MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – June 11, 2013

• Afghanistan (1)  “As the Taliban launches a series of bloody spring offensives within the walls of metropolitan Kabul, Canada’s final contingent of troops to Afghanistan is mere days away from touching ground in the desert city.  A mixed force of 700 soldiers, including 500 from Land Force Western Area’s major garrisons in Edmonton and Shilo, Man., will be the final deployment for the NATO-led training mission of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).  Preparing to deploy as deputy commander of Canada’s contribution to the operation, Col. Lee Hammond expressed confidence in the ANSF’s ability to defend their people from the Taliban after Canadian troops leave the country in 2014.  “It’s an appropriate time for us to leave,” reflected Hammond from his office at the Edmonton Garrison.  “The Afghans, as a sovereign country, have to be able to move on and address their own problems and Canada has given them the hope and the optimism that they can do that.” ….”
• Afghanistan (2a) “A Canadian soldier who testified about his struggle for health benefits has been notified that he will be discharged in six months, despite assurances from Defence Minister Peter MacKay that he would suffer “no ramifications” for speaking out.  Vancouver-native Cpl. Glen Kirkland, who nearly died in Afghanistan five years ago when he was ambushed by the Taliban in the Zhari district, said he received a notice in the mail of his impending discharge.  Kirkland had said he was ordered not to testify about his concerns or he’ll have no pension when he’s discharged, or be given adequate assistance for covering his medical bills for a long list of injuries.  Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Monday that Kirkland had not yet been released from the military, but appeared to acknowledge the six-month discharge notice.  “There were papers signed and explained to him that they were to do with his future career,” said MacKay. “He willfully signed those papers. But I can confirm he has not been released from the Canadian Armed Forces.” ….” - here’s what the Minister said last Thursday during Question Period.
• Afghanistan (2b)  Here’s what the Minister had to say yesterday during Question Period  “When I heard about the testimony of Corporal Kirkland, I was out of the country doing business on behalf of the Department of National Defence and the country. As a result, I sought assurances from the department that there would be no negative inference as a result of his testimony. If there has been, I certainly would like to hear about it.  If the member has further information, specific to this individual’s case, I would be happy to receive it …. Any Afghan vet injured in combat will not be released as a result of those injuries.  Rather than trying to score political points on the floor of the House of Commons, everyone would be better off had the hon. member chosen to contact my office on behalf of this individual and we could work productively with him, which I am very anxious to do on behalf of Corporal Kirkland.”
• “Canada is one of 19 countries participating in a major military exercise in Jordan that is taking place amid reports government forces in neighbouring Syria are on the verge of a breakthrough against rebel forces.  Jordanian and U.S. officials who are leading Eager Lion 13 say the exercise has nothing to do with events in Syria, where two years of fighting has killed an estimated 80,000 people.  But Canada’s participation is only the latest instance over the past year of this country’s efforts to bolster the Jordanian military’s strength and capabilities in case the Syrian war explodes into a regional conflict.  This is the second iteration of Eager Lion, which will run from June 9-20 and involves 8,000 soldiers from 19 Arab and Western countries.  The foreign contingent includes 4,500 American soldiers who have arrived with fighter aircraft, amphibious assault craft and Patriot missile systems.  The Department of National Defence did not respond to questions about how many troops or what type of equipment Canada has sent for the exercise. It also did not say what role the Canadian Forces is playing ….” – more on EX Eager Lion 2013 here
• “The Department of National Defence is investigating its handling of sexual assault complaints involving a convicted former medical technician who is facing 31 new charges, The Canadian Press has learned.  Complaints involving James Wilks were mishandled, says a lawyer for one of his victims who is suing the former medical technician and the military.  Phillip Millar, who says he is also representing several other women who have come forward to file claims against Wilks, alleges his chain of command knew of complaints against him but did little to act on them.  “People have come forward indicating they reported issues that went unheard and unactioned,” Millar said in an interview from his law office in London, Ont.  “When was the first time a complaint was made internally about this guy and what did they do about it? I think that’s going to be their big problem is that there were previous complaints that weren’t followed up on.”  A spokeswoman with the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service would only say it started looking into the matter last month “to determine if appropriate action was taken by the chain of command of … James Wilks when staff was made aware of his actions in the workplace.” ….”
• “The Canadian air force was told more than year before being rapped on the knuckles by the auditor general that varying its hours of search-and-rescue operations would mean significantly improved response times for people in distress.  The Defence Research and Development Canada analysis, obtained by The Canadian Press, examined in detail the way rescue squadrons do business.  The analysis says tinkering with the schedule would give joint rescue centres more leverage “to save lives without increasing” the staffing levels of air force units.  Despite the conclusion of the March 2012 report, the recommendation gathered dust until the military was taken to task in April by the auditor general, who found the rescue system is close to the “breaking point.”  Examining data over a five-year period in the early 2000s, the report says as many as 20 people — out of 814 involved in rescues during that time — would have benefited from shorter response times.  The report was commissioned by the head of the air force in late 2007 and looked at data over a five-year period ….”
• Way Up North (1a)  “The multinational dimension to improving security and military surveillance in the world’s vast Arctic region will top the agenda when defense chiefs from the eight leading Arctic nations meet (today) 11 in Greenland to discuss future challenges.  Hosted by Denmark, the two-day meeting will take place in the southwestern town of Ilulissat. Besides Denmark, the meeting will bring together defense chiefs from the US, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland.  “There is no set agenda for this informal meeting, but the important topics that will be discussed cover air and sea rescue, maritime surveillance, and environmental protection,” said Danish Defense Command spokesman Anders Fridberg ….”
• Way Up North (1b)  Meanwhile, “The first China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium will start (today) in Shanghai. The Polar Research Institute of China hosts the symposium in cooperation with the Icelandic Center for Research.  Participants will be Chinese and Nordic institutions. The theme of the conference is “China-Nordic Cooperation for Sustainable Development in the Arctic: Human Activity and Environmental Change” ….”
• Way Up North (2)  Think tank report:  ““Saying it ain’t doing it.” Infrastructure gaps in maritime search and rescue in the North of North America.” (5 page PDF)
• “Defence Minister Peter MacKay says Canada’s own secretive online and phone metadata surveillance program is “prohibited” from looking at the information of Canadians and is directed at monitoring foreign threats.  MacKay responded Monday to a Globe and Mail report that stated he had approved a program in 2011 that tracks the data surrounding online activity and phone calls searching for suspicious activity, but not the messages themselves.  NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair asked MacKay in question period on Monday if the Conservatives were monitoring the phone and email records of Canadians.  “Let me be very clear, this program is specifically prohibited from looking at the information of Canadians,” MacKay responded. “This program is very much directed at activities outside the country, foreign threats in fact.”  The program was initially brought in by the former Liberal government in 2005, but was later put on hiatus over concerns it could lead to warrantless surveillance of Canadians. The Globe reports the program was quietly reinstated on Nov. 21, 2011 after MacKay signed a ministerial directive, which is not subject to parliamentary scrutiny ….” - more here and here
• “The federal privacy watchdog says she will look into any implications for Canada posed by possible U.S. government snooping on a wide scale.  The issue of data privacy is generating debate in federal circles this week following revelations the U.S. National Security Agency has been tapping into the information banks of American Internet giants.  The office of privacy commissioner Jennifer Stoddart says the scope of information reportedly being collected raises significant concerns.  Stoddart says while it is difficult to assess the merit of the allegations, she will confer with the watchdog that oversees the Communications Security Establishment — the Canadian counterpart to the NSA — to determine how the personal information of Canadians may be affected ….”
  
