MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – December 17, 2012

• “The Canadian Army is trying to hold on to its intelligence-gathering capability and its ability to disrupt spying in the face of budget strain, say internal National Defence documents.  A briefing note prepared for the country’s top soldier shows the army has pushed the military’s chief of intelligence to permanently staff “high-readiness” intelligence positions within brigades and all-source intelligence centres that could be called upon to deploy overseas.  The documents, obtained by The Canadian Press under access to information laws, also show the army is anxious to protect its network of human sources and operatives, known as HUMINT, and to better resource its counter-intelligence abilities.  With the end of the war in Afghanistan and a shrinking defence budget, there is a fear those disciplines could face “degradation.”  The army’s budget by itself has shrunk by 22 per cent ….” 
• 10 Nov 12:  “Stephen Harper sidesteps call to boost funding for vets’ funeral“
• Five weeks later:  Veterans Affairs Minister:  “We are TOO doing stuff!“
• “In keeping with its mission of encouraging and supporting the entry of women into the industry, the Canadian Association of Women in Construction (CAWIC) is donating $2,000 to a recently launched Canadian military employment transition program.  Association president Tammy Evans, a partner in the law firm of Blaney McMurtry, said the Canada Company initiative is “a perfect fit” for CAWIC. The program help Forces personnel find jobs after they leave military service.  “As we have a significant shortage of skilled trades in Canada and military personnel have desirable transferable skills, we will be working with Canada Company to provide information, assistance, connections and support for women who are interested in entering the construction industry.” …. The national program, announced last summer, is intended to build and strengthen relationships between Canadian employers and the military in order to help military personnel transition to civilian careers ….”
• Analyst-former officer on UAVs for Canada  “…. for the foreseeable future, UAS (or “drones”) will have considerable value and wide use in the field of surveillance and reconnaissance, but little direct application in the fields of weaponry, and the least in the arena of air-to-air combat, at least for Canada ….”
• Syria  “Canada will not join the United States and other governments in recognizing the opposition as Syria’s legitimate “government-in-waiting.”  In an interview with CTV’s Question Period Sunday, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said he had carefully considered the move, but has decided the conditions aren’t in place yet.  “We’re prepared to work with them, we’re prepared to engage with them, but we’re not prepared to recognize them as the sole, legitimate voice, government-in-waiting of the Syrian people,” Baird said ….”

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