young soldier’s longtime girlfriend said she couldn’t get anyone in the military to call her back when she desperately tried to learn whether it was true that Cpl. Stuart Langridge had killed himself. It took at least six hours before Canadian Forces officials at the base in Edmonton finally told her he was dead, Rebecca Starr said Thursday at a Military Police Complaints Commission hearing. The hearing is examining how the Forces investigated Langridge’s suicide following complaints from his parents that their probes were biased and designed to absolve the military of responsibility for the way they managed the case ….”
• Budget 2012  A question & response on French-language services in part of the CF from Question Period:  “Mr. Jean-François Fortin (Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ): Mr. Speaker, after the closing of the Quebec City rescue centre, which was able to respond to fishers and pleasure boaters in French, and after the removal of valuable artifacts from Quebec’s history to be put on a shelf far from their place of origin, it is now the turn of the military in Quebec to bear the cost of the Conservative government’s cuts. Why does the government want to deprive members of the military in Quebec of easy access, in French, to this essential dispute resolution service?   Hon. Peter MacKay (Minister of National Defence, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the member does not have enough information. The decision was made to expand our service, but it is sometimes necessary to review certain services, and that is what we are now doing. We have taken the view that we are looking to provide direct services in many cases, particularly in areas of mental health services. We have made decisions to make those professionals closer to bases, closer to where the service is needed, and we do so in both official languages.”
• Libya  “Amid allegations the Conservative government intentionally lowballed the price of the F-35 stealth fighter project, newly released National Defence documents indicate the full cost of last year’s Libya mission was nearly $350 million — seven times what Defence Minister Peter MacKay told Canadians it cost. The revelation is likely to raise further accusations of a systemic effort to hide the true cost of Canadian military operations and equipment purchases, and lead to fresh demands for accountability. Last October, with Moammar Gadhafi dead and NATO wrapping up its seven-month air-and-sea campaign in Libya, MacKay said the mission had cost taxpayers $50 million — or about $10 million less than the Defence Department had predicted. “As of Oct. 13, the figures that I’ve received have us well below ($60 million), somewhere under $50 million,” MacKay told the CBC on Oct. 28, three days before the mission officially ended. “And that’s the all-up costs of the equipment that we have in the theatre, the transportation to get there, those that have been carrying out this critical mission.” But buried in a report tabled in the House of Commons this week are Defence Department figures pegging the full cost of the mission at more than $347.5 million. Even taking into account the Defence Department’s controversial practice of only reporting “incremental costs” — those deemed to be above and beyond normal operating expenses — the mission still came in at $100 million, or almost twice what MacKay claimed. The minister’s office did not respond to questions by time of press ….”
• Way Up North  No word yet of the obtained documents mentioned in this story being shared, so no word yet what else is in them  “Six years after the Harper government declared the Arctic to be a new operations area for the Canadian military, the army has struggled to find enough parkas, cold-weather tents, lanterns and heaters to equip forces that take part in its annual summer exercise. The “critical equipment shortfalls” were so bad last year, the head of the army approved a request by area commanders to buy missing gear themselves, say internal briefing documents. The briefings also show the army worried about running out of parkas, and turned to the air force for help. The army is “required to affirm national sovereignty and conduct patrolling and surveillance operations,” said a May 26, 2011, briefing note for Lt-Gen Peter Devlin, the country’s top soldier. The document was obtained by The Canadian Press under the federal access-to-information law. The request to buy gear came from Land Forces Atlantic region units taking part in the annual Arctic exercise Operation Amok, which the Conservative government has used as a showcase for its northern ambitions. “Although the (land force areas) have received some equipment critical to achieving (initial operating capability), their equipment lists are inadequate or incomplete, and some immediate purchases are required in order to ensure mobility, survivability and credibility within the context of Op Amok 11.” ….”
• Minister announces renovation and other work being done at bases in Winnipeg and Bagotville
• Good points from this columnist on some elements of the “flower power, pray for peace” message:  “…. I don’t think there’s any danger of the hippie approach of abandoning every field except the sexual one turning out to be the answer to evil. Nor do I think that because most armed conflicts end in peace negotiations, negotiators can substitute for soldiers, or peace conferences for military engagements. I think war is the sun that ripens the fruit of peace, and unripe peace cannot be plucked. I think the danger is in shying away from complexities, sometimes to the point of failing or refusing to notice them. The danger is complexity-denial, which cuts across the political spectrum, afflicting left and right in equal measure. The danger is looking for panaceas — and an even bigger danger is believing we have found them. That’s when we launch missiles that, unlaunched, would have protected us.”
• More on the protesting war artist  “An acclaimed Canadian artist with ties to Waterloo Region is speaking out by doing the unspeakable. Allan Harding MacKay, a former Kitchener resident and curator at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, tore up a piece of his own artwork Tuesday night on CBC’s Power & Politics. MacKay, who now maintains a studio on Toronto Island, confirmed he plans to shred four more pieces of his artwork …. on Parliament Hill …”
• “Police said several smoke bombs were set off at multiple points in Montreal’s subway system during morning rush hour Thursday, briefly cutting off service and creating a nightmarish morning commute. Quebec Premier Jean Charest condemned the attack, saying he hopes the guilty parties are found. “It’s inexplicable,” Charest said. “There’s no reason to commit acts of intimidation and violence. There’s no excuse for this.” Bombs were tossed onto the tracks at three stations along the transit network that connects numerous neighborhoods in Canada’s second largest city, sending clouds of smoke billowing through stations at key transfer points, said police. Most service was restored just after 10 a.m. (1500 GMT). Montreal police spokeswoman Marie-Elaine Ladouceur said officers are hunting for several suspects including one man and three women whose photos they received from witnesses ….”
• Ooopsie …. “For once, Don Cherry isn’t in the hot seat over what he said on “Hockey Night In Canada.” Instead it’s his longtime on-air companion Ron MacLean, who sparked controversy when he compared players to 9-11 first responders prior to Wednesday’s playoff game between New York and Washington. At the start of the broadcast, MacLean notes that the two cities were united by the tragedy of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He says it is “crazy to compare what the emergency responders did during that time, but a spirit has to start somewhere.” He then goes on to say you “can’t help but be struck by the players and the way they’ve played these games. “They are like police officers, they are like firefighters. You can’t fight fire with ego. The pain these men have faced, the price they keep on paying, the hearts they keep on lifting.” MacLean and the CBC issued a statement Thursday to “clarify” the comments, which were rebuked by columnists on both sides of the border and scorned on Twitter. But his statement failed to soothe some on the social networking website, who noted he opted to explain rather than back down from the comparison ….”