• Commentary  “Spy agencies have turned our digital lives inside out. We need to watch them“
  
• “Harper Government engages Canadians through Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security …. The Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security (CCRS) provides a forum for members from a number of Canada’s cultural communities to meet with officials from Canadian government departments and agencies in order to discuss policy and program issues related to national security. The CCRS also helps build understanding between Government and communities, and to identify any issues of shared concern. Together, the CCRS and the Government are building valuable relationships founded on trust and respect.  New members of the CCRS are Dr. Maurice Chalom from Montréal, Québec; Mr. Vahan Kololian from Toronto, Ontario; and Ms. Gbonga Loro from Edmonton, Alberta ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – June 10, 2013

• Afghanistan  There might also be a case to be made that she was working for Afghans, no?  “The letter that arrived at the home of a leading Afghan women’s rights activist in February 2012 was chilling. “Respected Adela Mohseni, you all the time betray religion and the Koran,” it began. Because she had ignored warnings and continued to “co-operate with infidels,” it said, she now faced death.  “After this, wherever our mujahedeen find you, it is obligated that they will sentence you to death and kill you in order to save our Islamic country.”  Such “night letters” are a common Taliban intimidation tactic, often producing deadly results for Afghans considered enemies of the fundamentalists. In this case, though, the message reverberated all the way to Canada.  Though not named in the letter, the “infidels” for whom Ms. Mohseni had been working were at a Canadian government-funded human rights institute. Since 2007, she had been employed in Kabul by Montreal-based Rights and Democracy, promoting legal reforms to protect the rights of women.  She went into hiding immediately after receiving the letter and then, on the advice of her superior at Rights and Democracy, fled with her family to India, seeking temporary refuge. Fifteen months later, she is still there, recognized as a refugee by the United Nations but unable to work, struggling to support her children and still fearing for her life.  “I was working for Canada, and they should support and secure me, but unfortunately they didn’t,” she wrote recently ….”
• “The Department of National Defence has been quietly spreading its wings and becoming a major torchbearer for Canadian diplomacy even as Canadian envoys stage rotating strikes and Foreign Affairs struggles to stay relevant.  Defence officials have been staging high-level meetings with foreign counterparts, spent millions of dollars more on foreign travel and hospitality and placed a greater emphasis on reaching out to non-traditional allies in recent years.  It’s all part of a dedicated strategy first launched two years ago and which has been steadily gaining steam – even as Canada’s traditional foreign service has wrestled with a diminished role and been told to focus on trade, trade and more trade.  National Defence would not make anyone available to talk about its Global Engagement Strategy, but internal documents obtained by Postmedia News show “defence diplomacy” to be a major focus in the post-Afghanistan era.  “This involves a broad spectrum of international activities by the defence team,” reads one briefing document prepared for Defence Minister Peter MacKay in March 2011, “from high-level engagement and visits, to international personnel placements, Canadian defence attaches, ship and aircraft visits, joint exercises and capacity-building initiatives.” ….”
• “The Canadian Army has suspended military operations in the vicinity of a tiny, uninhabited island off the coast of Greenland that has been the source of an ongoing spat between Canada and Denmark, Postmedia News has learned.  According to documents obtained under access to information legislation, the former chief of the defence staff, Gen. Walter Natynczyk, issued a directive in September 2012 that ordered Canadian Forces’ “operations in the vicinity of Hans Island be minimized with the exception of search and rescue (SAR) or emergency operations.”  Hans Island, which is only 1.3 square kilometres, sits between Canada’s Ellesmere Island and Greenland. While a maritime border has been agreed upon since 1973, the land border has caused diplomatic tension over the years.”
  
• “Veterans Affairs staff are bracing for as many as 500 job cuts.  The third round of cuts in the department is rumoured to be planned for later this month, though the government will not confirm if this is the case.  The government eliminated 278 full-time positions by the beginning of May but still has 506 more to cut, according to the Union of Veterans Affairs Employees.  Union president Yvan Thauvette said staff expect notices to go out shortly after the House of Commons rises this month or before it resumes in September.  “Most of the time they don’t want questions to be asked, so that’s why they send the letters when the House is not sitting,” he said.  The department has also quietly killed a quarterly performance report card that measured how well services were being delivered. The corporate performance reports also polled veterans on their satisfaction with the department.  The last report went out in November 2011, one month after the government confirmed it was planning to cut more than $200 million from the Veterans Affairs budget ….”
• “Results of an anonymous survey to be released in the fall by National Defence will shed more light on the extent of military sexual assault, including what has been called the silent crime of male-on-male rape.  Almost 68,000 troops, 86 per cent of them men, were asked last August to voluntarily complete the Canadian Forces Workplace Harassment Survey. It asks respondents their gender, years of service and rank, along with 100 questions ranging from personal harassment to whether they’ve ever been raped.  It’s the first time the military has done such a survey since 1998.  Results could provide valuable insight into the extent of military sexual violence — an issue that former soldiers and frontline social workers say is rarely reported. The extent to which men in the military are sexually attacked by other men is even more cloaked in silence, they say ….”
  
• One blogger’s analysis of the Green Party’s stance on Canadian defence
• “A gay British soldier says Prince Harry rescued him from a homophobic attack by infantry members during a training exercise in Canada.  Trooper James Wharton became the target of abuse in 2008 after bragging about ‘‘scoring’’ with a fellow soldier.  ‘‘I think I’m about to be murdered by the infantry,’’ Trooper Wharton told Prince Harry who was his tank commander at the time.  After hearing the story the third-in-line to the throne reportedly declared: ‘‘Right, I’m going to sort this s**t out once  and for all.’’  ‘‘Harry climbed out of the tank and started having a go,’’ Trooper Wharton, who was then 21, writes in a book extract published in British tabloid The Mail on Sunday.  ‘‘He wasn’t holding back. Prince Harry was sticking up for me and putting a stop to the trouble.  ‘‘I had been on track for a battering and had been rescued.’’  Trooper Wharton, who quit the army earlier this year, writes that after hosing down the 2008 incident Prince Harry told him: ‘‘I  told those other lads to back the f**k off.’’ ….” – more in the Daily Mail piece here
• “Reports that U.S. authorities have been trawling for data from the biggest companies on the internet have so rattled Canada’s Privacy Commissioner, she’s seeking clarity from the country’s cryptologic agency to find out what this means for Canadians.  Stories Thursday in the Guardian and the Washington Post detailed the U.S. National Security Agency‘s PRISM program – warrantless intelligence-gathering that ostensibly targeted foreigners and reportedly involved collecting personal information from the servers of willing companies. All the participating companies listed have vehemently denied any knowledge of the program, which a U.S. government spokesman has called ”among the most important and valuable intelligence information we collect.”  “The scope of information reportedly being collected raises significant concerns,” Scott Hutchinson, a spokesperson for Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart, said in an email.  “Going forward, we plan to express our concerns to and seek information from the Commissioner of the Communication Security Establishment to determine how the personal information of Canadians may be affected.” ….” – more on the PRISM program here, more on Canada’s approval of some of the work here, some media commentary here and here, and some commentary from a former CSIS dude here
• “The federal government says it will allow an Ottawa man accused of terrorist ties to have a mobile phone, but balks at the idea of giving Mohamed Harkat access to the internet or removing his electronic tracking bracelet.  In documents filed with the Federal Court, the government says it is also open to dropping a requirement that Harkat get prior approval before travelling out of town.  The concessions would ease current release conditions for Harkat, but fall short of the full list of freedoms he will seek Tuesday during a one-day Federal Court hearing.  It has been more than a decade since Harkat, a refugee from Algeria, was arrested under a national security certificate on suspicion of being an al-Qaida sleeper agent — an accusation he denies.  He has essentially been living under house arrest with stringent conditions for seven years ….”
• “On his way to becoming Canada’s top cop, Bob Paulson told internal reviewers the national security certificate process for detaining suspected terrorists was “completely off the rails,” newly released documents show.  In an interview with an auditor examining the controversial program, Paulson, now RCMP commissioner, expressed concerns about excessive state secrecy in certificate proceedings.  The national security certificate is a seldom-used tool for removing non-citizens suspected of terrorism or espionage from Canada.  “In my view, we over claim the protection of sources and methods and this is convenient if you can get away with it,” say notes from the October 2009 interview, recently released under the Access to Information Act.  Paulson was assistant RCMP commissioner for national security at the time of the interview. Two years later, he was picked by the Harper government to become commissioner ….”
• “A bomb threat that forced one of the Canadian Cancer Society’s biggest fundraisers to cancel on Friday night is still being felt by other groups organizing their annual walks and runs this weekend.  Halifax Regional Police said someone called 911 from a payphone at the corner of Spring Garden Road and South Park Street and made threats that alluded to the Boston Marathon bombing.  Nearby, nearly 700 people were gathered at the Oval in the Halifax Common for the Relay for Life.  Police met with the organizers and the fundraiser was called off, ruining a year’s worth of work by dozens of volunteers ….”
  

