MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 15 Nov 11

• Afghanistan  Canadian General now second-in-command of NATO’s Afghan training effort.  “Canada’s senior general in Afghanistan has been given a much bigger assignment in a reshuffle of NATO’s top command in Kabul. Maj.-Gen. Mike Day was named deputy commander of NATO Training Mission Afghanistan (NTM-A) last week. Five American generals, a British general and three police generals now report to Day, who will be responsible for the training of hundreds of thousands of Afghan troops and police officers. “Form needed to follow function,” Day said in explaining the changes to the NTM-A, which were made by U.S. army Lt.-Gen Daniel Bolger to streamline the training command in Afghanistan by eliminating a large number of senior staff positions ….”
• “The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, congratulates the crews of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships St. John’s, Athabaskan, Algonquin, and the submarine HMCS Corner Brook, and those of the ship-borne CH-124 Sea King helicopters and the CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft, for their outstanding contributions to Operation Caribbe …. Op Caribbe is the standing US-led multinational counter-drug surveillance and law enforcement interdiction operation in the international waters of the Caribbean Basin and Eastern Pacific ….”  Well done, folks!
• “Canada is poised to spend nearly half a billion dollars to gain access to a constellation of U.S. air force satellites designed to foil foreign cyber attacks. Global Mercury, as Canada’s $477 million share of the Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) network, is to be known, will be immediately activated when a memorandum of understanding between the Department of National Defence and the U.S. air force is signed within the next few weeks. “Our global security interests are not all protected by planes, ships and tanks. Some of the greatest threats are invisible, but real,” Defence Minister Peter MacKay said ….”
• Mark Collins picks out a tidbit from the article mentioned above on another defence project going through a looooong beginning.  Remember JUSTAS?  A few historical MERX postings here, here, here and here.
• Way Up North  “The Canadian military will have to look to commercial contractors and possibly even exchanges with the Americans in order to sustain itself when forces are built up in the country’s far North, a series of internal Defence Department documents show. All three branches – the navy, air force and army – have begun to grapple with the specifics of the enormous, logistical challenge presented by the Harper government’s Arctic policies. A series of reports, briefings and planning directives, obtained by The Canadian Press under access to information laws, show that the biggest concern isn’t getting forces into the harsh region, but the ability to keep them supplied with fuel, ammunition, food and shelter ….”  Again, no sign of sharing the documents so we can get some context.
• “Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama are poised to unveil their long-promised border security agreement in Washington in early December. The deal comes after lengthy behind-the-scenes negotiations involving a new plan that will see both governments co-operate and share more information as they adopt a “perimeter security” approach to the border ….”
• Mark’s thoughts on the guys who want to bring you the F-35 wanting to compete for a new fixed-wing search and rescue plane.
• Speaking of the F-35 ….  “U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham that defense budget cuts of as much as $1 trillion may lead to the termination of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 jet. In a letter today to the two Republican lawmakers, Panetta said reductions beyond the $450 billion, 10-year defense budget cuts already planned would reduce the “size of the military sharply.” If a special committee of lawmakers fails to reach agreement on U.S. deficit reduction, that would trigger a so- called sequestration. That would involve at least another $500 billion in defense cuts over a decade and reduce Pentagon programs in 2013 by 23 percent if the president exercises his authority to exempt military personnel, Panetta said ….”
• What’s Canada Buying? (1)  Someone to sell maritime comms equipment to Poland, borrowing proposed new load-bearing equipment, new autopilots for VICTORIA Class subs, cyanide poisoning antidote kits (more here) and someone to fix landscaping boo-boos caused by Combat Team Commander’s Course in Gagetown.
• What’s Canada Buying? (2)  “TenCate Protective Fabrics is providing flame resistant (FR) fabric for two successful tenders in the Canadian military market. The first tender concerns the Advance Combat Ensemble (ACE) used by the Canadian Air Force. This military ensemble will be made with Nomex® FR fabric in the TenCate Brigade® product portfolio. The second tender involves TenCate Campshield™ FR liner fabric for use in tents by all Canadian Defence Forces. This FR fabric is also Nomex® based ….”  More in PDF news release here.
• For some reason, it appears to be difficult (if not impossible) to get poppies on NHL jerseys as a symbol of remembrance.  A wide-ranging discussion on Army.ca here on what should be done (and through who) to get this to change.
• Taliban Propaganda Watch  Taliban:  You support full-time U.S. bases in Afghanistan, you’re a “traitor” and will be treated as such.
• Historical Information + Google Earth = World War One Explained Graphically
• War of 1812  “A Newfoundland soldier who died almost 200 years ago and is interred on a remote Ohio island has been remembered. In late October, Lt.-Col. Alex Brennan, commander of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, laid a wreath at the monument where Lt. James Garden rests with other officers who died during the Battle of Lake Erie. “There was a great sense of pride knowing that a generation of soldiers lost 200 years ago has not been forgotten,” Brennan said of the experience. Garden was a member of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, which fought for the British during the War of 1812. The Battle of Lake Erie took place Sept. 10, 1813 as part of the conflict between the Brits and the Americans ….”

