MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – August 1, 2012

• Interesting development – still no settlement on the court-mandated SISIP issue for wounded warriors, but someone’s been appointed to wrestle a deal to the ground  “The Government of Canada today announced the appointment of Professor Stephen J. Toope, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia (UBC), as federal representative in negotiations to resolve the Manuge class action, regarding the long term disability benefits to former members of the Canadian Forces (CF) …. If a settlement of the class action is reached between the parties, it will need to be approved by the Federal Court.” More from the mainstream media here and here.
  
• Meanwhile, “Dennis Manuge’s medals are back where they belong.  Three years ago, the Musquodoboit Harbour resident, frustrated by what he viewed as a lack of support for veterans, packed up his medals and sent them to then-governor general Michaelle Jean.  It was not a decision Manuge made lightly, but he was disillusioned and felt his government had abandoned him …. The case to which Manuge refers is the five-year legal battle he was at the centre of to get the government to stop the clawback of long-term benefits for veterans.  A Federal Court ruled in favour of Manuge in May and not long after that the defence and veterans affairs ministers announced they would not appeal.  The decision could see the return of up to $500 million deducted from veterans over a 30-year period.  Following the announcement from the ministers, Manuge wrote to Gov. Gen. David Johnston requesting the return of his medals (the office of the governor general has a policy to hold medals indefinitely).  Manuge said Monday he partly expected to one day be reunited with his medals, which include the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, the NATO Medal for Former Yugoslavia and the Diamond Jubilee Medal …. Manuge has asked someone who disagreed with his returning the medals to be the one to officially replace them on his chest….”
• “To further support Canadians who have dedicated themselves to serving their country, the Government is launching the Transitional Housing and Supports for Homeless Veterans pilot project to help veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The announcement was made today by the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs …. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, through the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, is providing over $1.9 million in funding for this project and Veterans Affairs Canada is providing in-kind contributions totaling $1.85 million …. This pilot project is based on a successful program that was launched in the United Kingdom, where the government provides support that is based on veteran-centred principles. A key component of the project is a focus on providing a structured, military-like environment in the housing facilities.  Central to this environment includes the implementation of peer support, where veterans use their experience to help other veterans …. This important partnership project is being carried out in four cities across Canada: Toronto, Ontario; London, Ontario; Calgary, Alberta; and Victoria, British Columbia.”  More from mainstream media here, here and here.
• “Aboriginal people are traditionally under-represented in the military and the Canadian Forces should carefully consider its approach to more successful recruitment, says a military expert.  The challenges of recruiting within this population range from structural issues — such as the requirement that an applicant have a high school diploma and no criminal record — to longstanding issues over land claims, said Christian Leuprecht, an associate professor in political science at the Royal Military College of Canada and at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.  “It goes beyond having an effective recruitment ad. It requires an entire strategy that goes beyond the CF to figure out how to forge more effective linkages with that community,” Leuprecht said.  “I’m a little concerned that we’re neither moving at the pace nor with the strategical attention that’s required to remedy the demographic shortcomings of under-representation of those groups.” …. There is an argument for providing more training for those potential recruits who show potential but don’t make the academic cut, Leuprecht said. A few million dollars could mean taking a promising group of people from under-represented groups and giving them an extra year of training, he said. But, he noted, in a tight fiscal environment that’s money that then can’t be spent on other things ….“
  
• Latest anonymous tidbits in the “Who’s going to be the next CDS?” race  “A high-level committee has been interviewing candidates to take over the reins of Canada’s military even as questions swirl over how quickly Prime Minister will replace General Walter Natynczyk, the man who holds the post now.  Natynczyk met recently with the prime minister, but the timing of his departure was “not resolved,” a source said. Harper did commit to give Natynczyk plenty of advance notice when a successor is chosen.  However, a panel of senior officials, including the deputy minister of defence, has been meeting with potential candidates to serve as the next chief of defence staff.  “It’s a very closely guarded secret as to who they are ready to recommend,” said a source familiar with the process.  Several senior officers are potential contenders. Vice-Admiral Bruce Donaldson, is vice-chief of defence staff — number two in the chain of command — and previously headed Canada Command, which oversees the military’s domestic operations.  Vice-Admiral Paul Maddison, now the head of the Royal Canadian Navy, is said to be a leading contender.  Another name is Lieutenant-General Tom Lawson, a former fighter pilot who is the deputy commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command in Colorado Springs ….” – more in the Toronto Star here.
• Good call….  “A Canadian television station has scrapped its plans for the Canadian debut of a controversial film based upon the crimes of killer Russell Williams.  The Movie Network (TMN) had planned to broadcast An Officer and a Murderer in August. The controversial Canadian-made production aired in the U.S. July 21.  Spokeswoman Deborah Wilson said in an e-mail to QMI Agency the network pulled the movie after controversy erupted following the U.S. showing.  “…After reviewing some of the media coverage prompted by the movie’s airing in the U.S., we agreed that the title may not be appropriate for our network at this time,” said Wilson, vice-president of publicity for Astral Media Inc, TMN’s parent company.  The movie has been pulled from the schedule in the near-term and may or may not air in the future, she said.  That decision would “most likely” not be made until 2013 ….”
• Way Up North  Make beer, not war  “An Alberta liquor store is offering a solution to the territorial dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island, a tiny Arctic rock: beer-bottle diplomacy.  In a joint Canada-Denmark corporate pairing, a specially brewed Danish beer called “Hans Across the Water” arrives this week for a Canada-only release.  Featuring a colourful label of a sandy-haired Dane reaching across the ocean to pour a beer for a bespectacled Canadian, its slogan is: “Make Beer Not War.”  “Our intention is to invite both prime ministers to stop acting like bloody fools, sit down like men over beer and hammer this out,” said Jim Pettinger, purchasing manager at Edmonton’s Sherbrooke Liquor Store, which boasts the largest selection of beer in Canada.  “It can be solved very simply but when you get lawyers and diplomats involved nothing is simple,” he said. “Even if our respective countries could not come to an agreement here, we could.” ….” – more here.
  
• “CSIS would do well to look closely at budding business links between First Nations in Canada and Chinese companies, says a former operative for Canada’s spy service.  “A lot of natural resources and a lot of the things (China is) looking for, the First Nations are sitting on them,” said Michel Juneau-Katsuya, who now heads up security consultancy Northgate Group. “So they’re going to try and make deals directly with them.”  CSIS (the Canadian Security Intelligence Service) has refused comment following media reports that as early as 2010 it had probed dealings between B.C.’s Kaska Nation and Silvercorp, a Canadian miner with strong Chinese connections …. Canada’s relationship with China is warming up despite a 2010 warning from CSIS Director Richard Fadden that included hints Beijing was trying to influence Canadian politicians.  “How much influence are we getting?” asks Juneau-Katsuya. “Who is running the show?”  He contends the Conservatives¹ embrace of China means the party should change its colours to red with a yellow star ­ a blunt reference to China’s flag.  Meanwhile, a former Pentagon official warns CNOOC¹s growing oilsands presence creates strategic worries.  “The real issue here is that China is using this oil to propel its military build-up,” Jed Babbin told QMI Agency. “What they do with trying to invest  in Canadian assets is to control the flow of the oil.”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – July 28, 2012

• Foreign Affairs Minister:  BAAAAAAAAAD Syria!  “Canada is closely monitoring the renewed mobilization of Assad regime forces in the city of Aleppo. It is an unacceptable escalation of the conflict.  Canada is horrified by reports of helicopter gunships opening fire on civilians and that the army has massed troops on the city’s borders in preparation for further assaults on its own citizens.  Canada calls on all members of the UN Security Council to join in condemning these actions, including those members who have previously supported the regime, and to adopt a strong resolution that contains binding sanctions against the Assad regime.”
• Meanwhile, “An increasing number of Syrian asylum seekers have been fleeing to Canada to escape the civil war that continues to cut a bloody swath across their homeland.  At the same time, Syrian-Canadians are asking the federal government to open the doors to friends and relatives facing what they say is extreme risk of torture or death at the hands of President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.  “There is a limited number of people that are in really, really grave danger that we can admit,” said Faizel Alazem of the Syrian Canadian Council ….”
  