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – June 7, 2013

• Afghanistan (1)  More from one of the senior officers on the ground (via the Info-machine) “Since I last wrote, much, as they say, has changed. We have moved from our beloved home at Camp ALAMO and now occupy quarters on nearby Camp BLACKHORSE, a much larger base with an already large contingent of fellow Canadians and other coalition partners. In accordance with higher-level decisions, Camp ALAMO has been handed over to an agency of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA). In a brief ceremony in the Camp ALAMO Dining Facility, where our military family enjoyed many a good meal and good company, the necessary transfer documents were duly co-signed by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Hall, Commander, Task Force CENTURION, and a GIRoA representative, with yours truly, Commander, Kabul Military Training Centre (KMTC). Before this, we also held a short ceremony at Camp ALAMO to mark the end of tour advisor presence at what many of us felt, and still believe, was the best camp in the mission ….”
• Afghanistan (2a)  “A fourth-generation solider who served in Afghanistan said he felt compelled to disobey orders and speak out about his experience as an injured veteran, regardless of the consequences he may face.  Vancouver-native Cpl. Glen Kirkland barely survived a Taliban ambush in the Zhari district of Afghanistan five years ago, and said he fears he’ll have no pension when he’s discharged, or be given adequate assistance for covering his medical bills for a long list of injuries.  The 29-year-old recalled the terrifying attack during a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday.   “My tour was one of bloodshed, constant fighting and on the second last day of my tour, my platoon was ambushed by an estimated 120 Taliban fighters,” an emotional Kirkland recalled.  He said the rocket that hit his vehicle missed him by “inches.”  Three of the five soldiers in the vehicle died in the attack.  “I had to pull myself while on fire, and through gunfire, to try to extract my dead and dying brothers-in-arms.”  The attack, Kirkland said, resulted in the loss of 75 per cent of his hearing, the loss of some sight and a brain injury that left him forever dependant on insulin.  “I suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) so badly that I haven’t been able to visit my home in Vancouver for years,” he said, with tears in his eyes. “I can’t handle the anxiety of being around crowds. Survivor’s guilt haunts me every day.”  Kirkland recalled the phone call he made to his father while in the hospital in Afghanistan.  “My dad said, ‘Don’t worry, Canada will take care of you,’” he said. “My dad was wrong.”  Kirkland said he had aspirations of becoming a police officer, but his injuries have dashed that dream.  He said he’s been denied certain medical aids upon returning to Canada.  “I cried,” he said. “Not like a person in pain, but as a person who is totally and utterly defeated.”  Kirkland said he’s been told to remain quiet about his experience after returning from battle.  “In the past I’ve been threatened with a dishonourable discharge,” Kirkland told CTV News ….”
• Afghanistan (2b)  Defence Minister promises soldier who spoke to Parliamentary Committee will not face sanctions and receive all benefits – this from Question Period yesterday:  “I have sought and received assurances from the Department of National Defence, from our military, that he will receive every and all benefits to which he is entitled.  I will go further and commit to him and his family that he will suffer no ramifications for his testimony. We need to hear from veterans like Corporal Kirkland, and as well he will not suffer any consequences from coming forward.  In addition to that, he will continue to serve as long as he decides to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces …. Hon. Peter MacKay (Minister of National Defence, CPC):  Putting aside the usual feigned outrage from the member opposite, Mr. Speaker, this is now in Hansard so it is in writing.  I will repeat: Corporal Kirkland is a Canadian hero, is courageous for coming forward, but more important than that, he shed blood in the service of his country.  He will of course receive the proper benefits. He will of course suffer no consequences, and will continue to serve in the Canadian Forces as long as he decides ….”
  
• “The class action lawsuit filed against the federal government on behalf of disabled soldiers compensated under the New Veterans Charter is now underway …. On May 31, 2013 the government filed its Notice of Application, and Written Arguments.  These documents are on the Equitas Society web – site, and appear to take an aggressive stance against the disabled soldiers’ position …. The representative disabled soldiers, through their legal counsel Miller Thomson LLP, are required to provide a written response to the governments’ motion to strike out their application for a class action law suit (by 14 Jun 13) ….” – more in a thread over at Milnet.ca here (DISCLOSURE:  I’m a moderator over at Milnet.ca)
• More D-Day anniversary info-machine material from the PM, the Veterans Affairs Minister and the group that went to France
• “Three Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels will be conducting coastal operations and training off the coast of British Columbia until end July. As part of their scheduled port visits, the three warships will also visit Prince Rupert, B.C. and participate in the 35th Annual Seafest from Jun 7-9 ….”
• More on HMCS Toronto’s big drug bust here and here
  
• “Many entry points to Canadian Forces bases are now without guards during the day as part of security changes related to budget cuts hitting the Department of National Defence.  Sources told CBC News more than 60 commissionaires, who controlled access to dockyard gates, have been let go, and some of the sites will be looked after by an expanded duty watch of military personnel.  Documents obtained by CBC News through the Access to Information Act revealed eight officers and a civilian made 38 recommendations earlier this year about how to continue guarding the gates to various DND sites.  Those recommendations were redacted in the document.  The people who attended the January meeting on reducing the operations and maintenance budget at CFB Halifax were warned to be discreet.  “[The chair] reminded all present that because of the nature of this meeting, the contents of this meeting were not be discussed outside or with anyone other than attendees of this meeting,” the documents state.  In Halifax, Stadacona’s main gate is unguarded, as is CFB Shearwater ….”
• “The two main unions representing the 2,000-member civilian workforce at CFB Esquimalt asked members to boycott Wednesday’s annual barbecue to honour civilian employees at the base.  Both the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Union of National Defence Employees urged their members to stay away from the event, hosted by Rear-Admiral Bill Truelove, that celebrates Public Service Week.  Capt. Jennifer Jackson of base public affairs didn’t give an estimate of attendees or say if the turnout was affected.  “The people who were there seemed to be really enjoying themselves,” she said.  This is the first time the unions have boycotted the barbecue, said Mark Miller, vice-president of UNDE.  “We’ve got these workforce-adjustment announcements, or layoffs, that have been coming out nationwide, as well as our collective agreement being undermined. We’re saying there’s no way we can be seen as being appreciated when we’re being kicked around,” Miller said ….”
  