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MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 5 Oct 11

• We have a border security deal (reportedly)!  “A much-ballyhooed perimeter security deal between Canada and the United States will come with a $1-billion price tag for new border facilities and programs to make trade and travel easier, The Canadian Press has learned. The Conservative government will use money cut from existing programs to cover the hefty cost of the international pact — an attempt to protect the continent from terrorist threats while speeding the flow of people and products across the 49th parallel. The deal, as described by several sources, is more evolutionary than revolutionary, falling short of the grand vision outlined with fanfare eight months ago when Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama announced negotiations ….”  More here.
• Libya Mission  Latest ROTO takes first flight downrange.  “The CP 140 Aurora aircraft continued to add to an impressive list of firsts, flying its first mission over Libya and its first strike coordination and armed reconnaissance-coordinator (SCAR-C) mission during Operation MOBILE. On 22 September 2011, crew from 405 Long Range Patrol Squadron at 14 Wing Greenwood, flew its first intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mission over Libyan soil ….” (via CEFCOM Info-Machine)
• “NATO defense ministers are exploring ways Wednesday of ending the alliance’s aerial campaign in Libya and training Afghan security forces for a larger role in their country’s war. In a speech before the meeting, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta urged NATO member states to cooperate more closely and pool their resources in order to make up for the shortfalls that have plagued the alliance’s operations in Libya and Afghanistan. “It would be a tragic outcome if the alliance shed the very capabilities that allowed it to successfully conduct these operations,” said Panetta, who is making his first visit to Europe after taking over from Robert Gates as Pentagon chief in July. European members and Canada provided most of the strike aircraft used in the Libya campaign. But the war exposed shortages in their capabilities in strategic transport, aerial surveillance, air refueling, and unmanned drones, most of which had to be supplied by the U.S. ….”  More on the U.S. poking allies to crank up the military capabilities here.
• Afghanistan (1)  Poking the Defence Minister in Question Period – again – on (based on a book that’s not out yet) being out of the loop on Afghanistan.
• Afghanistan (2)  Canada fighting the fight (against polio) in Afghanistan.
• Afghanistan (3)  Editorial:  “Part of the rationale for military intervention in Afghanistan was the deplorable state of women’s rights, and the need to free women from the gender apartheid practised by the Taliban. This was a country where women could not have direct contact with men after the age of eight, could not go to school or work outside the home, visit public baths to stay clean, wear nail polish, high heels or be seen in public without a burqa, or a male relative. As the 10th anniversary of the military invasion approaches on Oct. 7, the hard-won gains that women have made over the past decade must be safeguarded. They cannot be sacrificed for the larger goal of ending Afghanistan’s protracted conflict ….”
• Provincial politicians use CF search & rescue as provincial campaign lighting rod. “Newfoundland nd Labrador’s premier and the opposition leader say search and rescue services provided by the federal government must be investigated to see if improvements are necessary. Progressive Conservative Leader Kathy Dunderdale said a recent episode of CBC’s The Fifth Estate on search and rescue has left her with concerns about the military’s service. “It is not satisfactory to the people of this province, to the people who earn their living on the sea, to be at further risk because of a slow response time or policies that affect response time in marine search and rescue,” she said. Dunderdale said she plans to vigorously pursue the issue of search and rescue with the federal government. Liberal Leader Kevin Aylward agreed and went further, calling for a full inquiry into federal search and rescue services. Both Aylward and Dunderdale are campaigning in preparation for the provincial election on Oct. 11 ….”
• Wounded Warriors, Mental Health & Suicide (1)  “For decades, the issue of suicide in active soldiers and retired veterans was something that no one wanted to talk about. But a number of programs both within and outside the military are finally focusing attention on the issue. How big a problem is suicide in Canada’s military? It’s difficult to say. The Canadian Forces reports that the suicide rate among currently active soldiers is actually lower than that of the general public. But once many of those soldiers are released from the military, research shows their suicide risk can rise to higher levels than that of civilians. Assessing the toll can be difficult, because beyond the clear-cut suicides are the more subtle instances in which soldiers end their own lives. A veteran who drinks heavily to dull mental pain might be engaging in a slow form of suicide. A soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder and anger issues might take reckless risks if he’s lost his will to live. And how about the veteran with depression who ends up homeless and dies far too young? None of these deaths would register on the books as a suicide, but all might well be traced back to the soldier’s time in service ….”
• Wounded Warriors, Mental Health & Suicide (2)  From Question Period (QP):  “Hon. John McKay (Scarborough—Guildwood, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of National Defence and I, along with others, attended a conference put on by the military called “Caring for our Own”. One of the concerns raised by some of the soldiers was the fear that the military would not be there for them in their hour of need. Specific worries included PTSD, suicide ideation and suicide itself. The next budget will be under severe pressure for cutting these “soft services”. Could the minister give the House assurances that our vulnerable soldiers and their families will be protected from these budgetary pressures? Hon. Peter MacKay (Minister of National Defence, CPC): Mr. Speaker, my colleague is correct. My friend was in attendance, along with many members who are specifically tasked with how we deal with the scourge of post-traumatic stress and many of the challenges related to overseas deployments. I am very pleased to report that Canada has in fact become a world leader in fighting the stigmatization and raising awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder and other operational stress injuries. As well, we have increased mental health awareness and we have increased the number of mental health professionals who are dealing specifically with these challenges.”