• Foreign Affairs Minister:  BAAAAAD Eritrea!  “Eritrea is facing increased diplomatic pressure from the Canadian government after a United Nations report published this week said the country has been using its Toronto consulate to force expatriates to pay taxes that help bankroll its military.  Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is considering “all options,” including shutting down the consulate, and has “called in” Canada’s Eritrean consul to meet with Canadian officials after the criminal allegations appeared in the report by the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, a senior government official said Thursday.  The report, published online Monday, said the Eritrean consulate in Toronto has been using coercive tactics to impose a 2 per cent income tax on expatriates to help finance the military, a fundraising practice the UN monitoring group says “arguably” violates an arms embargo imposed by the United Nations in 2009.  A Royal Canadian Mounted Police assessment included in the UN report found that a “refusal to pay the tax often results in deni al of service or threats against, or harassment of, family members still residing in Eritrea, or possible arrest of the individual should they travel to Eritrea without paying the taxes alleged to be owing.”  RCMP spokesman Sgt. Greg Cox said he could not confirm details of a criminal investigation unless criminal charges are laid, but added that the police force “is concerned about the issue as there exists a potential link with terrorist financing.”  Semere Ghebremariam O. Micael, Eritrea’s only accredited diplomat in Canada, could not be reached for comment Thursday ….”
• Yet ANOTHER gang of Officer Cadets being publicly welcomed into the CF, adding to publicly-welcomed groups here and here.  Again, I await a news release or media advisory inviting media to the welcoming of enlisted personnel.
  Way Up North  RCAF Info-machine shares search and rescue exercise information (a couple of weeks after the exercise)  “A Cessna 185 departed Taltheilei Narrows, N.W.T., on Friday, July 13, but was overdue at Great Bear Lake. On Saturday, the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) at 8 Wing Trenton, Ont., declared the search “major,” meaning the initial search was unsuccessful. Search masters at 435 (Transport and Rescue) Squadron, 17 Wing Winnipeg, Man., began planning their deployment to Yellowknife, NWT.  By Sunday, July 15, two CC-130 Hercules aircraft were on their way to Yellowknife with approximately 75 members from 435 Squadron and 17 Wing. One CC-130 was configured for search and rescue (SAR); the other transported the support staff and equipment needed to establish a search headquarters.  Although this was just an exercise scenario, the story behind it was all too familiar to 435 (Transport and Rescue) Squadron, one of several Canadian Forces units that fly SAR across Canada. The squadron is responsible for SAR coverage from Thunder Bay, Ont., to the Alberta-B.C. border, and between the U.S. border and the North Pole ….”
• Congrats to the CF’s new recruiting boss  “Major Cynda Lavoie was named the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group Headquarters Commanding Officer at a ceremony at CFB Borden …. Major Lavoie joined the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve 22 years ago as a logistics officer in Quebec City after being a sea cadet in her youth. After university, she occupied various full time positions with the Reserve Force and finally, in 2002, made the big jump to the Regular Force, where she has carried out a number of postings as a specialist in finance, supply, and human resources. Her latest operational experience includes a deployment to Afghanistan in 2006 and to Operation PROTEUS, Canada’s contribution to the Office of the United States Security Coordinator (USSC) in Jerusalem, in 2010, where she taught logistics to Palestinian Security Forces ….”
  
• New digs coming for Reservists in Halifax?  “Halifax reservists could be getting a new training facility.  The Defence Department is looking at building a new armoury at Willow Park, a part of Canadian Forces Base Halifax, military spokesman Mike Bonin said Thursday.  “Right now, it’s just in a design phase,” he said. “There is no final decision as to if and when it will be constructed.”  Whether a new armoury goes ahead or not, Bonin stressed it won’t replace the historic Halifax Armouries located on Cunard Street.  Built in 1896, the nearly 78,500-square-foot stone structure overlooks the Halifax Commons. According to the Defence Department’s website, the building’s condition has been assessed as fair ….”
• Khadr Boy (1)  Has it been ten years already?  This, from the Liberal Party Info-machine:  “Liberal Senator Roméo Dallaire issued the following statement today to mark the 10th anniversary of Omar Khadr’s capture and incarceration:  “Today marks the 10th anniversary of Omar Khadr’s capture—a Canadian citizen and former child soldier. During his decade at Bagram and Guantánamo Bay, Mr. Khadr’s rights have been consistently violated. He has been denied the right to due process and a fair trial, the right to protection from torture and the rights afforded to him under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.  “After years of inertia, Canada finally agreed to Mr. Khadr’s return in 2010, as long as he served one additional year in Guantánamo. That year has passed, and yet the transfer request continues to gather dust on Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews’ desk, awaiting his signature.  “I have started a petition calling on the Minister of Public Safety to authorize Mr. Khadr’s repatriation. More than 30,000 people have signed thus far and I encourage all Canadians to add their voice to this cause.” ….”
• Khadr Boy (2)  “A top UN official has added her voice to the growing chorus of calls for Omar Khadr’s repatriation from Guantanamo Bay back to Canada.  “Omar Khadr was a child soldier and our experience around the world clearly indicates that a system focusing on rehabilitation is far better suited for these children who have been exploited and abused by adults,” said Radhika Coomaraswamy in a statement.  Coomaraswamy is Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s special representative for children and armed conflict, a post she has held since April 2006 and which she will leave in a couple weeks.  The comment comes 10 years to the day after a bloody Khadr was captured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan ….”
• Khadr Boy (3)  If this columnist is so keen on having Khadr back, I wonder if he’d be willing to have the young man living next door when released from jail?
• Khadr Boy (4)  Another columnist’s take  “….  Will he live peacefully with his family, or will he be an advocate for terror — a magnet for others who glamorize his radicalism?  One doesn’t know.  But when he does return (as one day he will), he should not go to prison, as some advocate. He’s served his time. As an enemy combatant of the United States, perhaps he should remain detained in Guantanamo until the “war of terror” is over.  That’s not going to happen, but the U.S. would be justified in keeping Khadr incarcerated — and Canada would be justified in wanting him kept there.  But he’s Canadian-born, and we have no option but to accept him. Eventually.”
  
• Remembering Korea, 59 years later  “Veterans of the Korean War and others gathered in Brampton on Friday to mark the 59th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the war.  Wreath-laying and poppy-placing ceremonies and a march past took place at a memorial service at the Korea Veterans’ National Wall of Remembrance at Meadowvale Cemetery on Mavis Road, followed by a reception at Mississauga Convention Centre on Derry Road West.  Meanwhile, Korean War veterans in Sydney, N.S., aren’t holding a ceremony this year because the number of veterans who still live in the area is dwindling.  Instead, a simple five-minute wreath-laying ceremony was approved by the local branch of the Korean Veterans Association.  According to Veterans Affairs Canada, more than 26,000 Canadians served in the Korean War, including sailors from eight destroyers and airmen who took part in many combat and transport missions ….” – more from the Veterans Affairs Canada Info-machine here.

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 24 July 12

• Big forest fire (appears to be) out near CFB Petawawa “The fire chief at Canadian Forces Base Petawawa says a blaze burning for four days close to the northeast border of Algonquin Park is, for practical purposes, out. But Ontario fire officials have yet to issue a similar assessment. CFB Petawawa Fire Chief Barry Nagora said at a news briefing Monday afternoon that “in layman’s terms, the fire is out.” Nagora said the blaze, which spread to 210 hectares over the weekend, was likely caused by lightning. Parks Ontario spokesman John Swick said while the assessment is the base’s to make, there are still concerns over embers deep in the soil in the area. Barron Canyon Road out of Algonquin Park was closed and campers were ordered out after the fire spread close to the park’s eastern edge. Swick said until those hotspots are dealt with, the Restricted Fire Zone Order in Algonquin and the closure of the entrance to the park at Barron Canyon Road would remain in effect …”
• Politicians making announcements today in Halifax, Esquimalt and Gagetown.
• Just as well the Minister of Defence is headed to Gagetown today…. “Union officials say it’s hard to fight the elimination of up to 145 civilian defence positions at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick when Ottawa refuses to explain the rationale behind the cuts. Morris Shannon, the local president of the Union of National Defence Employees, said government officials won’t meet with his union to discuss why those positions were targeted. “They’re not co-operative at all,” Shannon said at a news conference here Monday. “I have been trying for two years to meet with Keith Ashfield and I have yet to receive a meeting with Mr. Ashfield.” Ashfield, the area’s MP and the federal Fisheries minister, was not available for comment. However, a spokeswoman for the minister said there is a process in place for unions to interact with government on workforce adjustment. “That process does not involve political meetings,” Erin Filliter wrote in an email. “Departments are informing unions and employees about specific changes using workforce adjustment rules agreed to by all sides.” ….”
• From the RCAF Info-machine (5 weeks after the fact): “The Royal Canadian Air Force evaluated the CC-130J Hercules aircraft’s capability to refuel vehicles and other aircraft using the forward arming and refuelling point (FARP) system on June 21, 2012, at 8 Wing Trenton, Ont. The evaluation was deemed a success ….”
• Wanted: a CF member to manage coffee, cash and other stuff at the CF Recruit & Leadership School in St. Jean (job posting also here if first link doesn’t work). Here’s the editorial bashing the now-cancelled job posting, and here’s the Army.ca discussion with a bit more of the REST of the story.
• Coming to a Great Lakes port near you this summer – RCN ships (more on where they’re stopping when here) “Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Ville de Québec departed Halifax, N.S. (yesterday) for a ten week tour of 14 Canadian and American cities along the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes …. The purpose of the deployment is to inform Canadians about how the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) contributes to the protection and security of our maritime approaches by exercising Canadian sovereignty over our waters, including working with other government departments to protect offshore natural resources. Internationally, the RCN contributes to global peace and security, vital to Canadian interests around the world …. HMCS Ville de Québec will sail from Halifax through the St. Lawrence Seaway and into the Great Lakes starting on July 23 and returning to Halifax on October 9. Halifax-based Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels, HMC Ships Moncton and Summerside, will participate later on during the deployment as well ….”
• Canda’s Foreign Affairs Minister: BAAAAAAAAAAAD Iraqi insurgents! ““Canada strongly condemns the attacks in 13 Iraqi cities that left more than 100 people dead and injured nearly 200. I am deeply saddened by these violent and deplorable attacks that took place within a few hours of each other in the first days of the holy month of Ramadan. On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my sincere condolences to the families and friends of those killed, and wish a quick recovery to the injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Iraq …”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 6 July 12