• “Old business cards weren’t the only things thrown out when the federal government returned the Canadian Army’s old name recently. Song sheets weren’t far behind.  The Canadian Army adopted a new official march, entitled The Great Little Army, that it feels not only better reflects the land force’s size and character, but is more catchy to boot.  Official marches are important touchstones of a military unit’s identity, and are often played during special events and occasions such as military parades.  The army’s old official march Celer Paratus Callidus, which is Latin for “quick, clever and ready,” was adopted in 1968 when the army was merged with the air force and navy, and renamed Land Force Command.  Despite being the official march for 45 years, Canadian Army spokeswoman Colleen McGrann said Celer Paratus Callidus “is neither particularly tuneful or easily recognizable, and thus has not become embedded in the army’s culture.”  When the federal government restored the army’s old name in August 2011, commanders saw “an ideal opportunity to clearly identify a new army march,” McGrann said ….”
• “In what is being called a first in Canada, a rainbow-coloured Pride flag is to be raised at an Alberta military base Friday in a ceremony to be attended by senior officers and civilian members of the GLBT community.  Master Warrant Officer John McDougall made the request for the flag-raising a few weeks ago through the military chain of command at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton.  McDougall, who is a company sergeant-major in a field medical unit, said he was surprised when his request was quickly granted.  He said times have changed since he joined the army as a private 23 years ago.  “This is a huge turnaround from what used to be. When I first joined, I would never even consider telling anyone that I was gay. It just wasn’t macho,” he said.  “To be at the stage now where it is not only recognized and accepted and tolerated, but the base commander of the one of the largest bases of Canada is willing to have that flag put up, it is just an amazing feeling.”  The Pride flag, a symbol for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, is to be flown near the base headquarters building for one week to coincide with Edmonton’s Pride festival ….”
• “In a new Policy Update from CDFAI, University of British Columbia post-doctoral fellow David S. McDonough asks whether or not Canada should rethink its involvement in Ballistic Missile Defence by focusing on four myths that surround the debate ….” – more in the full document (10 page PDF) here
• “Construction of the new HMCS Hunter building is on schedule says the commanding officer.  Work began on the new $16 million project last fall.  It will be a state of the art facility built on port authority land at the foot of Mill Street with a 60-year lease.  “It’s obviously going to be … located right here on the water, which is terrific for us,” said Dan Manu-Popa, Commanding Officer, HMCS Hunter. “It gives us the flexibility and the access both to conduct training and conduct on-water response, should we be tasked to do so.”  HMCS Hunter is currently located in downtown Windsor.  The new facility is not only good for Armed Forces but also good for the Olde Sandwich Towne area, too. It’s anticipated to be a shot in the arm for a business area losing so much lately.  The west end will also get a new park on a parcel of Port Authority land at the foot of Mill Street ….”
• Way Up North  “The World Arctic Forum (Thursday) Announced the Opening of Their Offices in Toronto, Ontario, Canada ….”
• No idea why the Veterans Affairs Minister was asked to provide a quote on new proposed new rules for establishing safe injection sites
• So, is THIS (or here or here if the first link doesn’t work) what the PM’s new plane is going to look like?  Here’s some discussion over at Milnet.ca on the PMO’s idea of painting one of the CF’s planes in non-CF colours?  More from media here and here

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – June 6, 2013

• D-Day Plus 69 (1)  Almost 70 years ago today, Canadians joined thousands of other allied troops in the invasion of France to kick out the Germans – more on that here and here
• D-Day Plus 69 (2)  From someone who was there  “When Pierre Gauthier first stepped into the French city of Caen, there was little to see beyond the sad remnants of a months-long battle. The city had been flattened. Rubble, destroyed buildings and the paltry ruins of a centuries-old cathedral, with its windows blown out, were all that was left ….”
• D-Day Plus 69 (3)  Don’t worry, the politicians are in France  “On behalf of the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister for La Francophonie, Eve Adams, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, will mark the 69th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy at a commemorative event also marking the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Juno Beach Centre ….”
• “So-called “Lost Canadians” are taking to Parliament Hill this week, fighting for the citizenship they say is rightly theirs — and it appears they have the opposition on their side.  They are men and women who have been denied citizenship because their fathers were technically British subjects when they got their would-be war brides pregnant while serving during the Second World War.  The NDP will table a motion before a Commons committee on Thursday — the anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of Nazi-Germany occupied France — to recognize that the situation of the remaining Lost Canadians ” has gone unaddressed for too long.”  The motion notes the children of Canadians who served in the military and were born before 1947, when Canada first established its own citizenship, are particularly affected. It calls on the government to “urgently bring forward measures to restore citizenship to the Lost Canadians.”  “Action can be taken this week,” NDP immigration critic Jinny Sims said Wednesday. “Let’s get this done.” ….”
  
• “Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Toronto successfully disrupted her fifth – and by far the largest – narcotics shipment since March of this year as part of ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the Arabian Sea.  During the search and inspection of a vessel by the ship’s naval boarding team on May 30th, Toronto’s crew recovered approximately 6 tonnes of hashish. The narcotics were recovered without incident and will be destroyed …. This marks the largest hashish seizure in Combined Maritime Forces history. Earlier this spring, HMCS Toronto also seized one of the largest amounts of heroin on the seas.  To date, HMCS Toronto has recovered roughly 7.3 tonnes of narcotics, representing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of drugs at street value ….” - more from the House of Commons question period yesterday here
  
• “Leadership of the Royal Canadian Air Force non-commissioned member corps changed hands during a change of appointment ceremony in Ottawa (Monday). Chief Warrant Officer Patrick Young assumed the position of RCAF Chief Warrant Officer, taking over from Chief Warrant Officer Kevin West who moves on to become the Canadian Armed Forces Chief Warrant Officer under General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff.  CWO Young is the first military cook to assume the position of RCAF CWO and achieve the rank of chief warrant officer ….”
  
• “The federal government is taking more direct control in appointing the next principal of the Royal Military College of Canada, leaving the school’s own board of governors without its customary say in who gets chosen.  Last month, a committee struck to find candidates was disbanded at the urging of the Privy Council Office, the hub of the federal public service. A new, smaller group has taken its place, dominated by government and military voices and without a single professor.  Searches for past principals at the RMC, the country’s only federal university, have typically been led by members of the board of governors and select professors. But the federal government has changed the rules, leaving faculty frustrated at being shut out of a key decision in the school’s academic future, and worried good candidates may be scared off ….”
  