• Wounded Warriors, Mental Health & Suicide (3)  More from QP:  “Mr. Sean Casey (Charlottetown, Lib.):  Mr. Speaker, there is a great need to enhance suicide prevention programs in Canada. With respect to our veterans, the data is alarming. The suicide rate in the armed services is nearly three times that of the general population. According to a departmental study of all males who enrolled in the regular forces after 1972 and were released before 2007, a total of 2,620 died and almost 700 of them were suicides. Could the minister outline new steps or strategies that his department is undertaking to tackle this crisis among veterans?  Hon. Steven Blaney (Minister of Veterans Affairs, CPC):  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his important question. While mental health was taboo then, it is a priority for our government now. That is why we have established, in conjunction with the Department of National Defence, 17 operational stress injury clinics that provide services to veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress across the country and at various levels that they might experience. This approach is working. As of June, Veterans Affairs Canada is helping more than 14,300 veterans with mental health conditions and their families ….”
• New fur hats for the troops (and the animal rights activists are unhappy).  “The Department of National Defence has decided to add fur to the winter gear of the Canadian Forces, a move that’s getting a frosty reception from animal-rights advocates. The government says fur is part of Canada’s heritage and the winter tuque currently in use doesn’t stand up to the rigours of the Canadian winter. So it’s buying an initial run of 1,000 fur-trimmed caps at a cost of $65,000, for use by guards of honour and Canadian Forces starting this winter …. “There are synthetics that are just as good and that don’t necessitate the killing of animals,” Elizabeth Sharpe of the World Society for the Protection of Animals said from Toronto. “Killing animals for their fur is completely unnecessary and cruel.” Lesley Fox of the British Columbia-based Association for the Protection of Fur-Bearing Animals says muskrats are known to chew off their limbs to free themselves from leg-hold traps ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1)  Defence Minister Peter MacKay, facing questions from the NDP on the upcoming F-35 buy:   “These aircraft, as the House will know, will replace our aging CF-18 fleet of fighter jets. These aircraft, like other aircraft, have served our country extremely well. They are used in Libya today. They have been used in previous missions, but that they aging. As a matter of course we are taking the responsible step of following a procurement process that has been in place for a significant period of time in which a number of countries are participating …. We committed $9 billion for the replacement of the CF-18. In fact, it not only includes the cost of the aircraft, this will include: spares, weapons systems, infrastructure and training simulators as well as the contingency associated with this important procurement. We are purchasing the most cost-effective variant at the prime of peak production when the costs will be at their lowest. Even the Parliamentary Budget Officer has admitted to that. Why are the NDP members constantly against getting the best equipment for the best forces in the world?”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2)  The latest from the Associate Minister of National Defence Julian Fantino:  “An overall $9 billion cost estimate is more honest than relying on individual plane costs, says the minister handling the purchase of Canada’s new fighter jets. Despite a promise by manufacturer Lockheed Martin that Canada will get its F-35 fighter jets at a cost of $65 million each, Julian Fantino, Associate Minister of National Defence, says the government’s overall $9 billion estimate is the more honest number. The cost of the F-35 depends on the number of planes ordered by other countries, as well as on how early Canada wants to get its order. The manufacturing cost goes down as more planes come off the assembly line, with Canada expecting the U.S. to absorb the bulk of the F-35’s development costs. “There are just so many variables, and that’s why I think the more honest, ethical response to all these issues is the $9 billion figure, which in fact will be the ceiling that Canada will be investing in these particular aircraft,” Fantino told Evan Solomon, host of CBC’s Power & Politics ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?  Someone to make fake explosives to test detection equipment (more in Statement of Work – 4 page PDF – here), upgrading the range at CFB Valcartier, someone to manage Canada’s presence at the Farnborough Air Show, and CADPAT rank slip-ons.
• Canada’s top military cop to chair NATO committee.  “The Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM), Colonel Tim Grubb assumed the post of Chairman of the NATO Nations Military Police (MP) Chiefs’ Committee at a brief ceremony last week in Prague, Czech Republic. The ceremony concluded the committee’s annual meeting …. Colonel Grubb has been the CFPM since 2009 and during his tenure has overseen significant transformation in the Canadian Forces Military Police organization ….”
• “The Pearson Peacekeeping Centre engaged in some diplomacy of its own recently when its leaders invited ambassadors and military attachés to its Carleton University headquarters to update them on its activities. Michael Snell, project manager for the centre, told the group of about 30 diplomats about the work the centre has been doing with the 10 training centres that compose the Association of Latin America Peacekeeping Centres. The centre’s three causes, Snell said, are: women and peacekeeping; supporting new training centres; and enhancing police participation in UN missions from Latin America ….”