• Afghanistan  “Logistical chaos on the ground at Pakistan’s largest seaport along with truckers’ demands for more money mean hundreds of tonnes of Canadian military equipment remain stranded in Afghanistan despite the opening of the border to NATO traffic after a seven-month closure. The first truck carrying NATO supplies finally crossed from Pakistan into Afghanistan Thursday but 446 sea containers of Canadian Forces materiel stored in Kabul and Kandahar won’t be moving any time soon, according to the contracted freight company. “Things are very chaotic,” said Alda Rodrigues, president of Montreal-based A.J. Maritime. “Nothing is happening right now — it’s quite a nightmare.” ….”
• Afghanistan (sort of)  “A Manitoba MP is calling for a review of Heritage Canada funding, following the release of a music video he says glorifies terrorism. The video by rapper Manu Militari shows a re-enactment of a roadside bomb attack on a Canadian military vehicle and the murder of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. Selkirk-Interlake Conservative MP James Bezan said the video glorifies the Taliban. “I am disgusted by Manu Militari’s music video. It is outrageous, offensive, and I denounce it in the strongest terms,” Bezan said. “Our men and women in uniform have fought with dedication and valour, sacrificing their lives in defence of the values that we hold dear. “Canadian soldiers have been fighting in Afghanistan for over 10 years now. This music video shows an utter lack of sensitivity to the families of the 158 brave Canadians who have sacrificed everything for our country.” He wants Militari to return grant money he was given by MusicAction, an independent organization that receives funding from Heritage Canada. “I think that the artist should be allowed to say whatever they want. I do believe in freedom of expression and freedom of speech and making sure that their artistic talents can take them where they want. But I don’t believe that this is proper use of taxpayer dollars,” he said. Bezan is also calling for a review of all grants MusicAction manages that involve taxpayer money ….”
• Good questions …. “Does freedom of speech include the freedom of Canadian rappers to make music videos glorifying Taliban terrorist attacks on Canadian troops? As odious as that is, the answer must be yes. Manu Militari, a Montreal rapper, has done just that. It’s almost as sick as the snuff movies allegedly made by Luka Magnotta. Of course, Militari didn’t actually kill anybody. He just indulged his fantasy of it happening. Which is about as sick. But that’s the thing about freedom of speech. We have to give it to people we despise if we want it for ourselves. It’s unlikely that any of us will ever be quite as offensive or macabre in our speech. But each of us will surely, at one point in our lives, say something that offends someone — maybe even something that offends everyone. But. And there’s a big but here — a $110,000 but. That’s the amount of money that you and I were compelled to give Militari since 2008 to subsidize his “art,” by way of taxpayer-funded government grants. That’s almost as sick as the snuff video Militari himself made ….”
• “Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s political obituary appeared all but written following revelations a military helicopter was used to pick him up from a fishing trip, he misstated the cost of the Libya mission and his department bungled the $25 billion F-35 project. Then came word from Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Thursday that there will be no major ministerial shuffle before Parliament resumes in September — meaning MacKay will be staying put at National Defence for the foreseeable future. Whether Harper decided to leave MacKay untouched because of his importance to the party, his ties to the Atlantic region, because he’d done a good job or to prove a point is a matter of sharp debate. What is not is MacKay’s record for emerging unscathed when the consensus among pundits and experts seems to be his time has come ….”
• Military historian Jack Granatstein on someone asking him if the Harper government was using the military for political purposes  “…. many of our governments and leaders have used the military for their own political ends. Mike Pearson earned the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in creating the UN Emergency Force in Suez in 1956, then became Liberal leader and prime minister on the strength of the kudos. It took almost no time before John Diefenbaker predictably claimed that peacekeeping had really been his idea. Paul Martin, Sr., was instrumental in creating the UN force for Cyprus in 1964 and thought that if he received a Nobel Prize he too could become prime minister. Brian Mulroney put the national peacekeeping monument in Ottawa to demonstrate his commitment to the idea of Canada as a peacekeeping nation, and both he and Jean Chrétien almost broke the army by sending our then ill-equipped soldiers on every peacekeeping operation going in the 1990s ….”
• One Canadian aid worker’s story about being rescued in Somalia  “It was a nerve-racking five minutes after days of high tension. An operation to rescue four foreign aid workers abducted into Somalia was sprung as they were resting after yet another gruelling night march. But as the kidnappers started running and the crack of gunshots echoed in the air, it wasn’t immediately clear what was happening. “We were a bit panicked,” Qurat Ul-Ain Sadozai, one of two Canadians freed in the operation, said Wednesday in a telephone interview from Nairobi. Huddled against the ground in a thorn-bush, the aid workers waited tensely. Ms. Sadozai said she wasn’t worried about being killed but was concerned the foreigners, who had been treated comparatively well, could end up in the hands of a different kidnap group. The foreigners kept their heads down for more than five minutes. A group of about 20 men in fatigues finally appeared in place of the kidnappers. They were armed, but friendly ….”
• One day, it won’t be news anymore that a woman is in charge of a base  “When Col. Tammy Harris takes over at CFB Borden Friday, she assumes command of Canada’s largest training base, a sprawling enterprise that employs 3,250 military members and 1,500 civilians and trains 15,000 military personnel per year. Equally sizeable is the milestone: Harris becomes the first woman to head a Canadian Forces base. “I am honoured that I am the first woman,” Harris told the Star. “But I think in 2012, I’d hope it’s becoming more of the rule than the exception.” ….”
• Aboriginal Canadians getting a taste of the military in northwestern Ontario  “First Nations youth who are interested in joining the military can use the Bold Eagle program at the local Army Reserve Unit. Master Bombardier, Lynn Danielson explains the program. “Gold Eagle is an initiative, first established by Saskatchewan First Nation’s Elders, in order to get youth involved in the military, but having a cultural component at the same time. This is simply because the military culture and aboriginal culture are diametrically opposed,” she said. “The goals of the Bold Eagle are for First Nations Youth, ages 16 to 24, to give them a chance to see what military life is like,” she said. She adds that it also gives them a chance to see how far they can push themselves ….”
• Vets sought for Oil Sands work  “When Heather Reid broke her ankle in a training exercise after seven years in the military, she suddenly found herself in an unfamiliar place: the job market. But then she found Alberta’s Prospect Human Services, a job agency tha t launched a program this year tailored to Canada’s veterans. The program immediately caught the attention of the oil industry, which has been struggling with a critical labour shortage since the middle of the last decade. Traditional labour pools, such as employees who commute from the country’s east coast, are not deep enough to meet demand in an industry that needs to fill at least 9,500 jobs by 2015, and between 50,000 and 130,000 positions by 2020. And while the efforts of agencies like Prospect to reach injured and retired veterans from Canada and the United States will not solve the labour problem on their own, they serve as an example of the creative thinking that will be needed to address one of the oil sands’ most urgent challenges ….”
• Getting the older vets out and about  “In the golden light of sunset, two dozen people sit in white Muskoka chairs around a bonfire, singing. A light breeze blows off the pristine lake a few feet away as they lift their voices in renditions of King of the Road, Red River Valley and Mockingbird Hill. This could be any summer retreat in the vast wilderness of the Canadian Shield. Except that here, the average age of the campers is about 90 and all of them are war veterans. Ernie Weidner, 91, accompanying the singing on harmonica, was a gunner on a merchant ship; spry Jack Ford, 90, who uses a tambourine as a boater hat while dancing a jig, was a photographer with the air force; Norm Cook, 96, tapping away at a djambe, served in a tank brigade. Every summer, roughly 40 residents of Toronto’s Sunnybrook Veterans’ Centre and Parkwood Hospital in London, Ont., board buses and make the trek to Lake Joseph for four days. The program, which has been running for 17 years, involves a large crew of staff. They use facilities run by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, which include a series of cabins connected by a boardwalk, making the whole place accessible to wheelchairs and walkers. Funding for the program is provided by the Royal Canadian Legion ….”
• This from the Veterans Ombudsman’s blog:  “The Veterans Ombudsman’s Commendation is awarded to an individual or group who has made an outstanding contribution to the Veterans community. I feel that it is important to recognize the extraordinary efforts of these individuals, as they are often the ones who work tirelessly to bring issues to light and provide a foundation for positive change for Veterans. At this time, I am seeking nominations for this year’s Veterans Ombudsman’s Commendation. I invite you to nominate any individual, group, business or association that has made an outstanding contribution to the well-being of Veterans and their families. More information on the criteria and nomination process is available on our Web site. The deadline for submission of nominations is August 10, 2012 ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Dutch getting cold feet?
• What’s Canada Buying?  Wanted (maybe):  Someone to upgrade Halifax Class Underwater Warfare Suites, and someone to take care of the CF’s CC-150 Polaris fleet