• “How do we fight wars?” conference in Kingston  “Has war-fighting evolved over the past ten years of continuous war-fighting since the events of September 11, 2001, and what impact has this evolution had on Western armed forces, particularly their armies? …. This year (Kingston Conference on International Security) will explore the challenges that face Western armed forces in the aftermath of a decade of war. It will examine the ethical challenges posed by recent conflicts such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Mali, and how the lessons of those conflicts have been learned as armed forces anticipate a period of rejuvenation after a period of sustained action, and how the experiences of those who fought can be appropriately transmitted to new cohorts ….”
• Delisle/spying  Commentary from Liberal defence critic  “The government of Canada’s indifference to the most serious breach of national security since the Munsinger Affair is scandalous.  It will be recalled that in that case, parliamentary inquiries were held, procedures were changed, and ministers resigned.  The Delisle Affair, on the other hand, has been largely consequence-free ….”
• “After a bit of a bumpy start, newly elected Labrador MP Yvonne Jones used her first day in Parliament Tuesday to hammer the government’s record on search and rescue.  Jones, a Liberal who defeated former federal cabinet minister Peter Penashue in May’s byelection in Labrador, asked about an incident last month in which Innu leader Joseph Riche died at a remote lake.  None of the three Griffon helicopters based at the air force base in nearby Happy Valley-Goose Bay was available to respond to the emergency. All three were undergoing maintenance.  “This was days after the Minister of National Defence made a campaign stop in town to reassure people that adequate search and rescue was in place,” Jones said during question period ….”
  
• Why is the Veterans Affairs Minister taking part in what sounds like a drug announcement?  More, as it happens ….
• Israel  “A Canadian who joined the military wing of Hamas died in an Egyptian hospital six months ago after an Israeli warplane struck his gun position in southern Gaza, according to a statement by the Palestinian terrorist group.  A flowery martyrdom notice on the website of the Al Qassam Brigades described Hossam Al Hams as a 36-year-old naturalized Canadian citizen who moved to the Gaza Strip in 2002 and became a Hamas fighter in 2005.  “His Canadian citizenship enabled him to visit occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank,” said the Arabic-language elegy translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors terrorist activity on the Internet.  His Canadian citizenship enabled him to visit occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank.  He was manning a Hamas air defence site near the southern city of Rafah when the Israeli air force struck on Nov. 17, it said. He was taken to hospital in Egypt with burns, fractures and shrapnel wounds and died on Nov. 29.  The Hamas statement comes amid growing concerns over the participation of Canadian extremists in overseas terrorist groups ….” - more from the Hamas info machine (from November of last year) here
  
• Iran  “Canada accused Iran on Wednesday of “sanitizing” a sensitive military base to hide evidence from nuclear inspectors, in remarks that all but charge the Islamic republic with concealing a secret atomic weapons program.  In a statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, the Canadian representative described the “sanitization efforts” at Parchin, which Iran has cleaned up and sealed under asphalt since the IAEA asked to inspect it.  “We ask Iran to explain how this behavior can be seen as anything but an attempt to conceal past incriminating activities,” said Shawn Caza, Canada’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations nuclear agency.  The gathering of the IAEA’s board of governors has been taking place behind closed doors at the agency’s Austrian headquarters, but a copy of Mr. Caza’s prepared remarks was obtained by the National Post ….”  Meanwhile, Canada’s Foreign Affairs info-machine extends sympathy to “the families of the thousands of innocents who have fallen victim to the Iranian regime, from the first days of the Islamic Revolution to the present” in Iran.
  

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – June 4, 2013

• “Minister MacKay in China meets his counterpart, General Chang Wanquan” – here’s what they agreed to say they said, and here’s what Minister MacKay told the media he said about cyberattacks coming out of China – more here
• Delisle/spying  Commentary  “If involvement by the RCMP in the Delisle spy case was delayed, it probably wasn’t out of fear that the Mounties might poison the investigation. More likely, it was to respect a long-standing procedure designed to protect the RCMP’s own criminal investigation ….”
• Well done!  “(Yesterday) 12 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members were recognized in the House of Commons for their valuable contributions to the CAF. These members spent this past weekend in Ottawa taking part in the 2013 CAF Recognition Program. Each member chosen for the Program is presented with a Chief of the Defence Staff Commendation for deeds or activities beyond the demand of normal duty. Participation in this program is a unique experience for those selected ….”
• Congrats!  “During a gala last Friday in Quebec City, Université Laval presented the “Prix Hermès” to Colonel Jennie Carignan, Chief of Staff for Land Force Central Area/Joint Task Force Central.  This is the first time in its 36-year history that the award has been presented to a member of the Canadian Armed Forces. Col Carignan graduated from Université Laval with a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 2001. The “Prix Hermès” is presented annually to graduates who, through their career or social commitment, have excelled in the field of business administration ….”
• Ronald Kevin Megeney, 1982-2007, R.I.P.  “A former reservist who was found guilty of killing his soldier friend in Afghanistan was granted full parole in January, CBC News has learned.  Matthew Wilcox was sentenced to four years in prison for criminal negligence causing death after he shot 25-year-old Cpl. Kevin Megeney of Stellarton, N.S. in 2007.  Wilcox started on day parole in June 2012, just months after he was sentenced at the Halifax court martial.  The judge, Louis-Vincent d’Auteuil, ruled that Wilcox was playing quick draw – a game that went terribly wrong.  The parole board held two hearings regarding Matthew Wilcox.  It said there is an extremely low chance he will reoffend ….”
  
• “On behalf of the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister for La Francophonie, Eve Adams, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Member of Parliament for Mississauga–Brampton South, (yesterday) congratulated John Tramburg, Vice-President of Cabela’s Canada, on its commitment to Canada’s Veterans ….” - more on the company here
  
• “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, has graciously consented to serve as the first Colonel-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces’ Legal Branch.  The announcement of this appointment comes on the day following the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty’s coronation as Queen in Westminster Abb(e)y.  The appointment is a highly symbolic reflection of The Queen’s coronation oath that included an oath “to cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all judgements” throughout her reign.  In essence, the acceptance of the appointment by Her Majesty  is a mark of tremendous honour for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and, equally, a  reaffirmation of loyalty and duty to The Queen on the part of the CAF ….” – more in the Info-machine Backgrounder here
• Wanted:  groceries for CFB Trenton, CFS Alert
• Syria  Commentary:  “Sometimes, in diplomacy, a translator is not enough. You need a code-breaker.  This is very much the case with the latest round of diplomatic statements about the civil war in Syria, currently the biggest armed conflict anywhere in the world. So here they are, deciphered.  It all started on Tuesday (May 28), when Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov announced that Russia would deliver S-300 air defence systems to Syria. He then added the following cryptic comment:  “We think this delivery is a stabilizing factor and that such steps in many ways restrain some hotheads from exploring scenarios that would turn the conflict international with the involvement of outside forces.” What on Earth does that mean?  What Ryabkov was saying, decoded, was that giving Syria some state-of-the-art air defence missiles would enable it to shoot down American, British, or French aircraft if they try to enforce a “no-fly” zone over Syria. And the “hotheads” he wants to deter are the American, British, and French political leaders who talk about doing exactly that ….”
• “Canada isn’t saying whether it will join more than 60 other countries in signing a landmark treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade.  The federal government hasn’t decided whether it agrees with the UN’s arms trade treaty, despite having voted to move it ahead in the first place, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Monday.  “We believe that any treaty regarding the sale of munitions that helps move the international community closer to world-leading standards is a good thing,” Baird said during question period.  “We participated actively in these discussions. I think we have an obligation to listen before we act, and that is why we will be consulting with Canadians before the government takes any decision.”  Those who ratify the treaty will have to establish national regulations to control the transfer of conventional arms and components and to regulate arms brokers, though it won’t control the domestic use of weapons in any country ….”
  