• How some of the Americans are doing the War of 1812 anniversary.  “Out of the murk of history and the trough of government funding, here comes the War of 1812 again, 200 years old and as ambiguous as ever on both sides of the Canada-U.S. frontier. “The festivities reach a crescendo!” trumpets the Maryland Bicentennial Commission, as if three years of bombarding, cannonading, spearing, shooting, scalping, burning, sinking, drowning, pillaging, invading, retreating, ambushing, marching, fleeing, starving, freezing, and occupying had been a holiday for all concerned. Undeterred by the carnage – after all, the war didn’t kill THAT many guys, compared to, like, Gettysburg or Hitler or whatever – we are going to have “a Star-Spangled tribute to the defense of America” down here, a display at the U.S. Naval Academy of “the British flag captured at Fort York (Toronto),” plus “a week-long maritime event to kick off the bicentennial celebration.” In other words, there are going to be a lot of people in pantaloons hoisting mainsails and firing muskets before this thing is put away for another century ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 23 Aug 11

• R.I.P. Jack Layton.  I didn’t agree with many of his policies, but you have to admire his commitment and passion – awfully big shoes to fill.
  
• Libya Mission (1)  “Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada will remain a part of NATO’s military mission in Libya for now, even as Moammar Gadhafi’s regime appears to be crumbling. “Today, Canada welcomes the news that the Gadhafi regime is at the beginning of its end,” Harper told reporters on Monday. Reports from Tripoli suggest most of Gadhafi’s security forces fled or surrendered when rebel forces took control of most of the capital Sunday night. But rebels are still fighting pockets of fierce resistance from regime loyalists firing mortars and anti-aircraft guns. The rebels say they will only declare victory when Gadhafi, whose whereabouts are not known, is captured. NATO has vowed to keep up its air campaign until all pro-Gadhafi forces surrender or return to their barracks. More than 600 Canadian troops are taking part in the military campaign led by Canadian Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard. “For now our military forces will remain in place and we’ll consult our allies on the next steps,” Harper said, adding that Canadians have every reason to be proud of their participation. “I’d like to thank the brave men and women of the Canadian armed forces for their impressive contribution to the allied effort.” ….”  More from Postmedia News here, and in PM’s statement here.
• Libya Mission (2)  Don’t know where this guy’s getting his numbers, but here’s some alleged stats via Twitter.  “Total Cdn sorties Op Unified Protector as of 0530Z 22 August 2011 CF-188 HORNET 721 CC-150 POLARIS 187 CC-130 HERCULES 128 CP-140 AURORA 129”
• Libya Mission (3)  Play with the bull….  “Friends of a Canadian freelance journalist stuck in Libya as a violent rebellion seems poised to sweep dictator Moammar Gadhafi from power say they have grave concerns for his safety after frequent communications from him stopped Monday morning. Mahdi Nazemroaya, a 29-year-old from Ottawa, has been in Tripoli for two months covering the situation in the region for a number of international news agencies, including Al Jazeera and Russia Today. “We are fearing for his life,” said Michel Chossudovsky of the Centre for Research on Globalization, with which Nazemroaya is affiliated. “He is a Canadian. . . . (He’s) in a hostile environment and there’s no exit strategy for an independent journalist,” said Chossudovsky, a professor at the University of Ottawa ….”  His mom wants Canada to do more to help.  I guess NATO forces are too busy to help given, as mentioned in a Centre for Research on Globalization article, “…. a NATO warship sailed up and anchored just off the shore at Tripoli, delivering heavy weapons and debarking Al Qaeda jihadi forces, which were led by NATO officers ….”  Besides, how bad can it be?  An article including quotes from the missing chap says the mainstream media have it all wrong and that the rebels aren’t even winning – no sweat.
• Libya Mission (4)  Notwithstanding the Centre for Research on Globalization’s concerns about the mainstream media’s objectivity, check here (Google News) and here (European Commission news aggregator) for more of the latest out of Libya.
• Way Up North (1)  “Prime Minister Stephen Harper leaves this morning on his annual Arctic tour. It’s his sixth consecutive summer visit to the Far North as the government aims to exert greater territorial control over the region. The melting Arctic ice is seen as an opportunity for increasing international ship travel, mineral and gas exploration and scientific research ….”
• Way Up North (2)  Blogger/info curator Mark Collins on what sovereignty means, exactly.  “…. the word “sovereignty” refers to whether or not Canada has a legal right to our northern lands. We do and no country disputes it. How well the area is governed, how its people fare, what military or physical presence the government has there, are completely unrelated issues–which this government and other interested parties do their best to associate, misleadingly, with sovereignty ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?  “…. The Contractor is required to provide the Department of National Defence with a quantity of 220 pairs of Lowa Desert Elite boots and 205 pairs of LOWA combat GTX boots to be delivered to two delivery points located within 250 km from Ottawa, Ont ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 13 Aug 11

• Libya Mission (1)  “There’s no way to tell right now whether NATO will have to extend its Libyan operation past the end of September, a top Canadian general told MPs on Friday. In June, the Commons overwhelmingly voted to extend Canadian participation in the operation to September 27. Maj.-Gen. Jonathan Vance, the director of the strategic joint staff, said, however, that a rushed withdrawal by NATO, without some kind of political settlement, would be disastrous. Vance, who once commanded Canadian troops in Afghanistan, told MPs on the Commons defence committee that diplomatic and political efforts are vital now to produce a solution. He says no one can predict how things will unfold over the next six weeks …. Newfoundland MP Jack Harris, the NDP defence critic, said he believes that NATO has done the job it set out to do, which was to protect Libyan civilians from Gadhafi. “The capability of Col. Gadhafi to mount this kind of activity has been degraded to the point where that’s no longer the issue,” he said. “The problem that we have is that we don’t want this to morph into some sort of prolonged mission.” It’s time to go, said the New Democrat ….”
