Canada and the World

[kEiThZ]

The proposed-only 'not get our hands dirty' part.

You mean the part that is genuinely important to our economy and covers a lot of critical next generation technologies?

It's unfortunate that even a lot of military folks (unless they work at the strategic level or in policy) get this. AUKUS II is more important to Canada than AUKUS I. Nuclear submarines are a nice to have. Making sure our substantial AI and quantum computing industrial base doesn't melt away to the US is even more important. The real fear was what the AUKUS partners would insist on all our nothing in a bid to steal.our industry.

Joint AUKUS Statement here:

Joint Leaders Statement to Mark the Third Anniversary of AUKUS | The White House

We the leaders of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, mark the third anniversary of AUKUS – an enhanced security partnership that

www.whitehouse.gov

 

[kEiThZ]

Big news for my navy friends. The patrol submarine RFI is out.

DND Releases RFI for Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) with Responses Due by November 18th - Canadian Defence Review

Canada officially released an RFI to industry for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project. It’s been reported that the RCN is readying itself for the purchase of up to 12 new submarines at a cost of $60 billion, according to National Defence and industry sources.

canadiandefencereview.com

This one is looking like the Koreans might take it.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Big news for my navy friends. The patrol submarine RFI is out.

DND Releases RFI for Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP) with Responses Due by November 18th - Canadian Defence Review

Canada officially released an RFI to industry for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project. It’s been reported that the RCN is readying itself for the purchase of up to 12 new submarines at a cost of $60 billion, according to National Defence and industry sources.

canadiandefencereview.com

This one is looking like the Koreans might take it.

The British should have kept up their SSK production capability and competed with the Germans, Koreans, etc. The UK has forgotten how to make things.

In a famous exchange, Tony Blair asked Angela Merkel to demystify the mystery behind Germany’s economic prowess. Her response? “Mr. Blair, we still make things.”

 

[lenaitch]

You mean the part that is genuinely important to our economy and covers a lot of critical next generation technologies?

It's unfortunate that even a lot of military folks (unless they work at the strategic level or in policy) get this. AUKUS II is more important to Canada than AUKUS I. Nuclear submarines are a nice to have. Making sure our substantial AI and quantum computing industrial base doesn't melt away to the US is even more important. The real fear was what the AUKUS partners would insist on all our nothing in a bid to steal.our industry.

Joint AUKUS Statement here:

Joint Leaders Statement to Mark the Third Anniversary of AUKUS | The White House

We the leaders of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, mark the third anniversary of AUKUS – an enhanced security partnership that

www.whitehouse.gov

Understood. If we were unwilling to join the SSN club, AUKUS I was not for us.

My point was more that we are often more willing to provide support than blood and treasure. Every Canadian government is more driven by election cycles than strategic planning. I suppose any modern democracy is, but we perennially treat defence and security spending like a discretionary slush fund where entire projects are often killed based on either financial reasons or simply 'it was the other guy's idea so, bad. Countries like the US are not immune from project fits-and-starts, re-prioritizing and pork barrelling, but at least there is an understanding, by both legislators and voters that national defence is a national priority.

I can't shake the impression that funding announcements we have seen in the last few years, such as maritime surveillance aircraft and NORAD, are a direct result of pressure from allies and not from an organic belief by government that these are good things to spend money on. Left to their own devices, the government will procure something at the speed of Cyclone. The recent activity regarding new submarines is, in government terms, astronomically fast.

 

[AlbertC]

Smugglers are advertising illegal Canada-U.S. border crossings on TikTok​

Radio-Canada had this conversation recently over WhatsApp with an individual associated with one of a dozen TikTok accounts we identified that were advertising an illegal service: helping Indian temporary residents in Canada cross into the U.S. outside of official border points.

The individual offering a trip of "40 minutes through the jungle" did not disclose his real name to Radio-Canada but claimed to live in Brampton, Ont.

These accounts promise safe passage into the U.S. from Montreal, Brampton or Surrey, B.C. One of the accounts has more than 360,000 followers on TikTok and seems primarily to target Indian students living in Canada.

The number of irregular entries into the U.S. from Canada has exploded in recent months. Such irregular crossings are prohibited by Canadian and American laws. People wanting to cross the border must do so at official entry points.

Some of the videos posted by these TikTok accounts contain testimonials in Punjabi from supposedly satisfied customers.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tiktok-canada-us-border-smugglers-1.7325746

 

[kEiThZ]

I have made this point before about military families having major challenges. Good to see it getting press.