• “A terror suspect charged in an alleged plot to attack a Via Rail passenger train is having difficulty finding a lawyer who will try convincing a court to judge him against the Qur’an.  Chiheb Esseghaier appeared in a Toronto court via video link on Monday to discuss his attempts to find legal aid representation — a process which has so far been unsuccessful due to the specific and unusual demands he has made.  “I want that the lawyer help me to change the reference of my case from the laws used by humans to the laws of the holy book,” he told the court. “I cannot take a lawyer who is not able to fulfil my need.”  When asked by the presiding justice of peace if he fully understood the proceedings, Esseghaier, who was wearing an orange jumpsuit and sported a full beard, said he did ….” – more here
• “A British cancer expert involved in treating Arthur Porter says the former head of Canada’s spy watchdog will not live to see a fraud trial in this country unless it happens within a year.  Karol Sikora, an oncologist who once headed the World Health Organization’s cancer program, says Dr. Porter has enjoyed improved short-term health but he still has terminal cancer that will kill him in six months to a year. “The prognosis is not good. He’ll never go to trial,” Dr. Sikora said in an interview Sunday evening, moments after calling Dr. Porter in a Panamanian prison to obtain permission to release the prognosis.  Dr. Sikora offered the timeline despite “vowing to never make another one publicly” after he erroneously predicted the quick death of the Lockerbie bomber in a high-profile embarassment. He said he has followed Dr. Porter’s case since last fall, when carcinoma was found in his lungs during treatment for a persistent cough ….”
• “The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), was joined by Dr. Claudia Paz y Paz, Guatemala’s Attorney General, to announce the delivery of Canadian-funded equipment that will improve security and stability in Guatemala and throughout the region ….  Canada’s contribution of equipment, including digital cameras, radios, binoculars and computers, will help to bolster investigations into major crimes, including transnational criminal activity and narco-trafficking. The project is delivered through Canada’s Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program (ACCBP) and directly supports special methods of investigation by the Office of the Attorney General in Guatemala ….”
  
• “The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister for La Francophonie, joined Senator Yonah Martin and Member of Parliament Blaine Calkins (yesterday) to express support of Bill S-213: An Act Respecting a National Day of Remembrance in Honour of Veterans of the Korean War, which has passed through third reading in the House of Commons. The Act will establish a new national day of recognition—Korean War Veterans Day—to be held each year on July 27 ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – June 3, 2013

• Happy Armed Forces Day from the Commander-in-Chief, the PM, and the Defence/Associate Defence Ministers (as well as the Liberal Party and NDP)
  
• “…. The Harper government takes great pride in saying it has poured an additional $130 million into improving the system of military medical care since being elected, including an often-trumpeted $11.4 million for mental health.  When you listen to the accounts of soldiers past and present, it is still a system of stifling bureaucracy, occasional leadership indifference, but most of all prejudice.  It can be the kiss of career death for a soldier, especially in combat arms such as the infantry, to put their hands up and say they have a problem with the horrors they’ve witnessed ….”
  
• “Defence Minister Peter MacKay will head to China Sunday after meeting with key allies in the Asia-Pacific region. But a planned meeting with his Chinese counterpart may not go smoothly.  MacKay said he expects to have “frank and open” discussions — diplomatic code for a tough chat — with Gen. Chang Wanquan over China’s aggressive military moves in the South China Sea and its penchant for cyberespionage.  The minister, who was in Singapore for an annual Asia-Pacific security summit Saturday, told QMI Agency that talks at the forum — both formal and on the sidelines — were dominated by those concerns.  Canada, keen on developing trade ties, has muted its tough talk with China in recent years.  MacKay hinted that might change.  “I’ve met with a number of my counterparts here in the last few days. They are quite clarion in their calls for China to respect their jurisdiction, their sovereignty rights and, in fact, some of the resource implications are of great concern,” he said. “So I do intend to speak openly, speak frankly and express Canada’s view.” ….”
• “Canada’s military is turning its attention to the Asia-Pacific.  But Defence Minister Peter MacKay says its more about refocusing resources than a hard pivot towards upping its military presence in the booming region.  “Canada has never left the Pacific. We’re a country that has very strong credentials and bonafides in the area,” MacKay told QMI Agency in an interview from Singapore, where he was attending an a regional security summit.  MacKay said Canada is currently in discussions with Singapore to set up a small operational hub that would include a refueling station and would assist in disaster relief operations in the Asia-Pacific.  Canada is also seeking membership in the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus, a security group that collaborates on regional concerns ….” - more from the Info-machine on what he had to say to a think tank audience here.
• Commentary  “…. Canada has placed itself in an awkward position: The Harper government has been more righteous than virtually any other Western country in trumpeting its refusal to negotiate or deal in any way with any organization deemed terrorist. At the same time, Canada has become known as one of a handful of countries that habitually pays off terrorists  ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – May 31, 2013

• F-35 Tug o’ War  Media, come on down and listen to “senior officials” talk up the National Fighter Procurement Secretariat (but you can’t broadcast anything that’s said, and can only say “senior government officials” were talking) this morning!
• Syria  Editorial:  “Why restraint on Syrian arms shipments makes sense”
• Afghanistan  One Afghan’s take on western attempts to “help” his country
  
• Green Party boss Elizabeth May’s approach to defence  “…. The capacity of our military to effectively respond may be more meaningfully employed through our emergency disaster response than through stealth fighter jets. Responsible preventative steps against this man-made security threat comes through reducing greenhouse gas emissions in an aggressive time-bound fashion ….”
• “A Vancouver developer is suing the federal government for allegedly not disclosing that a parcel of land might be littered with unexploded ordnance left over from Second World War training exercises.  K&L Land Partnership paid $15 million for a 546-hectare parcel of land with views overlooking Kalamalka Lake near Vernon in order to subdivide it for eager home buyers in 2005.  But by 2011 the developments were put on hold after the company discovered the land could contain unexploded military ordnance ….”
  
• “(Former CSIS watchdog) Arthur Porter has changed his mind and will now fight extradition back to Canada where he is facing fraud charges, lawyer Ricardo Bilonick Paredes says.  Minutes after he left Porter’s cell Thursday, Paredes told CBC News that the former CEO of Montreal’s McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) plans to oppose extradition from Panama.  Porter had indicated on Wednesday that he did not intend to challenge the process, but his lawyer said the plan changed following consultations with his client.  “First he was not very happy, he was confused when I saw him the first time,” said Paredes.  “But when you have incidents like this you start thinking that you might examine your situation and decide what is the better option.”  Paredes said he will attempt to file a bond to get Porter out of jail by Tuesday. He said Porter could soon be moved to a much larger and more crowded jail ….”
• Canada, U.S. to jointly build stuff to protect the border  “The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, along with Ray LaHood, Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, and Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security, released (yesterday) the first-ever joint Canada-United States Border Infrastructure Investment Plan (BIIP) …. The BIIP is an interagency and binational planning mechanism developed to establish a mutual understanding of recent, ongoing and potential border infrastructure investments. It outlines the approach that Canada and the United States will take to coordinate plans for physical infrastructure upgrades at small and remote ports of entry. This initiative will be updated and disseminated annually ….”
• “For nearly three decades, Valour Canada has led the charge connecting Canadians to our unique and proud military history and heritage. Its mission is to educate Canadians on the role of our military and the understanding the role has had. The result? We become inspired to be engaged and participatory citizens of our great country.  And greatness was what a recent Valour Canada dinner held at the Calgary Golf and Country Club on May 16 was all about. Keynote speaker Maj. Eleanor Taylor gave a riveting and spirited address on the topic Changing Roles: Women in Combat ….”
• This from MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence Chris Alexander  “I am honoured to join Minister of Veterans Affairs Blaney and MPs across the country in remembering the sacrifices of Korean War Veterans by marking 2013 as the Year of the Korean War Veteran ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – May 29, 2013