• Libya Mission (2)  “Top Canadian military and diplomatic authorities are saying little about whether they will be able to pull out of the UN-led military mission in Libya by the end of September as planned.  Maj.-Gen. John Vance could not give a direct answer when asked Friday morning by MPs if officials will stick to Canada’s mandated exit date of Sept. 27, 2011, based on how stable Libya is today.  “There are a lot of factors at play,” Vance told the informal parliamentary committee meeting. “The efforts of NATO today are essential.”  If the military withdrew today — without a negotiated settlement with dictator Moammar Gadhafi — Vance said it would be an “absolute calamity.”  The general, along with Sandra McCardell, Canada’s ambassador to Libya, and other officials were testifying at the defence committee meeting on Canada’s role in the Libyan mission to protect its citizens from Gadhafi’s military attacks …. Diplomats, meanwhile, are striving to hammer out a “verifiable” ceasefire, McCardell said. Gadhafi has announced a ceasefire in the past, but his forces kept shooting.  She said envoys are still looking for the right person within the regime to come to the negotiating table.  Vance said the military has no plans to “put boots on the ground” in Libya and become an occupying force …. Neither McCardell, Vance nor other witnesses could say for sure if the rebel group would be able to maintain security after NATO leaves, if Gadhafi would ever accept a ceasefire, or if the conflict is on its way to becoming a stalemate ….”
• CFB Borden getting two new dining halls and kitchens, CF Info-Machine version – emphasis mine:  “The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, today announced plans to construct two new All Ranks Kitchen and Dining Facilities at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden. In total, these projects are valued at approximately $77 million and involve the construction of two new 6,133 m2 facilities that will replace four kitchen facilities …. The construction of the two new single-story kitchen and dining facilities will replace both existing Junior Ranks dining halls, the Officers’ Mess, and Senior NCO Mess currently being used at CFB Borden by 3,000 military personnel daily. This project is part of the CFB Borden Master Real Property Development Plan which aims to consolidate all training and quarters functions into two separate areas. Each facility will be able to serve approximately 1,500 persons per meal, and will be located on the north and south sides of the base. These new buildings will address existing deficiencies found at the current facilities, some of which are over 50 years old ….”  More in Backgrounder here.
• CFB Borden getting two new dining halls and kitchens, media version:  “…. Critics called it a questionable expense, especially at a time when the government says it intends to cut expenditures. “We do have to question how they’re setting their priorities in terms of dealing with the deficit,” NDP defence critic Jack Harris told Postmedia News. “It seems — on the surface — an outrageous amount of money for dining facilities,” Harris said. The government recently announced the closure of two search-and-rescue co-ordinating centres in Quebec City and St. John’s to save “probably a couple of million dollars a year” and yet it can find the cash to replace existing buildings, he added. “Canadians are going to question the timing of this announcement,” said Gregory Thomas of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. While the armed forces should have up-to-date equipment and infrastructure, the country is running a $30-billion deficit and this type of spending will be difficult to justify to the public, Thomas said ….”
• Way Up North (1)  The Kingston Whig-Standard appears to have a reporter with the CF in the north for Operation Nanook 2011. “The engines on the Twin Otter came up to full power and the aircraft started rolling along the gravel runway. In a remarkably short distance, the aircraft was airborne and on its way. The flight took the plane about 100 km from Resolute Bay, where it delivered three barrels of aviation fuel, part of a fuel cache being set up to support helicopters that are to fly out of the base in the coming weeks. Resolute Bay, at 74 degrees North latitude, is a five-hour flight from southern Ontario. It takes about as long to fly to Vancouver, and Resolute Bay is still almost 1,100 km south of Alert, Canada’s most northern point. Flying in Canada’s Arctic is largely ruled by the extremes of two factors: distance and weather. “The Arctic is difficult because there are so few communities up here. Especially with small aircraft, you have to plan better,” said Capt. Tom Turk, a pilot with the Canadian Forces’ 440 Squadron based in Yellowknife, N.W.T. ….” 
• Way Up North (2)  CF research arm paper on proposed staging bases in Canada’s Arctic:  “Optimal RSOM-hub Locations for Northern Operations: A MAJAID Scenario Analysis” (PDF).  Part of the executive summary (abstract and executive summary is downloadable here (PDF) via Army.ca):  “…. The study indicated that the RSOM-hub concept could offer potential cost avoidance and response time reduction on deployment lift for MAJAID operations in the North and could be a potential strategy for improvement of the CF domestic support capability. For a single RSOM-hub solution, Yellowknife would be the time effective RSOM-hub location. From a cost avoidance perspective, Iqaluit would the optimal hub location. Both airfields have the required capability and resources (e.g., fuel, maintenance) for supporting strategic lift aircraft (CC-177) and tactical helicopter (CH-146) operations. For a multiple RSOM-hub solution, the analysis indicates that the optimal number of RSOM-hubs would be two, corresponding to Iqaluit and Yellowknife, when response time and cost avoidance are both considered ….”