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 4 July 12

• Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!
• Safe travels!  “Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina depart(ed) Esquimalt (yesterday) at 11 a.m. for the Arabian Sea region. HMCS Regina will replace HMCS Charlottetown on Operation Artemis, Canada’s contribution to Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) to conduct maritime security operations in the Arabian Sea region …. Operation Artemisis the Canadian Forces’ (CF) participation in maritime security and counter-terrorism operations in the Arabian Sea region with the multinational CTF 150 ….”
• Keeping the 20mm Gatling Gun going on HMCS Charlottetown  “Weapons for fighting, radar for detection and navigation, the horizon-reference system that helps the Sea King helicopter land safely — all these systems are under the care of the Combat Systems Engineering (CSE) Department, which handles much of the crucial maintenance involved in keeping a ship combat-ready at sea. One piece of kit aboard HMCS Charlottetown is all too familiar to the members of the CSE Department: the Mk 15 PHALANX 20-mm Close-In Weapon System, abbreviated “CIWS” and known to most as the Sea Whiz ….”
• Pacific Rim exercise to have Canadian air boss  “It’s not very often you see a brigadier-general in the Royal Canadian Air Force wearing a flying suit at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. Yet as he prepared to deploy to Hawaii last week, Brigadier-General Mike Hood, an air combat systems officer by trade, looked every bit the career aviator returning to his roots. For the next month, BGen Hood will do what no other RCAF officer has ever done. He will command the air component of the largest naval exercise in the world – Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) – taking place in Hawaii (having started) on June 29 ….”
• Two Vandoos talk to businessmen about unlimited liability  “The first time I heard the phrase “unlimited liability,” about an hour ago, a slight shiver went up my spine. We do everything to avoid such a predicament. Car insurance, health insurance, mortgage/income/life insurance. Noncompetes, nondisclosures, incorporation, employment contracts. You name it, we limit our liability to it. The last thing we want is to be subjected to unlimited liability. Unless we’re in the military. Then it describes the nature of military service. When everyone else runs from disaster, these women and men enter the fray. While the rest of us are grabbing the silverware, they are heading, contrary to their natural instincts, into the conflict zone. They don’t limit their exposure to risk. They face losing their lives as part of their jobs. They face unlimited liability ….”
• “In a ceremony held …. at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Mr. Chris Alexander, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, presented Colonel Homer Tien, a Canadian military trauma surgeon, with the Canadian Forces Major Sir Frederick Banting Term Chair in Military Trauma Research …. Past Canadian Forces (CF) research into the management of blood flow and multiple trauma contributed to a 97 per cent survival rate for CF soldiers, sailors, airmen and airwomen who were evacuated to the Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit in Kandahar with vital signs. The CF has long embraced a collaborative care model, maintaining close relationships with the medical services of military partners and with civilian care providers such as Sunnybrook Hospital, to ensure that ill and injured CF personnel receive the best care possible ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?  “While it’s not the biggest procurement question the Department of National Defence faces, DND has outspent the rest of the government four-to-one on hockey pucks and wrist bands over the last five years. The federal government reported spending more than half a million dollars on promotional pucks, sports jerseys, plastic wrist bands and golf balls from 2007 to 2012, according to reports tabled in the House of Commons. Of the nearly $530,000 reported spent on these items from all departments and agencies for that period, $438,385 came from DND and the Canadian Forces. The Canadian Forces used the items to develop visibility for the work it does, DND spokesman Christian Tessier said in an email ….”  The same certainly can’t be said for orange stress balls, can it?
• Public Safety Minister: Way to go on nailing another one of those CBSA list guys!  “The Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, commended the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal and Canada Border Services Agency today on the arrest of Mohamed Ratni, in Montréal. “This individual is wanted for violation of human or international rights under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act or under international law. His arrest signals our government’s ongoing commitment to protecting Canadians and the safety of our communities”, said Minister Toews. “With the cooperation of police departments across the country, the success of the ‘Wanted by the CBSA’ program demonstrates that Canada will not be a haven for those who try to enter or live here illegally. The Government of Canada remains committed to identifying, detaining and removing those individuals who pose a threat to the safety and security of Canadians.” Ratni is the 26th individual apprehended from “Wanted by the CBSA” list. Since the launch of the list on July 21, 2011, the CBSA has removed 19 of these individuals from Canada ….”
• “On behalf of the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Honourable Peter Penashue, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for York–Simcoe …. announced up to $55,856 in Federal Government funding for two memorials in Newfoundland and Labrador to honour Veterans and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice ….”
• Any media interested in paying ~$2700 per person to head to Dieppe next month?  “The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, will lead an official delegation to France to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid. Commemorative ceremonies will take place between August 18 and 20, 2012, where at least 500 guests are expected, including Canadian Veterans who participated in the Dieppe Raid, a Canadian Forces contingent and Canadian cadets and scouts. Joining the delegation of Veterans and attending this unique event offers you and your organization the opportunity to profile the stories of remarkable individuals and to cover one of the darkest periods of the Second World War, but one where the lessons learned served to play an important role in later actions ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 16 June 12

• “The federal government will stop the clawback on pensions of disabled veterans starting on July 1, but it’s still negotiating retroactive payments to those covered by a Federal Court ruling. Defence Minister Peter MacKay announced an end to the clawbacks in a statement on Friday, two weeks after the Harper government decided not to appeal a court ruling that sided with veterans. A class-action lawsuit was filed in March 2007 on behalf of Dennis Manuge and 4,500 other disabled veterans whose long-term disability benefits are reduced by the amount of the monthly Veterans Affairs disability pension they receive. MacKay called Manuge to tell him about the end to the deductions. But the minister said in his statement that federal lawyers are still working to obtain a “mutually acceptable settlement” for repayment of benefits that have been clawed back, in some cases for decades. It is unclear how much that will cost or how far back the payments will go. Manuge, at point, estimated as much as $320 million was at stake. But senior defence sources say the figure could run as high as $600 million, depending upon the negotiations ….”
• “Former Roseau River chief Terry Nelson held an unofficial campaign event Thursday. Nelson is running for national chief of the Assembly of First Nations. He held a public forum to share his thoughts about the possibility of a conflict between First Nations and the Canadian military. Nelson says the likelihood is small, but First Nations should be prepared. Queen’s University professor and retired Lt.-Col. Douglas Bland was on hand with Nelson. He lent expertise and knowledge of the Canadian military to the crowd ….”  That’s this Douglas Bland ….
• Dog Bites Man:  Letters to the Toronto Star whinge about Canada’s military
• F-35 Tug o’ War  “A U.S. government spending watchdog raised more red flags about soaring costs, delays and major failures in the F-35 stealth fighter jet program …. warning also of the impact the setbacks will have on eight other countries taking part in the project, including Canada. The detailed report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on F-35 testing and development problems—which the report suggested the program as it was originally planned is at risk—came out only a day after the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) unveiled a high-level committee of bureaucrats and outside experts, including former federal auditor general Denis Desautels, that will take charge of Canada’s F-35 acquisition program following a scathing report from Auditor General Michael Ferguson last April. The F-35 report from the U.S. Congress Budget Accountability Office, a spending watchdog for all U.S. government programs that also has investigative powers, revealed development delays that could affect the Canadian government’s original plan to begin acquiring fully operational F-35s by 2020—the year the government has cited for retirement of Canada’s only fleet of fighter jets …. “
• Congratulations!  “Three Canadian Forces (CF) Search and Rescue (SAR) technicians from 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron will receive the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea, at a ceremony to be held in London, U.K., on November 26, 2012.  Sergeant Jannick Gilbert, Master Corporal Max Lahaye-Lemay, and Master Corporal Marco Journeyman will receive this prestigious honour for saving the lives of two Inuit hunters stranded in icy waters near Igloolik, Nunavut, on October 27, 2011. Tragically, Sergeant Jannick Gilbert perished during the rescue and will receive this award posthumously.“The International Maritime Organization plays a vital role in promoting safety at sea and their recognition of Sergeant Jannick Gilbert, Master Corporal Max Lahaye-Lemay, and Master Corporal Marco Journeyman with this prestigious award is a testament to the bravery and sacrifice of these members in their service to our nation,” said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence ….” - more from the IMO here.
• Caveat:  Under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, “any person charged with an offence has the right …. to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal”  “Canadian Forces Military Police charged a Master Corporal from CFB Edmonton this week for offences related to child pornography. MCpl Clayton Holloway now faces the following charges …. The alleged material was discovered on the member’s personal computer while he was serving on deployment in Afghanistan. Once made aware of the allegations, his chain of command immediately repatriated him back to Canada. The case will now proceed through the military justice system ….” - a bit more here.
• RCAF Info-machine:  They’re back from South America & Jamaica (and here’s the story 3 weeks later)  “An RCAF detachment, named Task Force PANAM and composed of an element of the CF-18 fighter force including the 2012 CF-18 Demonstration Team, with airlift and air to air refuelling support, conducted Operation SOUTHERN REACH from May 5 to 26, 2012 to increase its professional bonds with air forces in South America and Jamaica. The final phase of the deployment saw the detachment landing in Kingston, Jamaica on 22 May. This particular destination was a natural fit for the operation as Canada and Jamaica enjoy close, longstanding, and historic bilateral relations that include hemispheric and international cooperation, as well as security and defence cooperation ….”
• Mo’ Canadians in the Caribbean  “Coast Guard, law enforcement and military ground forces from the U.S., Canada and 15 Caribbean Partner Nations, gathered (in Christ Church, Barbados) …. to mark the official start of Exercise Tradewinds 2012. The ceremony featured welcoming comments and remarks from senior Barbadian and U.S. military officers focusing on the importance of the 28th iteration of the annual event. “Over the years, Exercise Tradewinds has been recognized as an ideal training framework for improving cooperation and interoperability among partner nations in the efforts to counter the myriad security and other challenges confronting this hemisphere,” said Barbados Defence Force Chief of Staff Col. Alvin E. Quintyne. Tradewinds is a U.S. Southern Command, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff approved, inter-agency, multinational exercise designed to enhance the collective abilities of Caribbean Partner Nation Defense Forces and constabularies to Counter Transnational Organized Crime, and conduct Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations ….”
• Muy bueno!  ”The Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) top officer hosted the 52nd annual Conferencia de los Jefes de las Fuerzas Aereas Americanas – Conference of the Air Chiefs of the Americas, or CONJEFAMER, this week in Ottawa. The Commander of the RCAF, Lieutenant-General (LGen) André Deschamps, presided over CONJEFAMER 2012, which brought together air force chiefs from 18 member countries and three observer air forces to discuss mutual collaboration and security throughout the Americas and to foster cooperation and friendship ….”
• “On behalf of the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, Jay Aspin, Member of Parliament for Nipissing–Timiskaming, will speak at the official unveiling of the new memorial in East Ferris, Ontario (today) ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 14 June 12

• Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird’s latest on Syria:  “I am deeply disturbed by the dangerous escalation of violence in Syria …. We urge Russia and all members of the UN Security Council to come together and adopt tough binding sanctions against this reckless regime.”
• Some video of Canadian troops patrolling with Latvian troops in Exercise Saber Strike 2012 here and here
• Stuart Langridge, R.I.P.  More from the Defence Minister in the House of Commons on the investigation into Langridge’s suicide  “…. The Military Police Complaints Commission has received nothing but co-operation and compensation from this government with respect to this matter to get to the bottom of what really is a tragedy. It is for that reason that I met with Corporal Langridge’s mother and that we have been supportive of this process throughout. This process is now well under way. It is going to come to a conclusion. It will be instructive for the military as we go forward …. Why is information not being given? It is something called the Supreme Court of Canada, which has ruled repeatedly on the issue of solicitor-client privilege, which the member knows full well. Yet he chooses to be mendacious, to stand in the House of Commons and give false information in an ongoing process.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War  “The Harper government is enlisting a former federal spending watchdog to add more credence to a promised rethink of which new fighter jet Canada should buy. The Conservatives have been scrambling to rescue their reputation for sound fiscal management after it emerged that the Department of National Defence selected the $25-billion F-35 jet with only the flimsiest of justifications. Denis Desautels is one of two independent experts Ottawa is hiring for the new government body that’s taking over the job of verifying whether the F-35 jet is the best choice for Canada. Mr. Desautels served as federal auditor-general between 1991 and 2001 …. Kenneth Norrie, an economic historian and professor of economics at McMaster University is also taking a seat on the National Fighter Procurement Secretariat. This is a new body set up in Public Works to take over responsibility for selecting a new fighter jet – a sign the Conservatives have lost faith in the defence department’s handling of the file ….” – more from QMI/Sun Media here.
• Big Honkin’ Ships (1)  “The value of the Halifax Shipyard’s shipbuilding contract will absolutely not decrease, the federal government insists. Some military analysts have speculated the $35-billion shipbuilding procurement strategy — of which the largest contract, $25 billion, was awarded to Halifax in October — has hit a wall. No final contracts have been signed. This, combined with $2 billion being cut from the Defence Department budget, has fuelled speculation that the shipbuilding project will be scaled back. But a government employee directly involved in the shipbuilding negotiations said the value of the work will not go down. “Absolutely not,” said the staffer, who asked not to be named. “I’m not aware of any change in the size or scope of the project, and believe me, I would be aware.” ….”
• Big Honkin’ Ships (2)  Column:  “That hissing sound you hear may be some of the air coming out of a balloon of exuberance pumped up in Halifax since Irving Shipbuilding was approved to build combat ships for the federal government. Winning the right to bid for the naval shipbuilding contract and having a definitive contract in hand to actually build the ships are ostensibly separate matters …. Maintaining a positive business atmosphere while contract talks continue is probably a good thing, despite the recent negative talk. But it is also very important that construction starts as soon as possible.”
• Public hearings today in Gatineau on how much military judges should be paid
• Ooopsie….  “The Department of National Defence violated Canada’s official languages law by closing a library at a Quebec recruitment school that was serving the minority English-language community in a region south of Montreal, says a new report released by the federal government’s language watchdog. The department decided to shut down the General Jean V. Allard Commemorative library in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., due to budget cuts on Sept. 30, 2010, replacing it with an Educational Resources Centre for military and civilian personnel and for students at the Land Force Quebec 5 Area Support Group. The department made no public consultations or announcement of the decision. As a result, it eliminated public access to the library that first opened in 1971 at the Saint-Jean Garrison ….”
• Remembering some of terrorism’s victims from the 1970′s in the House of Commons yesterday: - “Hon. Irwin Cotler (Mount Royal, Lib.):  Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations among all parties, and I believe that if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move: That the House offer its support for a moment of silence to be held at the 2012 London Olympics in memory of those killed 40 years ago in the tragic terrorist events of the 1972 Munich Olympics wherein 11 Israeli athletes were murdered.”  The motion carried.

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 10 June 12

• Syria  “Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is offering the United Nations envoy to Syria Canada’s support to help end the ongoing violence in the Mideast country, as rebels take their fight against President Bashar al-Assad to Damascus, the center of the leader’s power. Baird spoke with Kofi Annan by telephone late Friday and Canadian officials say he offered any help Canada can provide. Overnight Friday, bullets and shrapnel shells smashed into homes in the Syrian capital of Damascus as troops battled rebels in the streets ….” - more here
• Afghanistan  What Iran’s up to in Afghanistan (spoiler alert:  no good)
• Yet another east coast Reserve unit gets a name change  “The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, announced (yesterday) that the name of 2nd Battalion, The Royal New Brunswick Regiment (North Shore), an Army Reserve unit assigned to 37 Canadian Brigade Group, will revert to it’s historical designation, the North Shore Regiment …. From its birth as the 73rd Northumberland (New Brunswick) Battalion of Infantry in 1870, many in Northeastern New Brunswick have served with this illustrious unit. The unit fought in South Africa, the First World War and the Second World War, and won a total of 54 battle honours. In 1956, the North Shore Regiment was designated as 2nd Battalion, The Royal New Brunswick Regiment (North Shore) ….”
• Is it just me, or have there been a lot of Ministerial announcements coming out of National Defence and Veterans Affairs lately?
• Defence Minister:  thanks for all the hard work helping fix up the troops, bone doctors
• Defence Minister:  Happy 40th birthday, Order of Military Merit
• Vets Affairs Minister to thank folks in Halifax today for their contributions
• Vets Affairs Minister pays tribute to former Vets Affairs Minister, Minister of National Defence Gilles Lamontagne
• Senator, on behalf of Vets Affairs Minister, thanks Newfoundland Legion volunteer for service with Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal
• Vets Affairs Minister set for another “important announcement”, this one at the Royal Canadian Legion convention in Halifax tomorrow
• Stuart Langridge, R.I.P.  Latest messaging from the Minister of National Defence in the House on the CF holding back documents from a hearing looking into a soldier’s suicide  “…. it was a tragic death. The loss of anyone, any soldier or any Canadian to suicide is a tragedy. We have expressed our condolences to the Fynes family. I have met with Corporal Langridge’s mother. In fact, we have put additional funding into the Military Police Complaints Commission process, which is ongoing. As the member would know, there are funds there, over $2.3 million, to ensure commission counsel and additional funding for the Fynes family into this affair. Being a lawyer, the member would and should know that this process is ongoing and we should wait for the result. With respect to protecting clients, the member also should know, being a lawyer, that the Supreme Court has specifically spoken out on this issue. The Blood decision of 2008 said, “Solicitor-client privilege is fundamental to the proper functioning of our legal system”. The decision went on to say, “Without that assurance, access to justice and the quality of justice in this country would be severely compromised”. The member is the one who is compromising the truth by repeatedly putting false information forward.”
• What happens when both spouses are fighting the after effects of war at the same time?
• Liberal House Leader Marc Garneau underwhelmed by government’s support of the CF  “The Conservatives love to portray themselves as the only ones who really care about the brave men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces — especially after the infamous “decade of darkness,” when the military, along with the rest of government, sustained significant cutbacks in the fight to reduce Canada’s crippling national debt. But let’s have a look at the Conservatives’ claim and see whether it’s backed by evidence ….”
• Toronto Star columnist questions need for all those non-bases  “Sometimes, it’s as if Stephen Harper’s Conservatives suffer from delusions of grandeur. How else to explain the decision by Canada’s apparently cash-strapped federal government to set up a network of military bases around the world? That’s usually something only countries with imperial pretensions, such as the U.S., France and Britain, do. And even the U.S. is pulling back these days. As reported by my colleague Allan Woods, who broke this story, Ottawa claims its new bases will ultimately save taxpayers money. But that rationale only works if the government is planning to deploy Canadian soldiers on a regular basis to global hot spots. Are the Conservatives setting the stage for more Libyas and Afghanistans? ….”
• Letter to the editor on how it’s not JUST U.N. forces keeping a grip on situations anymore “While it is true that Canada is not a significant contributor to UN peacekeeping, this is not the tragedy some would claim it to be (Canada Casts Aside The Blue Helmet – June 8). Peacekeeping – more precisely, peace support operations – is no longer the preserve of the blue helmets. Even before the Balkan conflicts highlighted the folly of deploying lightly armed forces into active war zones, responsibility for fostering stability had been contracted out to ad hoc groupings of states and, more recently, to international bodies such as NATO and the African Union. Often these actors are better resourced than the UN. Canada was once one of relatively few nations with the resources required to operate effectively on overseas missions; today, considerably more players are able to do so ….”
• Way Up North (1)  Former northern military boss worries about Canada reneging on Arctic promises  “…. Will the present commitments go the way of nuclear submarines and Polar Class 8 ice breaker? Let us hope not because nature is following her own timetable and is opening up the Northwest Passage which is still contested as an international strait with all of what that implies for Canadian sovereignty.”
• Way Up North (2)  Canada’s new man on the U.N. panel that decides on where the continental shelf is  “Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today welcomed the election of Richard Haworth to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf for the 2012-17 term …. Dr. Haworth is the first Canadian elected to the Commission, having been nominated as a candidate by Canada, Australia and New Zealand …. The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf was established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It consists of 21 independent experts in geology, geophysics and hydrography. Members are elected every five years by states party to the Convention. Expanding economic opportunity in the North and for Northerners is a priority for the Harper government. Canada is currently working to define the outer limits of its continental shelf. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are preparing Canada’s submission to the Commission.”
• What’s Canada Buying?  Wanted:  someone to, on an as-needed basis, take care of RCN ships (trash pickup, sewage removal, etc.) in and around B.C.
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Latest messaging from the Defence Minister in the House on Friday  “Mr. Speaker, as has already been communicated to the publicly funded broadcaster for its shockumentary dramatization last night, Canada’s involvement in the F-35 program, as the member would know, goes back to 1997. It was in fact under a previous government. The decision in 2010 to purchase the F-35 was based on the advice of officials within the Department of National Defence, the Department of Public Works and members of the Canadian Forces, and, in fact, not lobbyists at all. The member also knows that we have a secretariat now in place to increase transparency and accountability and reporting to the public. We will wait on that advice. No money has been spent thus far on the acquisition. Funding is frozen at this point.”
• Khadr Boy  “Janice Williamson knows that few Canadians have lost sleep over Omar Khadr and his experience with American military justice. She hopes to rattle that slumber with a 450-page wake-up call. A professor in the Department of English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta, Williamson is the editor of Omar Khadr, Oh Canada, a new book just released through McGill-Queen’s University Press. It’s a compilation of some 30 essays, articles, poems and screenplay excerpts — all of them weighing in on Khadr’s background, his incarcerations, the actions and inactions of Canadian authorities and the implications raised by his legal case ….”
• War of 1812  A new American read of the war  “If Canadians know any history at all, they know the story of the war of 1812. (Or at least the part about the British burning the White House.) Americans usually focus their remembrance on bigger, bloodier conflicts. Yet in this bicentennial year, one American historian is urging his countrymen to appreciate that their nationhood was forged in two centuries of war up and down the bloody warpath between Albany and Montreal. Eliot Cohen is one of America’s leading writers on military affairs. His 2002 book Supreme Command (a study of civilian leadership in wartime) featured on president Bush’s reading list that year. I traveled to Iraq with him in 2005 and had the pleasure of introducing him at a recent book event at the Canadian embassy in Washington. Cohen’s new book, Conquered Into Liberty, offers an arresting idea. It was during their long struggle against the French and Indians that the New England colonies developed a distinctive American idea of how war should be fought ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 10 May 12

