May 16, 2008
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's obsession with controlling the message, and his penchant for secrecy, are jeopardizing what should be one of his prouder legacies: Rebuilding Canada's military.
In Halifax this week, Harper and Defence Minister Peter MacKay rolled out the long-awaited Canada First Defence Strategy, with an announcement that Ottawa plans to make $30 billion in "total investments" in the Canadian Forces over the next generation. That turned out to be more than a little misleading. And so Lt.-Gen. Walter Natynczyk, the vice-chief of defence staff, was soon called upon to provide the clarity that Harper and MacKay had not.
As it turns out, Canada will not spend $30 billion on new fighter aircraft, warships, combat vehicles and other equipment, Natynczyk confirmed. The real cost will be far higher: Up to $50 billion.
This disclosure triggered an uproar in Parliament yesterday, with Stéphane Dion's Liberals demanding a coherent explanation.
There is one, but Harper chose not to provide it in Halifax.
Bringing Canada's base defence budget up to $30 billion in 2031, from $20 billion in 2011, will require annual increases of 2 per cent. That adds up, over time, to a $100 billion total cumulative new investment. That's where Gen. Natynczyk gets the $50 billion figure. Roughly half of defence spending goes to capital purchases.
So, in truth, Harper could and should have announced a $100 billion "total investment" in the military, with $50 billion going to hardware, when he unveiled his strategy. But perhaps he felt even Conservative supporters might recoil in sticker shock. In any event, Harper played up the base budget, without going into the implications.
Parliament, already in a stir over the $50 billion figure, went into a paroxysm over $100 billion. Understandably, the Liberals and others are now pressing the Conservatives to table the background documents on which the strategy hinges. They want to know what the real figures are, what that money will buy, and when.
Given the confusion Harper has sown, it's a fair request.
And apart from withholding the figures, the Conservatives have yet to unveil any coherent strategic vision for the military, for what the Canadian Forces will be tasked to do in the next quarter-century. The Tories appear to be spending faster than they are thinking.
Make no mistake. Major investments are needed. Harper's plan to increase the military to 100,000 regulars and reservists makes sense. And rust-out is a real problem. Even at $30 billion, Canada will spend less on the military than many of our allies.
But the Conservatives should level with the people who are footing the bill. That would be us. Let's see the vision, and the spending plan.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's obsession with controlling the message, and his penchant for secrecy, are jeopardizing what should be one of his prouder legacies: Rebuilding Canada's military.
In Halifax this week, Harper and Defence Minister Peter MacKay rolled out the long-awaited Canada First Defence Strategy, with an announcement that Ottawa plans to make $30 billion in "total investments" in the Canadian Forces over the next generation. That turned out to be more than a little misleading. And so Lt.-Gen. Walter Natynczyk, the vice-chief of defence staff, was soon called upon to provide the clarity that Harper and MacKay had not.
As it turns out, Canada will not spend $30 billion on new fighter aircraft, warships, combat vehicles and other equipment, Natynczyk confirmed. The real cost will be far higher: Up to $50 billion.
This disclosure triggered an uproar in Parliament yesterday, with Stéphane Dion's Liberals demanding a coherent explanation.
There is one, but Harper chose not to provide it in Halifax.
Bringing Canada's base defence budget up to $30 billion in 2031, from $20 billion in 2011, will require annual increases of 2 per cent. That adds up, over time, to a $100 billion total cumulative new investment. That's where Gen. Natynczyk gets the $50 billion figure. Roughly half of defence spending goes to capital purchases.
So, in truth, Harper could and should have announced a $100 billion "total investment" in the military, with $50 billion going to hardware, when he unveiled his strategy. But perhaps he felt even Conservative supporters might recoil in sticker shock. In any event, Harper played up the base budget, without going into the implications.
Parliament, already in a stir over the $50 billion figure, went into a paroxysm over $100 billion. Understandably, the Liberals and others are now pressing the Conservatives to table the background documents on which the strategy hinges. They want to know what the real figures are, what that money will buy, and when.
Given the confusion Harper has sown, it's a fair request.
And apart from withholding the figures, the Conservatives have yet to unveil any coherent strategic vision for the military, for what the Canadian Forces will be tasked to do in the next quarter-century. The Tories appear to be spending faster than they are thinking.
Make no mistake. Major investments are needed. Harper's plan to increase the military to 100,000 regulars and reservists makes sense. And rust-out is a real problem. Even at $30 billion, Canada will spend less on the military than many of our allies.
But the Conservatives should level with the people who are footing the bill. That would be us. Let's see the vision, and the spending plan.
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