• CF troops headed south – 4 Aug 11:  Honduras’ government approves 150 Canadian troops to enter as part of Exercise PANAMAX II
• CF troops headed south – 12 Aug 11 (1) (emphasis mine):  “…. Canadian troops have been cleared to train with the Honduran military. On Aug. 4, the National Congress of Honduras approved the entry of Canadian soldiers into the country to take part in a joint training exercise. The results of three votes on the matter were posted this past Monday on the National Congress’ website. Canada’s Department of National Defence has not announced any training exercises in Honduras. The Prime Minister’s Office said it was unaware of any joint training exercise taking place ….”
• CF troops headed south – 12 Aug 11 (2):  “The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, is pleased to announce the participation of the Canadian Forces in Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships Athabaskan and Algonquin in Exercise PANAMAX, a multinational exercise that focuses on the defence of this important region and the Panama Canal …. Approximately 500 Canadian Forces members will participate in this exercise. HMCS Athabaskan and HMCS Algonquin, each carrying approximately 240 sailors, will work with seventeen countries, including the United States, as part of this multinational exercise aimed at defending the Panama Canal from threat of terrorist attack, natural disaster or pandemic outbreak in order to maintain free and open access to the Panama Canal. HMC Ships Athabaskan and Algonquin are Iroquois-class destroyers, based in Halifax and Esquimalt respectively. These ships are area air defence destroyers and command and control platforms. They are fitted with sophisticated anti-air weapons systems, advanced weapons and communications systems and are capable of leading national and international task groups such as those in Panama. In addition to the naval assets, a CP-140 Aurora aircraft will deploy to Panama airport to participate in the exercise ….”
• What’s Canada Buying?   Wanted:  someone to carry out accreditation survey for Canadian Forces Medical Service, “Capabillity Survey of Naval Soft-Kill Systems” (more on that in bid documents – PDF – here) and someone to fly bad guy and target planes for training (more on that in bid document extract – PDF – here).
• Afghanistan  “She grew up and went to school in Winnipeg, now Alexandra “Ali” Lamont is trying to make it safe for kids in Afghanistan to go to school. “I’ll be assisting with the institutional development of Afghan police,” said Lamont, who leaves for Kabul next week. Making Afghanistan safe for people to get around is key to its future, said the 45-year-old with a law degree and masters in economics who works with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. “It’s fulfilling over there, trying to make some kind of difference,” said Lamont, who spent five months in Kandahar last year. “You see flocks of kids going to school.” There’s so many kids enrolled, some schools run in three shifts. “Afghans are keen to move forward — girls and boys — to take advantage of this opportunity.” Her one-year term is in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital. The diplomat and policy analyst will work with experts from a number of countries to establish a police force to serve and protect Afghans ….”
• A reminder: The Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Canada’s constitution, guarantees the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.  That said, what’s worse than someone faking s/he has served in the military?  Someone faking military service AND lying about an illness to rip people off.  “A B.C. man wanted for allegedly posing as a member of the military and seeking donations to pay for his health costs has been charged with fraud. Douglas Archie Clark, 64, of Burnaby, was charged with 13 counts of fraud, police said in a news release Friday. Police allege Clark has defrauded 40 or more victims out of more than $1 million. Complaints dating back to the 1990s claim Clark portrayed himself as either an active or retired member of the Canadian military – and was even seen in a military-style uniform, police said. It’s alleged he asked for money to pay for cancer treatments that were not covered by his medical plan. After an investigation spanning three and a half years, police arrested and charged Clark in June. The court released him under the conditions he not contact any of the alleged victims or wear any military uniform. He was also ordered to stay in B.C. and return to court July 11. When he failed to appear at that court date, a warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was picked up again Thursday ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 6 Apr 11

• Cpl. Yannick Scherrer, Royal 22e Régiment, R.I.P. His funeral is scheduled for Friday 8 Apr 11 in Valcartier.
• Libya Ops (1) – An overview of how much Canada is helping out in/around Libya:  “… Looking at the numbers reveals the extent to which Canada is committed. The country’s 15 aircraft—seven CF-18 fighter jets, two Polaris refueling tankers, two Aurora maritime surveillance planes, two Hercules transport aircraft, one Globemaster airlift plane, as well as one Sea King helicopter, according to CF public affairs official Maj. Andre E. Salloum—makes Canada the largest air force from any mid-sized contributing nation. As well, there are now 531 Canadian military personnel working on the Libya file—250 aboard the Canadian warship HMCS Charlottetown deployed in the region, 246 at a variety of airbases, 23 more at NATO’s headquarters in Naples, Italy, and a further 12 around the world, said Maj. Salloum. Add to this Special Forces like JTF2 who are widely reported to be in Libya (although this is neither confirmed nor denied by officials) and the fact that Canadian Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard is now running NATO’s entire Libya operation ….”