Rick Ekstein: Canada's military families are reaching their breaking point

Freedom isn't free, and the cost is becoming unsustainable for the families of many in our Armed Forces. They need our support

nationalpost.com

I will add too that even in the military there's gigantic generational differences. Today's twentysomething singles and thirtysomething couples and families face very different challenges from those who served even a decade ago. Especially on housing and childcare. And it's something I personally find a lot of retired guys don't acknowledge, let alone understand. "My wife stayed at home and took care of the kids. Why can't yours?"

 

[kEiThZ]

Understood. If we were unwilling to join the SSN club, AUKUS I was not for us.

Should we have nuclear submarines? Yes. Should we have amphibious carriers? Yes. Should we have high speed rail? Yes.

These would seem odd to group together. But I think it's revealing that we're one of only two countries in the G7 without a flat top (the other is Germany and they have a tiny coastline) and the only country in the G7 without HSR. We're a first world country that consistently wants to enjoy all of the privileges without the burden of responsibilities, like contributing effectively to our own security or building effective infrastructure. I group these things together because they reveal adolescent mindset of our body politic, which is consistent on not growing up regardless of party.

On the topic itself, nuclear submarines would be nice to have and particularly easy for a country that has been a latent nuclear power for decades. There would have been a certain synergy between our nuclear power sector and nuclear fleet. That said, as pointed out above, Canada has the technical capacity but not the political will to actually embrace advanced capabilities like this.

I can't shake the impression that funding announcements we have seen in the last few years, such as maritime surveillance aircraft and NORAD, are a direct result of pressure from allies and not from an organic belief by government that these are good things to spend money on. Left to their own devices, the government will procure something at the speed of Cyclone. The recent activity regarding new submarines is, in government terms, astronomically fast.

When talking procurement, one has to distinguish between the political process and bureaucratic process. And far too many people mix these up. Even those with experience. The bureaucracy can move fast when given the leeway and funding to do so. We did this for a lot of urgent procurements in Afghanistan, more recently in Latvia and even on aid to Ukraine. The problems are entirely political. The Cyclone itself was a result of the terrible decision by the Chretien Liberals to cancel the EH101 and then to insist that requirements be changed to allow developmental aircraft to bid (or the EH101 would have won for a third time after winning the Cormorant contract). And then subsequently, the Harper government followed sunk cost down the rabbit hole and refused to make it work. We are seeing the exact same thing with the Kingfisher. Terrible decisions from the Harper Conservatives. Trudeau Liberals refusing to cancel and rebid. These aren't problems with bureaucracy. These are problems with politicians not listening to the advise of bureaucrats or even insisting that bureaucrats change the answers to ones they like. More broadly, that Canadians tolerate this, is again evidence of our adolescent national mindset.

 

[lenaitch]

I have made this point before about military families having major challenges. Good to see it getting press.

Rick Ekstein: Canada's military families are reaching their breaking point

Freedom isn't free, and the cost is becoming unsustainable for the families of many in our Armed Forces. They need our support

nationalpost.com

I will add too that even in the military there's gigantic generational differences. Today's twentysomething singles and thirtysomething couples and families face very different challenges from those who served even a decade ago. Especially on housing and childcare. And it's something I personally find a lot of retired guys don't acknowledge, let alone understand. "My wife stayed at home and took care of the kids. Why can't yours?"

It is probably little different than the challenges faced by deployed police services, only larger and worse because CAF members are moved more frequently. In times past, even when the spouse worked, it was often a job vs a career and even if it was a career such as healthcare or education, employment was virtually guaranteed in pretty much most places. As well, finding a doctor for the family was less of a challenge. GP/family physicians were more abundant, even is smaller communities and, even if they had a full patient load, many were willing to take on 'one more' since they were sympathetic to the nature of the work.

We did this for a lot of urgent procurements in Afghanistan, more recently in Latvia and even on aid to Ukraine.

One problem with assets acquired under the banner of Urgent Operational Requirements is they often don't include aspects such as long-term sustainment, maintenance, staffing, etc.or at least not to the degree that the traditional procurement process does. Ukraine is bit of an odd example because we are buying stuff for somebody else. Have we actually undertaken procurement to replace assets we have given/pledged them?

 

[Towered]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nato-canada-ukraine-russia-defence-strategy-1.7333798