• More from the “2012-13 Report on Plans and Priorities – National Defence”:  “A shortage of trained pilots means it will take the Royal Canadian Air Force an extra two years to get its long-awaited Chinook helicopters into full service, say documents tabled as part of the latest federal budget. The revelation in the plans and priorities section of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s March 29 budget also outlines delays in a string of other big-ticket equipment purchases at National Defence. It comes as military procurement is under the microscope because of the politically charged F-35 project. Originally ordered as part of sole-source contract with Boeing aircraft in 2006, the first Chinook is supposed to arrive next month, but it will be a test aircraft only. The shortage of pilots is expected to delay bringing the Chinooks up to full combat capability until June 2017. The helicopters were considered an absolute priority for the now-concluded combat mission in Afghanistan, but delays in buying the 15 new aircraft forced the Conservative government to spend nearly $300 million on six used Chinooks from the U.S. Army. The surviving four helicopters from that batch, at last word, are up for sale and sitting at a military aircraft junkyard outside of Tucson, Ariz ….”
• LOADS of questions, debate and discussion in the House of Commons yesterday as National Defence was one of the biggie topics the House decided to debate in detail as part of the budget process.
• Budget 2012  Minister of Veterans Affairs:  closing front-line VAC offices=getting rid of bureaucracy  “Mr. Speaker, it is very clear. What we are taking away from veterans are the millions of unnecessary transactions for veterans who need our services. We are simply cutting the red tape, cutting the routine and repetitive tasks that waste paper and in no way serve our veterans. That is what we are doing. If the member really wants to help veterans, he should support budget 2012, because it maintains veterans’ benefits.”
• NORAD ex coming to the St. Lawrence  “Residents in Québec along the St. Lawrence River may see Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft starting from 2 p.m. on Wednesday, 9 May as they exercise NORAD intercept and identification procedures. During the flight, NORAD-controlled CF-18 Hornet fighter aircraft will fly in close proximity to a civilian-looking aircraft. The exercise is part of NORAD’s continuing training to test responses, systems and equipment. All NORAD training flights are carefully planned and closely controlled ….”
• Let the speculation over who the new Chief of Defence Staff will be begin!  “The government is expected to launch a search for Canada’s next top soldier to replace Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk in the coming weeks. Insiders have told Postmedia News that no official timeline has been given for making a decision and Gen. Natynczyk, who has held his post since July 2008, has not publicly declared he is stepping down. There is also no set limit to the amount of time he can hold the position, as he serves at the prime minister’s pleasure. But those spoken to believe a new chief of defence staff will be in place by the end of the summer, which would correspond with the historical trend of three- and four-year terms. Whoever takes over is widely expected to be of a different breed from Gen. Natynczyk — and his predecessor, Gen. Rick Hillier ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?  A bit of GOOD acquisition news for a change….  “Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT – Analyst Report) has delivered the 17th and final CC-130J Super Hercules aircraft to the Royal Canadian Air Force (“RCAF”). In December 2007, the company had entered into an agreement worth $1.4 billion with the Government of Canada. Per the contract, Lockheed Martin had to deliver 17 CC-130J Super Hercules aircrafts and allied equipments and services to the RCAF by 2012. The company delivered the first CC-130J Super Hercules aircraft in June 2010. The RCAF deployed these aircrafts in Canada and several other nations including Libya and Afghanistan for humanitarian relief and military missions ….”
• Big Honkin’ Ships  Associate Minister Fantino’s response to a question in the House:  “Mr. Speaker, unlike the 10 years of darkness attributed to the previous Liberal government, we are moving forward on a whole array of assets to support our military men and women in doing their jobs as Canadians expect them to. As for the Arctic ships, our government is following through on our commitment to build ships in Canada. Irving Shipbuilding is currently building midshore patrol vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard, with the first completed ships expected this year.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Question in the House of Commons with Associate Minister Fantino sharing the usual messaging
• Stuart Langridge, R.I.P.  “The former girlfriend of a soldier who committed suicide is expected to testify today at a military hearing. The Military Police Complaints Commission is continuing its review of how the Forces handled the death of Cpl. Stuart Langridge. Among the issues raised after the 28-year-old Afghan vet killed himself was figuring out his next-of-kin. There was confusion as to whether Langridge and Rebecca Starr were in a common-law relationship or not. Langridge’s parents said they weren’t, but the military decided they were and that gave Starr control over the soldier’s funeral and access to benefits. But later paperwork called into question that decision and eventually that became the subject of one of the investigations into Langridge’s death.”
• OOOPSIE!  “Canada’s defence department has recalled an internal booklet after discovering it contained a photo of convicted sex killer and ex-colonel Russell Williams. “This is a terrible mistake for which the Canadian Forces are truly sorry,” Defence Minister Peter MacKay said in a written statement. He promised a personal apology to the families of two local women killed by the disgraced airman. Williams, now 49, was imprisoned for life after pleading guilty in October 2010 to killing two women, attacking two more and committing a years-long series of break-ins and fetish thefts between Ottawa and Belleville. His most severe crimes were committed while Williams commanded CFB Trenton, Canada’s largest air force base. Yet he appears in the background in the first edition of a new professional development booklet produced last week by the Canadian Defence Academy, a branch of the federal Department of National Defence. A copy of the booklet was obtained by The (Belleville) Intelligencer. A military spokesman said the booklet was never released fully — and never will be. “We’ve recalled the booklet because of an editorial oversight,” Lt.-Cmdr. John Williston, the academy’s public affairs officer, told The Intelligencer. “It has been completely recalled. It was only distributed within the headquarters and to a few others and we are in the process of redoing it,” said Williston ….” – more from The Canadian Press, CTV.ca, QMI/Sun Media and CBC.ca.
• Way Up North (1)  Royal United Services Institute (Nova Scotia) paper, “Forward Operating Location Nanisivik: Halifax’s Gateway to Canada’s Arctic” (PDF) by Col. (Retd) Sylvain Lescoutre
• Way Up North (2)  A scientist explains how tracking the thawing of Canada’s permafrost is harder than it looks, comparing it to defrosting a chicken  “…. At first, any frozen bird warms fairly quickly. About 12 hours took it from deep freeze to a point just below 0 C. “Then it takes a very long time to go from -1 up through the zero point,” he explains. “It doesn’t take much energy to take it from -15 to -1 (degrees). But it takes a huge amount of energy to take it from -1 up to plus a half. “Permafrost is like that, too.” And that brings a quandary. The permafrost may warm up, and then hover at the just-barely-frozen stage for a long time, until enough energy builds up to push it over the edge. When that last step will happen, though, is frustratingly unknowable for now. Sooner in the South, where it’s only a few metres thick; much later in the High Arctic, where it is 700 metres thick ….”
• One artist makes a killing with his military art….  “A famous photo by Canadian artist Jeff Wall has sold for more than US$3.6 million at auction in New York. Created in 1992, Dead Troops Talk (A vision after an ambush of a Red Army patrol, near Moqor, Afghanistan, winter 1986) is one of Wall’s most recognized and written-about works. Christie’s says the photograph sold Tuesday for US$3,666,500, setting a world auction record for the Vancouver artist. Wall, who is known for large-scale photographs of contemporary everyday genre scenes, arranged the image with actors in the studio, photographed in individual sections later assembled digitally, and finally simulated a monumental outdoor photograph ….”
• …. while another military artist says he’s going to be killing some of his  “A visual artist, previously hired by the Defence Department to work in Somalia and Afghanistan, plans to rip up five pieces of his war art to protest what he considers the destruction of Canadian parliamentary tradition. Allan Harding MacKay, 67, of Toronto, will destroy his work within sight of Parliament Hill on Thursday afternoon in what he’s calling an “art action.” “I guess, in a sense, the power I have is in the artwork I’ve done,” he said of his offbeat protest. “It does represent elements of the Canadian military heritage, but they belong to me, they’re my works.” MacKay will destroy three mixed-media works based on his Afghanistan assignment (July 2002) and two from his trip to Somalia (March 1993). He was commissioned as an artist by the Department of National Defence when Canadian troops were deployed to those countries ….”
• “Veterans Voices seeks donations – Veterans Voices of Canada, based in Sylvan Lake, Alberta produces on camera interviews with Canadian military Veterans for history and education. The recordings are donated to schools, museums and libraries across Canada. Because we are losing our Second World War and Korean War Veterans at an alarming rate, it is imperative that this be done as soon as possible. n May they will hold the first Annual Veterans Voices of Canada Silent Auction and Veteran Appreciation Day in Sylvan Lake from 12 to 5 p.m. This is to raise funds to continue the organization’s mission. n that day celebrity veterans will attend. Royal Canadian Air Force aces retired general Don Laubman (DFC/Bar) as well as retired colonel Doug Lindsay(DFC) will be on location autographing photos with their aircraft …. They are seeking silent auction item donations for this Veterans Voices of Canada auction. They are also accepting cash donations for the organization. Funds raised will go towards the continuation of Veterans Voices of Canada and its mission, however 10% of the end proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Veterans Advocacy. To help keep the history alive go to www.vetvoicecan.org“
• Academic calls for less harsh line on Palestinians  “…. the Harper government’s contempt for diplomacy and honest brokerage is bound up with a rhetorical heightening of foreign antagonisms for political effect. In an interview this March, Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird declared, “Canada’s not going to be an honest broker between an international terrorist organization and a liberal democracy, when the great struggle of our generation is the struggle between liberal democracies and international terrorist organizations.” This statement casts any party at odds with Israel, any party with whom Israel might conceivably enter into mediation, as the embodiment of evil. Former Israeli Prime Minister Moshe Dayan famously said “You don’t make peace with your friends; you make it with your enemies.” Baird’s words effectively turn Israel’s enemies into evildoers with whom no peace can be made. It’s appalling for Canada to do so in the name of pro-Israel solidarity. With luck, our government will come to understand that such solidarity and the honest broker role can—and should—go hand in hand.”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 15 Mar 12