• Libya Ops (2) – Good question from historian Jack Granatstein. “While nothing is certain yet, it seems increasingly likely that the Gadhafi regime will survive in Libya, at least in the west of the country and possibly with much of the nation’s oil wealth. Survival will be a victory for Gadhafi, a triumph over the Americans and NATO, and that will give Gadhafi himself great credibility with the community of dictators. All will be emboldened by his resistance. But what will his survival mean for the West? ….”
• Election Promises – More critique of the Liberals’ defence platform here and here (Postmedia News).
• Still more on how the Government of Canada wants one of the probes into how Afghan detainees were treated to exclude non-military sources here (Postmedia News).
• An American think tank says the U.S. military’s infrastructure in Europe is in the best position to manage Arctic operations (h/t to prolific blogger Mark Collins).
• F-35 Tug o’ War  Ceasefire.ca brings in an American anti-F-35 spokesperson, and gets quite a bit of coverage (the American, not ceasefire.ca) here, here and here.
• “Col. Dave Cochrane is leaving his post as commander of Canada’s largest air base, but defence ministry officials have refused to comment on his move until after the federal election. Cochrane is the base commander appointed in the days following the conviction of Russell Williams on two counts of murder, sex assaults and a litany of fetish break-ins. His primary role in early days of his command was to lift the spirits of base personnel whose morale was in the dumps following Williams’ crimes. A request by QMI Agency to interview Cochrane regarding his departure to take on “professional development and advanced training” in Australia was denied by the Department of National Defence (DND). Suggesting a phone interview with the air base’s commanding officer “could affect the outcome” of the federal election, a public affairs officer at DND’s media liaison office in Ottawa said Tuesday the Canadian Forces’ communication department will not allow an interview with the colonel ….” More here.
• “One of the migrants who came to Canada last summer aboard the MV Sun Sea worked for two years inside a Tamil Tiger compound not because he wanted to help the terrorist organization but to avoid being forced into combat, the Immigration and Refugee Board heard Tuesday. In fact, prior to entering the compound, the man spent six months hiding in the jungles to avoid being recruited, the man’s parents testified by phone from Sri Lanka. But a representative for the Canada Border Services Agency, which is seeking the man’s deportation, said Tuesday that even though the man never faced battle, his work as a storekeeper inside the compound still benefited Tamil Tiger soldiers and therefore constitutes membership within the banned organization ….”

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 8 Jan 11

• Reporter shares moment where soldiers get frustrated when locals don’t tell them about dangerous things that could go boom.  “The Canadian and Afghan army foot patrol gets less than 100 metres up the road from a typical Afghan village store where it had stopped Thursday when the bomb sniffer dog smells something funny.   A group of shopkeepers and other locals have just finished telling the soldiers they know nothing of the militants the soldiers suspect live among them and who are setting the roadside bombs that are killing and maiming coalition forces and civilians.  It is to this store that the soldiers now withdraw after the dog’s suspicions are confirmed. It’s a homemade bomb filled with shrapnel and planted below the surface on a busy path. The projectile-shaped improvised explosive device is angled to strike in the direction of the person who unwittingly sets it off — perfectly designed for a foot patrol like this.  “We’re not f–king dumb, you know, we know some of you people are helping these guys,” an angry Master Cpl. Stephane Tremblay Morin tells the group during the long wait as a team of explosives-disposal experts from a nearby military base tackles the bomb ….”
• A bit of a hiccup at Postmedia News? Here’s their 11 Dec 10 story on a Canadian female company commander serving in Afghanistan.  Here’s their 5 Jan 11 story on a Canadian female company commander serving in Afghanistan, written by the same author as the first story, who I don’t believe is in theatre any longer (check byline of story above).  Like the old commercial says:  Can you tell the difference?  I can’t tell the difference.
• Note to headline writer at QMI:  the “Blast Boxers” have ALWAYS been available to Canadian troops, as long as they ordered them from the U.K.
• The New York Times picks up the “anti-war protesters pissed at Don Cherry” story.
• Study: How well does EX Maple Guardian prepare non-CF participants for deploying to Afghanistan? (PDF)
• Another study:  Yeah, you really DO need height restrictions for people wanting to do certain jobs in certain planes in the Canadian Forces (PDF).
• What’s Canada Buying? Unmanned boats, and a simulator to train Hercules observers wearing night vision goggles.
• Toronto 18 Update: “On the final day of a sentencing hearing for convicted Toronto 18 terrorist Shareef Abdelhaleem, the Crown painted him as both a detached delegator and “principal architect” of the group’s bomb plot, contradicting a key defence argument that minimized his level of involvement …. on Thursday, Crown attorney Iona Jaffe inverted that argument, noting higher-ranking terrorists “may take a distance from the front lines,” passing mundane tasks to their foot soldiers.  “Mr. Abdelhaleem was obviously imparting information. He was obviously delegating,” Ms. Jaffe said, citing his involvement in passing information to Toronto 18 member Saad Khalid, who made calls to investigate a possible chemical storehouse location.  “[Abdelhaleem] kept a distance,” Ms. Jaffe noted. “He didn’t want to get too close to the fire.”  …. The Crown has requested a life sentence, while the defence is asking for fewer than 20 years. Justice Fletcher Dawson is expected to rule in March ….”
