Mackay tries to slide one two through

Finally!! The long overdue Harper defence document suddenly pops up on the DND website. Surprizingly, it sort of crept up there after more than a month of Harperite Muskox calls announcing all kinds of things with no money to match.

Then, late last night, just before Parliament recesses, it makes an appearance.

Peter MacKay says he was merely providing more details on the government's defence strategy when his department quietly posted the price tag on its website late Thursday night.

The minister of defence, who was at an international conference in Halifax today, says the plan amounts to $490 billion in spending over 20 years.

The funding includes $20 billion for new aircraft, tanks and ships, in addition to $15 billion in transport planes, trucks and helicopters that had been purchased earlier.

The Canada First Defence Strategy was first introduced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Halifax last month amid claims that the funding was unclear and incorrect.

Let's see... either MacKay is playing loose with the truth or my sources are. I've been told this was ready to be announced some time ago but that any public announcement was a political decision and the CF was ordered not to post it.

My sources have no reason to lie. MacKay has a poor record with the truth. Not only that, when I first saw this announcement the date on the website was 18 June 2008. It's since changed to 20 June. But all that is irrelevant; we finally have the Defence Policy document that Harper promised to deliver within 6 months of taking office.

Depending on your point of view, $490 billion is either horrendously large or it isn't enough.
Further, the Canada First Defence Strategy reads as much like a political campaign instrument as it does a guide for the future employment, equipping and managing of Canada's armed services.

The 22-page document is sprinkled with all kinds of little rhetorical tidbits which do less to rationally explain the strategy and a lot to demonstrate Conservative penis envy.

From page 2 (Harper's message):

... Canada can return to the international stage as a credible and influential country, ready to do its part.

Typical of Harper, he ignores Canada's influence on the international stage as a trusted honest broker. To him the "international stage" is a military force - period. This blinkered view has reduced our influence as a nation since the only "part" he's willing to do is support Bush administration military fiascoes.

Page 4:

The infusion of long-term stable funding it provides will enable industry to reach for global excellence and to be better positioned to compete for defence contracts at home and abroad...

How does this reconcile with General Dynamics withdrawing its bid from the Frigate Life Extension Project because of lack of funding and the likelihood that GD is probably going to sue the Canadian government? Great start.

This strengthened military will translate into enhanced security for Canadians at home as well as a stronger voice for Canada on the world stage.

There's that "world stage" line again. Damn the Harperites put a lot of stock in that.

Something very strange appears on page 5. After describing natural disasters which occurred in Canada over the past decade in which the Canadian Forces provided an immediate response, the natural inclination of the Harperites floats up.

As Hurricane Katrina has shown in the United States, such disasters will continue to occur, often with devastating consequences, and the citizens affected will expect immediate responses.

Hurricane Katrina?! What would possess any Canadian government to use that as an example. Why refer to it at all? Unless that line was written by an American - an American unfamiliar with the effects of Hurricane Juan on Halifax.

Page 6: (Emphasis mine)

Canada Command was created in 2006 to provide a single operational authority for such domestic operations and will work closely with federal departments such as Public Safety Canada in responding to a natural disaster or a terrorist attack.

In short, that last emphasis was written for the pants-pissers. The said terrorist attack will be over before anyone responds.

On page 8 this line emerges: (Emphasis mine)

... the two nations’ armed forces [Canadian and US] will pursue their effective collaboration on operations in North America and abroad. To remain interoperable, we must ensure that key aspects of our equipment and doctrine are compatible.

Abroad? The Canadian Forces have always maintained a doctrine of being interoperable with NATO. This, however, will provide a convenient point at which a Canadian frigate can remain a part of an American naval strike group even if it's attacking, oh, say, Iran.

Page 9:

Providing international leadership is vital if Canada is to continue to be a credible player on the world stage.

Not to mention sending kids home in metal coffins. Funny how that "world stage" doesn't seem to include anything but expeditionary wars.

This will require the Canadian Forces to have the necessary capabilities to make a meaningful contribution across the full spectrum of international operations, from humanitarian assistance to stabilization operations to combat.

Agreed! All of that is completely accurate and rational. So why then, in the rest of that subject is nothing but combat mentioned? The only example provided is that of Afghanistan. Where are the peace enforcement and peacekeeping probabilities addressed?

They're not.

Perhaps most telling of all though is the numbers provided on page 12. New Major Fleet Replacements roll out at $20 billion for 17 new fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, 15 new destroyers and frigates for the navy, 10 - 12 new maritime patrol aircraft, 65 next-generation fighter aircraft for the air force, and a mix of new combat vehicles and systems for the army.

Really?! Are they planning on having them built out of Lego blocks? New ships alone will exceed that entire figure. And the fine print tells an interesting story. The actual number is up to $45 billion higher than what is being shown. That makes the $490 billion bottom line closer to $535 billion. The attempt to state that "new" equipment would have a life beyond the 20-year capital equipment plan says nothing. Yes, if you buy it at the end of the program it will last, (hopefully), beyond the period of the program; and so will the extended costs.

There is another little item which, as a result of another development, becomes even more curious. From page 20:

... the Canada First Defence Strategy represents a significant investment in the country’s industry, knowledge and technology sectors that will yield sizeable dividends for every region of the country. This clear, long-term plan will give these sectors the opportunity to better position themselves to compete for defence contracts in Canada and in the global marketplace.

If that's the case, perhaps Peter MacKay can explain this.

Members of the U.S. Congress have been told the Canadian government plans to spend $114 million on new howitzers to contribute to the war on terror while parliamentarians at home have been kept in the dark over the deal.

[...]

Neither the Defence Department nor Public Works released details on the howitzer deal, but Congress was told Wednesday about the pending sale.

Under American government accountability rules, the U.S. Defense Security Co-operation Agency must tell Congress of upcoming sales of weaponry. That information is also made public.

The estimated cost is $114 million, according to the security co-operation agency.

[...]

U.S. firms in Mississippi and in Michigan will provide the equipment.

There are no offset agreements in place for the sale, which means that the U.S. companies aren't required to provide industrial benefits to Canadian firms.

Oh yes... it's confirmed. Explain MacKay.

And it still looks like an American had a hand in writing Harper's new defence strategy.