• Toronto Star columnist: “Is it time to do a Kosovo in Syria? Yes.”
• “The Canadian Forces have issued a statement about the reservist who claimed his throat was slashed at a Nanaimo bus stop last week, saying the private owned up on Monday to fabricating the entire incident. Maj. Lena Angell, an army public affairs officer with Land Force Western Area based in Edmonton, said 23-year-old Chad Shore is now undergoing medical evaluation. “Pte. Shore’s health and well-being are the army’s focus, and ensuring that he has access and receives the medical care that he requires,” Angell said in an e-mail to the media. Police launched a major investigation into the March 6 incident and previously expressed concern that Shore was targeted by his claimed assailant because he was in his military uniform. The military said Shore contacted police this week and admitted to making it up. Nanaimo RCMP have said they are not considering any charges. Shore’s unit, the 5th B.C. Field Artillery Regiment, is planning to conduct an internal investigation into the incident …. ”  More here.
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1a)   The PM takes a question in the House of Commons:  “Hon. Bob Rae (Toronto Centre, Lib.):  Mr. Speaker, on the subject of electoral fraud, the Prime Minister, on April 8, 2011, in the middle of the election campaign, talked about the F-35 contract. He said, “the contract we’ve signed shelters us from any increase in those kinds of costs. We’re very confident of our cost estimates”. His ministers are telling us now that there is no contract, that there is no assurance with respect to cost and, in fact, that signing a contract is a matter of if and when. Was the Prime Minister telling the truth when he spoke to the people of Canada on April 8, 2011, about a so-called contract, yes or no?   Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC):  Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of public record. At the time, I was referring to a memorandum of understanding. It has not been a secret that the government has not signed a contract. The fact is our country does not pay any increase on the development cost. That is the arrangement. It is also a fact that we have provisioned in our budget funds for future aircraft and we are prepared to live within that budget.“
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1b)  Associate Minister Fantino takes a couple of questions (here and here), too  “…. The Royal Canadian Air Force plays a vital role in protecting our sovereignty and defending our interests at home and abroad. Canada’s CF-18s are nearing the end of their usable lives. Canada is one of nine partner nations in the F-35 program, and has been so for 15 years. However, a contract has not been signed for replacement aircraft. We have set a budget for replacement aircraft. We have been clear that we will operate within that budget. We will continue to ensure our men and women receive the tools they need to carry out the jobs we ask of them …. the Liberals initiated Canada’s involvement in the joint strike fighter program in 1997, and in so doing committed over $100 million to get things started. Now they are turning their backs on the program. They have cold feet and they are flip-flopping. We are not. We remain committed to making sure our men and women in the military have the absolutely right tools to do their jobs and do so for the good of Canadians.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2)  QMI/Sun Media’s take on the latest  “While it appears the Tories are reversing the thrusters on its plan to buy F-35 fighter jets from military giant Lockheed Martin, Canadian defence analysts say nobody is hitting the eject button. “I don’t see it as a reversal, I think the government has restated its commitment to the F-35 project; the reality is everyone is concerned about the cost and the schedule of the project,” said retired Lt.-Gen. George MacDonald, former vice chief of defence staff, who works with a consulting representing Lockheed Martin …. Analysts say the F-35 could be delayed by a year, bumping back the 2016 delivery date for the first couple of units.” MacDonald said the F-35 is the only fighter jet available that meets Canada’s long-term needs, including air-to-air combat, air-to-surface missile capabilities and intelligence gathering.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (3)  The Ottawa Citizen’s editorial take:  “…. The problem the government faces now is this: If it has a plan B, it has not been very clear about what that is, and what its costs and benefits are. Indeed, Defence Minister Peter MacKay has warned that “cancelling the contract now could result in an operational gap, where if, around the year 2017-’18 when we’re starting to take delivery of the F-35, our F-18s are going to be taken out of use.” So if the government has alternatives in mind, now’s the time to discuss their merits openly. “Trust us” has never been a good enough answer.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (4)  More on the need for a Plan B:  “…. If Canada does need to order a different plane to either replace or augment the F-35, that purchase will need years to be filled. The CF-18s are running out of life. If the government is serious about not leaving the military in the lurch, it had better begin planning now.”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (5)  “The Bulldog’s” take:  “The biggest threat to Canada’s security is not intruding enemy fighters or terrorism, but the decline of central Canada’s manufacturing industry. So the idea of spending $9 billion on 65 F-35 military jets and sending that money to the U.S. to build them is ridiculous. Particularly at a time when the federal government is capping transfers to the provinces for health care, making Old Age Security much more restrictive and dealing with a pesky deficit ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (6)  Toronto Star columnist’s take:  “For any government, retreat is embarrassing. For Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, it is near-unthinkable. So the fact that Ottawa is publicly backtracking on plans to buy 65 state-of-the-art F-35 fighter planes is a sign of how truly bad the original decision must have been. Harper left it to junior defence minister Julian Fantino to mumble his way through the about-face Tuesday ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (7)  The Globe & Mail’s take:  “Julian Fantino has just executed a classic tactical manoeuvre: the quarter-turn retreat. According to the junior defence minister, the Harper government is committed to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, but not so much that it’s necessarily going to buy the things. Mr. Fantino’s definition of commitment would make a marriage counsellor blush ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (8)  An overview of the latest at ipolitics.ca
• Mark Collins on why you want people inside weapon platforms - more here.
• One Senator’s ideas on where to cut the defence budget  “…. Liberal Senator Colin Kenny, the former chair of the senate defence and security committee, said if the Harper government wants to make appropriate defence cuts it would look at its pet project of Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships. The $4.3 billion program was established to build between six and eight light naval icebreakers — slated to be the first military vessels constructed in Halifax under the recently announced national shipbuilding plan. Expected to be in the range of 6,000 tonnes each, the ships when completed around 2014-15 will operate in the Arctic for up to eight months a year. “They’re just a dumb idea,” said Kenny. “They don’t break ice and they go 16 knots and that’s slower than a fishing boat.” ….”
• “Military families at the Edmonton Garrison are worried special allowances for Canadian Forces personnel may be on the chopping block in the upcoming federal budget. Defence Minister Peter MacKay told the House of Commons last week there’s been no decision whether to cut or maintain a cost of living allowance called the post living differential or the monthly land duty allowance given some members of the military. The budget is scheduled for March 29th. Rhonda Draeger of Edmonton wants to know why the government is eyeing the possibility of cutting some subsdies that military families rely on. “If they do away with the PLD and the land duty allowance we’re going to be missing close to $1,300 per month, and that’s substantial for a family,” Draeger said. Her husband has been a solider for 23 years, serving two tours in Afghanistan ….”  As of last week, the Minister of National Defence has said no decision’s been made on PLD (via Army.ca)
• What’s Canada Buying?  Someone to build an HR/payroll system for the CF and “a service provider capable of supplying support to its two parachute training programs, including the provision of aircraft resources and parachute instruction facility infrastructure” (more details in bid document extract – 10 page PDF – here)