• Remember “Operation Samosa”, where police arrested some folks in Ottawa looking like they were preparing to make some bombs here in Canada?  La Presse says the investigation cost almost $3 milliion (French version – Google English version).
• Are hacker/I.D. thieves sending stolen money to Canada? “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is cracking down on a international criminal ring, based in Vietnam, that is thought to have stolen hundreds of millions of dollars from online merchants using hacking and identity theft. Last month, agents from the DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigations unit raided the home of two Vietnamese exchange students at Minnesota’s Winona State University, seizing documents and computer equipment. According to an affidavit filed in support of the search warrant in this case, the students, Tram Vo and Khoi Van, made more than $1.2 million selling software, videogames and Apple gift cards on eBay, and then shipping buyers products that they’d purchased with stolen credit card numbers. The scam that Vo and Van are accused of has become a big problem for U.S. merchants, according to the affidavit, which was unsealed last week. Here’s how it works. Using stolen information the criminals set up eBay and PayPal accounts in other people’s names and start selling products — $400 Rosetta Stone software or iTunes gift cards, for example. When legitimate buyers purchase these products using PayPal, the scammers then order them direct from the manufacturer, using stolen credit card numbers. By the time the credit card user reports the fraud, the scammers have already moved their money from PayPal to another bank account. Then they move it offshore to accounts in Canada or Vietnam ….” Here’s the affadavit used to get the warrant (PDF).
• Finally, what’s CSIS spokesperson Isabelle Scott got to say about CBC’s latest TV comedy show “InSecurity” which started this week? “The entertainment industry has had a long fascination with the intelligence business, and that’s perfectly legitimate. We, too, think our work is pretty interesting …. That said, screenwriters don’t always get it right. CSIS officers don’t routinely disarm missiles while wearing tuxedos. It’s not CSIS’ place to review this new CBC comedy, though we will say that we take our role seriously in keeping Canadians safe.” (Full disclosure: I have no cable TV access, so I can’t even watch the show, making me truly without prejudice, not to mention a bit geeky, right?).

MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 7 Jan 11

• Jonathan Joseph Sylvain Couturier, 1986-2009, R.I.P Mom to visit Afghanistan seeking closure.
• I was concerned about the (apparent lack of) speed at which interpreters for Canadian troops in Afghanistan were being “fast” tracked to come here (rants here and here). Now there’s word that 50 have been approved so far, with a total of about 250 in the works:  “…. Of (the 28) interpreters who have now made the move to Canada, around a dozen have settled in Ottawa, with others choosing Toronto or Vancouver as their permanent home. Several of those who have now settled in Canada declined to do interviews, still fearful of disclosing their real names or whereabouts. One estimate places the number of interpreters who have worked with Canadians since 2006 to be as high as 6,000. To date, about 250 interpreters have applied to leave Afghanistan, but only 50 applicants have so far been accepted ….” Now, is anyone saying whether this program’s going to be extended to cover Canada’s new mission? Is anyone even asking?
• Can’t get attention to your anti-war protest?  Try holding it outside a “Hockey Night in Canada” venue! “A newly formed Vancouver-based group is challenging Don Cherry to a debate on Coach’s Corner to offset criticism that the fiery commentator is using Hockey Night in Canada to promote militarism and the war in Afghanistan. Hockey Fans for Peace plans to rally outside the HNIC broadcast of Saturday night’s Vancouver Canucks game against the Detroit Red Wings at Rogers Arena in Vancouver to make the point that hockey fans have the democratic right to speak out against the war in Afghanistan. Spokesman Kimball Cariou said Wednesday the group is calling on the CBC “to either stop the promotion of militarism during hockey broadcasts, or else to allow one of its members to debate Cherry during an upcoming Coach’s Corner.” Hockey fan and peace activist Derrick O’Keefe agrees. “It’s something that’s bothered me for a lot of years that Don Cherry’s Coach’s Corner has been used to really give a one-sided platform to talk about the war only in full support,” said O’Keefe, a member of the group’s Facebook page. “And when Don Cherry makes political comments during the hockey broadcast he’s never challenged.” …. “ Although someone calling himself @Donald_Cherry is blasting the prospect of such a protest on Twitter, I’d bet a loonie it’s NOT the real Don “The Collar” Cherry, given comments like this one.
• Dear Editor:  Canada “needs to do a better job” on job guarantees linked to the proposed F-35 purchase.  Signed, President of the CAW.
• Dear Editor:  The proposed F-35 purchase for Canada’s just great – “$12 billion in identified opportunities”.  Signed, Canada’s Industry Minister.
• Wanted: An estimate for Leopard dozer blades, ploughs and clearing rollers
• The Globe & Mail has received a copy of the memo CSIS boss Dick Fadden sent to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews about foreign countries wanting to influence people here (including a couple of un-named provincial Cabinet ministers). No copies of the memo to look at, though.  I guess some media think we can’t be allowed to make up our own minds re:  what such documents say?
• New military study:  yeah, SOME Air Force jobs in SOME planes/helicopters require a minimum height requirement. (PDF)
• Taliban Propaganda Watch:  Ceasefire in Helmand?  What ceasefire in Helmand?  Move along, nothing here to see….