• “It’s taking far too long for Canadian Forces members to be reimbursed for the cost of relocating their families or to have their complaints about compensation or benefits dealt with, the military’s ombudsman said Tuesday.  Pierre Daigle’s latest report says some soldiers have to wait as long as four years to settle the bill from their mandatory relocations, while those who grieve compensation or benefits are often left waiting for more than a year.  “This investigation was launched after numerous attempts to raise the issue with senior CF leadership failed to result in any concrete action,” Daigle wrote.  “Delays in adjudication and grievances related to relocation benefits have been growing for five years and they are having a significant impact on CF members and their families.”  The Canadian Forces moves about 16,000 members each year and there have been about 1,500 requests for adjudication of related claims each year since 2009, the report found ….” – more in the CF ‘budman’s report here, and in the CF’s response to the report here
• Delisle/spying  “The arrest of a Canadian naval officer spying for Russia did little to discourage Canada from welcoming that country’s defence chief to a Newfoundland meeting of Arctic nations last year.  The visit underscored the puzzling lengths to which the Harper government went to carry on a business-as-usual relationship with the one-time Cold War adversary in the wake of the Jeffrey Delisle case.  Documents obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act show that when the scandal involving Delisle broke in January 2012, Canada had not yet asked a group of Arctic nations to an April meeting of chiefs of defence.  And yet — despite the damage caused by Delisle’s espionage on behalf of the Russians — Gen. Nikolai Makarov was invited to and attended the get-together, meant to enhance co-operation between Arctic countries ….”
• Afghanistan (1)  Canadian academic book review:  “…. Despite heavy losses in recent years, the insurgency shows no sign of giving up. Meanwhile, attempts to establish a credible and legitimate Afghan government have been similarly disappointing. President Hamid Karzai, once hailed as the country’s democratic savior, came to be seen instead as the leader of one of the most corrupt regimes on the planet, a perception that has damaged his government’s legitimacy both at home and abroad. Afghanistan’s development and human rights indicators have improved, but it remains to be seen if these gains can be sustained as the international effort is scaled back ….”
  
• Afghanistan (2)  “Graeme Smith, former foreign correspondent for The Globe and Mail and award-winning reporter on southern Afghanistan is back on the ground in Kabul as a Senior Analyst for the International Crisis Group. OpenCanada talked to Graeme about Afghanistan’s political progress, his soon-to-be-released new book, and Canada’s ongoing responsibility to help those living in Kandahar ….”
• “Aircrews from Canada’s allies and partners will fly alongside the Royal Canadian Air Force in Exercise Maple Flag 46. This large-scale, international air combat exercise is hosted annually at 4 Wing Cold Lake, and will take place this year from May 27 to June 21 ….”
  
• CF Chief Warrant Officer Robert Cleroux is preparing to retire – best of luck in the next phase.
• “Two years ago, I placed my first-ever call to the Department of Veterans Affairs. With the Afghan war winding down, I suspected a new generation of young, skilled veterans — with incredible diverse and valuable experience — would soon be hitting the job market. Most will make very valuable employees. But what, I wanted to know, was the federal government doing to help vets start businesses?  Several days and a few phone calls later, the answer came back: Nothing. I made a mental note to move to a smarter country.  But last year I discovered Based in Business, a program founded by a group of students at Memorial University in St. John’s, Nfld. Privately, with the co-operation of the Armed Forces and the socially minded St. John’s business community, the free, week-long program has been turning retiring forces members from across the country into entrepreneurs since 2009 ….”
• “A Winnipeg-based war vet who fought in Afghanistan has completed a lengthy run to raise money for cancer research.  Cpl. Jean Francois Dion ran for 85 kilometres — the equivalent of two marathons.  He started the run from Southport near Portage La Prairie just after midnight and ran parts of both the Royal Canadian Air Force Run and the Manitoba’s Highway of Heroes.  Dion finished Sunday at the 17 Wing Whytewold gate in about 10 hours.  “When I saw the city sign at the Perimeter, I got an energy boost,” he said chuckling ….”
  
• Disarmament think tank on Canada as peacekeepers:  “…. Canada has the capacity to greatly improve UN peacekeeping. Many peacekeeping veterans still serve in the Canadian Forces, and Canada’s ability to train new peacekeepers from less experienced countries around the world is unparalleled. Our equipment, especially large transport aircraft purchased to supply the war in Afghanistan, is needed desperately by the UN for its global missions.  Our reputation is waning in the international community — demonstrated by our recent loss of a coveted seat on the UN Security Council to Portugal. Now is the time for Canada to return to the United Nations through international diplomacy, backed by a renewed commitment to United Nations peacekeeping.”
• Disarmament think tank on Canada buying UAVs:  “The federal government should think very carefully about the military’s push to obtain drones, experts and critics say.  “These drones have a psychological impact on the countries that possess them and the militaries that use them, and they tend to use them for targeted killings,” said Steven Staples, president of the Rideau Institute, an Ottawa-based think-tank ….”
  
• Way Up North (1)  “The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) presented a plan May 21 designed to “ensure safe, secure, and environmentally responsible maritime activity in the Arctic,” according to the plan’s preamble.  Premiering the Arctic strategy at a Washington policy and research institute, USCG Commandant Admiral Robert Papp described the Arctic as “the emerging maritime frontier, vital to our national interests, economy and security.” The USCG is responsible for maritime governance and safety ….” – you can check the policy (48 page PDF) here
  
• Way Up North (2)  Commentary:  “…. If Russia does initiate a full-scale drive to develop and settle its far north, it will probably break the Russian economy just as the Soviet economy collapsed in 1991. Considering Russia’s potential relative to that of the Soviet Union, its proposed “war with the cold” is probably more than it can handle.”
  
• “The former head of Canada’s spy agency watchdog, who received prestigious appointments from different levels of government and was nearly honoured with a street in his name, has been arrested abroad on fraud charges.  Arthur Porter has been detained by Panamanian authorities, along with his wife Pamela, several months after Quebec police announced they wanted to charge him in connection with the province’s ongoing corruption scandals.  The pair’s arrest was announced in a statement Monday by Quebec’s anti-corruption police watchdog, which said the operation was carried out with the help of the RCMP and Interpol.  “Extradition proceedings are being undertaken against the two,” the statement said ….”
• Commentary:  “It has become a disgusting habit of contemporary journalism that every time some deranged yob goes off the deep end with a carving knife shouting Allahu akbar, a battalion of television crews surrounds and lays siege to the local mosque until heartfelt on-air disavowals and loud declarations of civic loyalty are extracted from whichever hapless imam happens to answer the doorbell.  This really needs to stop ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – May 22, 2013

• “The first of two convoys from the Washington National Guard’s Spokane-based 1041st Transportation Company rolled into Canada over the weekend for an international training exercise designed to help improve overall North American military readiness.  A second is scheduled to leave Spokane on Wednesday, joining Canadian, British and other U.S. forces participating in Exercise Maple Resolve northeast of Calgary, Alberta. It’s described as one of the most complex training operations ever organized by the Canadian Armed Forces ….”
• Mark Collins wonders why Canada is using expensive naval assets to do police & fisheries work
• Way Up North (1)  Meanwhile, in the U.S., “Coast Guard To Navy: Arctic’s Covered; White House OKs Arctic Icebreaker”
• Way Up North (2)  Academic:  “…. It is readily evident that Canada’s desire to chair the council at this time has more to do with finding new ways of showing leadership and strength in the Arctic, as other promises have fallen short. Employing a multilateralist approach and making use of the council is a clever way for a capabilities-limited nation to maintain its place as an Arctic state without being seen as weak.  The Arctic Council is a good place for dialogue, but without the mandate to discuss military security issues, it becomes almost irrelevant to the realities of Arctic politics.  Multilateralism is a positive step for Canada to protect its national interests, but this strategy should be coupled with living up to the promises Harper has made to bolster the resources necessary for Canada to be a strong and vibrant leader in the circumpolar community.”
  