• No word yet on the cost of “Royalizing” Canada’s armed forces  “One Access to Information request to determine how much it cost Canadian taxpayers to rechristen the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Navy: $5. The value of the move, in the words of Defence Minister Peter MacKay: “Priceless.” Even so, seven months after Ottawa announced plans to change the names of the military’s air and maritime divisions , the Defence Department says it still needs more time before it can reveal how much public money has been spent on the move. Last September, in response to an Access to Information request, the department said it would need 130 additional days to respond. The department now says it must consult with the Privy Council Office, the bureaucratic arm of the Prime Minister’s Office, about possible cabinet confidentiality issues before disclosing how much it has cost to add the royal moniker. The department says it is still awaiting a response from the Privy Council on the matter ….”  We’ll see if anyone other than The Canadian Press gets to see the documents once they’re released.
• More NDP complaints in the House of Commons about the CF buying training services from an American company with…. a bit of history – interesting how it was the Parliamentary Secretary for Industry responding.  A transcript of the short discussion is also available here (PDF) if link doesn’t work.
• More speculation from unnamed sources  “The case of a naval intelligence officer accused of leaking classified military documents to a foreign adversary has done significant damage to Ottawa’s treasured intelligence-sharing relationships with key allies, sources say. The fallout has been an extraordinarily sensitive topic for the federal government since January, when a Canadian Forces sailor was arrested for espionage and reports surfaced that some Russian diplomats were asked to go back to Moscow. No officials in Ottawa have been cleared to speak publicly about the damage, but some government sources say the strain on relations with allies cannot be fully gauged until damage assessments determine exactly what has been lost. Problem is, no one seems to know the extent – the leaks of military information are alleged to date back years, while the accused is understood to have been put under surveillance for only a matter of months. Some sources characterize the damage – particularly to relations with the United States – as grave, while others say they hope bad feelings will blow over. Defence Minister Peter MacKay has said key allies retain “full confidence in Canada.” ….”
• Afghanistan (1)  A former NATO liaison says we should stay “For three years, Hikmet Cetin served as NATO’s key liaison with the Afghan government. In that position, he saw the mistakes that were made as the international community tried to rebuild the country, and the opportunities that were missed. But despite the recent wave of unrest and strife that has swept across Afghanistan and prompted a great deal of soul-searching about the future of NATO’s involvement in the country, Cetin says Canada and its allies must stay the course until 2014. “You’ve invested, you’ve paid the price, and you should see the results of that,” he said of Canada’s role in Afghanistan during an interview in Ottawa on Wednesday. “And we have 2 1/2 years. Now is not the time to talk, it is the time for action.” ….”
• Afghanistan (2)  Another voice calling for us to GTFO  “The game is over in Afghanistan. An American presence can no longer serve any purpose. Or, rather, it can only extend and exacerbate the pathologies of this war. It is time to get out, and more quickly than Barack Obama had been planning. The consequences of leaving may be grim, but the consequences of staying are probably grimmer ….”
• Afghanistan (3)  “Canadian civil servants who served alongside soldiers in the Afghanistan heat are feeling left in the dust as the federal government embarks on a massive postwar dismantling of its bureaucracy. At the centre of the cuts is the Afghanistan Task Force, a massive bureaucratic network formed within the Privy Council Office, CIDA, the RCMP and Foreign Affairs to co-ordinate Canada’s non-military logistics. “The reality is this is no longer a priority for the Conservative government,” said Emma Welford, a civilian who completed tours in Kabul and Kandahar while working for Foreign Affairs Canada. “So reducing the size of the bureaucratic support system for it is only natural.” ….”
• Afghanistan (4)  Note to NDP:  when NATO troops leave, one wonders how well the rights of Afghan woman will be enforced – lucky the NDP doesn’t seem to want a military presence there, eh?  This from an NDP MP in the House of Commons yesterday:  “Mr. Speaker, over the past 10 years, incredible progress has been made in Afghanistan, but women in that country are still not benefiting fully from that progress. A young woman from Gatineau, Ahura Homayun, talked to my team to raise awareness about this issue. Despite all the work that has been accomplished, Afghanistan is still one of the worst places for women: the maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in the world; 87% of women are illiterate; only 30% of young girls have access to education; one woman in three suffers physical or sexual abuse; and 70% to 80% of women are in forced marriages. President Karzai has supported a voluntary code of conduct developed by a religious advisory committee to reduce the rights gained by women and legitimize violence against them. We cannot tolerate this step backward. I am calling on the government to immediately engage in dialogue about this with the Afghan authorities and to appeal to them to respect women’s rights because doing so is essential to peace and security in their country.”
• Afghanistan (5)  No sign of the source documents being shared, so we can’t tell what else is in them  “Since the Canadian training mission in Afghanistan began last year, the federal government has said the purpose is to help Afghan army and police develop the skills needed to take responsibility for the country’s security in 2014. But shortly before visiting Afghanistan this past Christmas, Gov. Gen. David Johnston was told of another reason 950 Canadian troops have been deployed to Kabul and two other central Afghan cities: to free up United States soldiers for combat. The statement is found in briefing notes that were prepared in advance of Johnston’s visit to Afghanistan, Kuwait and HMCS Vancouver in the Mediterranean and obtained by Postmedia News through access to information ….”
• Remembering Vimy Ridge, 95 years later  “Prime Minister Stephen Harper today launched the Vimy Foundation Pin Campaign which seeks to raise awareness of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, one of Canada’s most important military victories. The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, and Mr. David Houghton, President of the Vimy Foundation. “With the passing of the last Canadian First World War Veteran in 2010, it is now more important than ever that we cherish and preserve stories of the service and sacrifice of our country’s fallen heroes,” said Prime Minister Harper. “This pin reminds us of the brave and resilient servicemen who, on April 9, 1917, overcame the odds and captured Vimy Ridge.” The Vimy Pin was introduced in February 2009 by the Vimy Foundation which works to preserve and promote the legacy of Canada’s important contribution to the Allied victory in the First World War. It symbolizes Canada’s victory at Vimy and recognizes the important role this battle played in shaping Canada’s identity …. The Prime Minister also announced today that the Governor General, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, will travel to Vimy, France, on April 9, 2012, along with the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, to attend a special commemorative ceremony in the presence of 5000 Canadian youth marking the 95th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge ….”
• Ajax’s MP Chris Alexander remembers Defence Industries Limited in Ajax and “the bomb girls” of WW2  “Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 9,000 Canadians, mostly women, who toiled at Defence Industries Limited in Ajax to win the war. With over 100 kilometres of rail and road, it was the largest munitions factory in the Empire. Its workers filled 40 million shells for the Allies. They came from across Canada, changing assumptions about women in the workplace and tilting the balance toward victory. They were Canadian optimists, naming their town for the first victory of the war in 1939 when HMS Ajax triumphed over a larger foe. Canadians now are rediscovering this chapter in our history thanks to Bomb Girls, the Global Television series from Maureen Jennings and Debbie Drennan. Through shift matron Lorna or Betty and Kate, the girls of Blue Shift, wartime Canada has been brought vividly to life. For five dangerous years at DIL, hard-working women like Louise Johnson left their jewellery at the door to fill 40 millimetre casings with cordite. On behalf of millions of Canadians, I wish to salute these unsung heroes, congratulate the creators of Bomb Girls on their amazing success and support the new Ajax bomb girls, Pat Brown, Pat Clark, Colleen Jordan and others, in their efforts to build a lasting memorial to the women of DIL. Please join me in paying tribute to Canada’s bomb girls.”