• “The Quebec soldier whose stolen sex tape ruined her military career said she hoped to reach an “accommodation” with army officials.  Alexandra-Kim Martin-Roberge said the Canadian army will present her with an offer on Tuesday at CFB Valcartier, just north of Quebec City.  In 2010, while on a 12-month assignment in Alberta, a fellow soldier stole her smartphone and copied a 13-minute clip of her having sex, her face clearly visible.  She said the tape circulated in the forces for three years, and the taunting and abuse she suffered from other soldiers ruined her career ….”  I wonder if whoever stole the phone has faced or is facing any sanctions of any kind?
• “There is always much fanfare when a new flight engineer receives his wings and, years ago, there was always a big deal as older flight engineers hit certain milestones: 1,000, 2,500, 5,000 or one year in the air (8,760 hours).  Very few flight engineers back then – and even fewer now – achieve the incredible marker of 10,000 hours (one year, one month, three weeks and 14 hours) of flight time.  Master Warrant Officer Karl Derhak of 404 Long Range Patrol and Training Squadron at 14 Wing Greenwood, N.S., is one of these special people ….”
• “Canada is investigating allegations that Eritrea’s diplomatic mission in Toronto has continued soliciting money for the East African regime’s military despite being warned by the Department of Foreign Affairs to stop.  The RCMP and Foreign Affairs are reviewing new evidence that appears to show the Consulate General of Eritrea has been imposing a fee of up to $500 on Eritrean-Canadians to meet the country’s national defence needs.  The fundraising scheme would be illegal since Eritrea is the subject of United Nations Security Council sanctions. Canada insisted in September that Eritrea either cease soliciting such payments or recall its consul, Semere Ghebremariam O. Micael.  But nine months later, evidence gathered by an Eritrean-Canadian human rights group shows the practice has continued: As recently as January the consulate issued forms demanding payment for Eritrea’s “national defence against Ethiopian invasion.” ….”
  
• “Vice-Admiral Paul Maddison, Commander Royal Canadian Navy, was awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander) by Admiral Jonathan Greenert, United States Navy Chief of Naval Operations, during a full honours ceremony at the Washington Navy Yard on April 26. Vice-Admiral Maddison was recognized for his dedication to superior maritime partnership and security cooperation efforts with the United States during his time as the Commander Royal Canadian Navy .

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – May 18, 2013

• Afghanistan  It appears Canada’s CDS did attend the big meeting in Belgium  “The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Tom Lawson, joined his North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) counterparts this past week for the 169th meeting of the NATO Military Committee in Brussels, Belgium. The meeting provided the Chiefs of Defence of NATO and its Partners with an opportunity to review and discuss updates on a number of issues relevant to the Alliance …. The two-day conference focused on NATO Transformation and the progress made in its Connected Forces Initiative and Smart Defence projects. Discussion also covered NATO’s current major operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo, as well as the planning for NATO post the 2014 mission in Afghanistan ….”
• “All charges against a Nova Scotia woman in the Royal Canadian Navy who is fighting cancer, and who was charged with being absent without leave, have been dropped, the woman and her lawyer say.  “I feel fantastic, I feel vindicated, it’s been a long 11 months. Between having to face a court martial and fighting cancer, some days I didn’t know which one was more difficult. But now I can just focus on getting better,” said Able Seaman Carol Anne Deyoung.  Both Deyoung and her lawyer, Maj. Sarah Collins, said the charges were dropped Friday afternoon.  The Department of National Defence confirmed Friday evening that all charges against Deyoung have been dropped ….”  
• “Lights, action, weapons free.  Canada’s special operations forces soldiers have produced a slick sales video showcasing their fighting skills — on water, in the air and room-by-room in the close confines of a building.  At a time when special forces soldiers are in the limelight with movies like Zero Dark Thirty, which tells the tale of the U.S. hunt for Osama bin Laden, the video gives a brief window into Canada’s cadre of shadow warriors.  The three-minute video begins showing six soldiers climbing aboard a Griffon helicopter, flying low, and then rappelling to a rooftop. It goes on to highlight soldiers parachuting from a C-130J Hercules transport at high altitude, speeding along the water in rigid-hull inflatable boats, and driving in what appear to be specially equipped Humvees ….”  You can check out the video here.
• Meanwhile, a less-than-desirable video pops up ….  “A stolen iPhone and a sex tape that’s been circulating for three years has left a young woman’s military career in ruins.  Alexandra-Kim Martin-Roberge joined the Canadian Forces in May 2009, dreaming of serving in the infantry.  One of only two women in the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment, the Quebecer had planned to join the combat mission in Afghanistan.  But one indiscretion destroyed her reputation, her self-esteem and her integrity in the eyes of comrades.  In 2010, while on a 12-month assignment in Alberta, a fellow soldier stole her smart phone and copied a 13-minute clip that depicted her having sex, her face clearly visible.  “He managed to take my phone during a patrol,” Martin-Roberge told QMI Agency. “Ten days later I found out all the guys were swapping it. It was like an atomic bomb. For a woman in the infantry, this is the worst thing that can happen.” ….”
• “By the shore of Hudson Bay (background), just south of Churchill, Man., Cpl Réjean Lefebvre (middle-ground) and Sgt Steven Amos (foreground) prepare to drop rescue equipment from the back of a CC-130 Hercules to Royal Canadian Air Force personnel who had already parachuted to the ground to help mock victims on the frozen tundra.  They are members of the 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron’s search and rescue team, based at 8 Wing in Trenton, Ont., who participated in TigerEx 2013, a week-long exercise to hone their Far North lifesaving skills. The annual search and rescue exercise took place May 13-17 ….”
• From the RCAF Info-machine:  “Therapy on wheels: healing the wounds of war through art“
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Mark Collins on “Will the Canadian Government Keep the RCAF’s Hornets Buzzing?”
  
• DND Info-machine’s latest Backgrounder on Aboriginals in the Forces
• From the Halifax Shipping News blog:  “Work is continuing on HMCS Athabaskan, though it appears they are only tending to her holes now ….”
  
• “On behalf of the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister for La Francophonie, the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State (Western Economic Diversification) and Member of Parliament for Blackstrap, will pay tribute to Canada’s Veterans by participating in a ceremonial puck drop during the Memorial Cup tournament (tonight)….”
• “The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), (yesterday) announced increased support for regional security projects in the Caribbean that well help to improve security in the hemisphere and fight the problem of organized crime.  Canadian support will help to equip the Regional Security System (RSS), a collective security organization for the eastern Caribbean, with new radar, infrared scanners and avionics for its air wing. Minister Ablonczy made the announcement at the E.T. Joshua Airport in Kingstown and was joined by partners including Ralph Gonsalves, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, National Security, Grenadines Affairs and Legal Affairs, and Grant Watson, Executive Director of the RSS ….”