[Cowtown Girl]

Hey...I'm new so if this has been discussed already...sorry. But here's something I want perspective on. I'm a Canadian living in New York where quite frequently the Americans I work with express a frustration with the Canadian military. Or should I say they make fun of our Canadian military? And as of late I've experienced many Americans saying that they are tired of protecting Canada and that we should get a real military and take care of ourselves.
I personally think that Canada definitely could spend more on our military just so that what we do have isn't so archaic but I'm also of the opinion that if we started to really fund a substantial military that the US would suddenly insist that we don't need one.
Double standard???

[electricbuford]

Ask your co workers who we are defending you from . I'm curious to know which countries are planning on invading Canada as soon as the U.S. Officially states it will no longer protect Canada .

[Cowtown_Girl]

Already did that...and according to them the US is the reason why we haven't been attacked by anyone yet. Basically if we didn't have them as next door neighbours we would have been attacked a long time ago. Maybe...but Switzerland is a neutral country surrounded by many other countries more powerful militarily speaking and if memory serves no has attacked them in a long time either.
*shrug*...I try to ignore them most of the time. It's difficult to argue with people who are so absolutely convinced they are right.

[electricbuford]

Cowtown_Girl Cowtown_Girl:

It's difficult to argue with people who are so absolutely convinced they are right.

Welcome to America ( All right - all the time ) And as for countries that might attack Canada , I'm thinking Mexico might try something if they know America won't defend Canada . Think about it - Mexico is so hot all the time , I'll bet they'd love to have a place to go and cool off at will . Not to mention I'm sure the Mexicans would love to be on top and underneath the U.S. - It adds a little variety to the relationship Eh ?

[Cowtown_Girl]

LOL...ah yes...variety is the spice of life!
I was thinking that the US would be the first to attack us (irony anyone...a country we look to defend us instead attacks us?) But then I relax when I remember we are too insignificant to them to know where we are on the globe.
(A underhanded remark I know but I live in NY and I'm reminded on a daily basis how insignificant Canada is to the US)

[Rev_Blair]

You might remind them that the last time we had a large military presence and there wasn't a world war on, we sparked up the Whitehouse for kicks.

They'll tell you it was the British who did that and that they (the US) won the war, but that's more than a little questionable. They've listened to many Johnny Horton songs...we listen to Stompin' Tom.

[polemarch1]

I personally think we should spend more on are military. Canada prides itself on it's role in peacekeeping missions but more and more are troops are being sent to areas where they must also engage in peacemaking as well as peacekeeping. Kosovo comes to mind.

[Rev_Blair]

Can't argue with that. Our lack of a military is a threat to our sovereignty as well as being kind of ...well...sad. I have problems with our alliances and our inability to assert ourselves.

I've made peace more than once, in a non-military but extremely violent sense. I found it most effective if you had some huge bastard behind you holding something lethal. I've kept peace too..it hurt but I don't regret it. I've also stumbled around and caused bad things to happen for reasons of my own. Sorry 'bout that.

We need to have a military but following the US monster is goofy. It is just aspiring to the penultimate sentence of the last paragraph. I've grown out of that, have we?

[jmjinks]

I tend to agree with the fact that our biggest threat is the U.S. Historically, we haven't really pissed anyone else off in over 200 years outside of the states.

I also tend to agree with the fact that we aren't much of a threat to the States either. If your typical American is anything like what Rick Mercer talked to during his old Talking to Americans segments on This Hour Has 22 Minutes, who would want to move to Canada? Between just legalizing staplers and living in those darn igloos, what is one to do in Canada.

Here's hoping your average U.S. senator doesn't have access to CBC programming.

[RoyalHighlander]

Good to have you and your typos back here again JM

[jmjinks]

RoyalHighlander RoyalHighlander:

:roll: Good to have you and your typos back here again JM

Good to be back, even tho I don't know what you are referrring to by tpyos..I mean..ypos...I mean ..well..you know what I mean.

[Navy141]

I just wanted to say that I am glad to hear people from across Canada think that we really need a good military. Also I find it interesting to hear that we are considered sub-standard to Americans, by Americans. I am a damn proud serving member of the Royal Canadian Navy and while in the Gulf on my last tour my ship was in command of American ships. Not only that, but the canadian navy is the only navy that Americans will work with on a one to one basis because or our ability and professionalism.

On another note I got the impression as of late that there was some serious bashing and even hating going back and forth recently with our brothers to the south. This had me pretty concerned, but this is the way I figure it. There are some stupid people on both sides of the boarder and lately for some reason they have been speaking up alot. These people are not informed properly about issue that are taking placed and are swayed too much by media and the opinions of the few. Don't worry about this too much, because natural selection will eventually kill these people in freak drinking contest accidents and harmony will be restored.

For those people that are happy to have good nabours don't be afraid to let them know it. It doesn't mean that you aren't Patroitic to Canada, it just means that your happy you don't live next to Zimbabwai. Hey, buy an American a good pint of Canadian beer once and a while and tell them you like them. It makes them feel warm and fuzzy...the beer that is.

That's my rant and I'm sticking to it.

[electricbuford]

I never had the opportunity to meet any members of the Canadian navy when I served in the U.S.N. From what little I do know about the Canadian forces , they've done admirable work with the resources they have . Hopefully someday soon they will get the resources they need . Anyway , Here's to Canadian sovereignty - Support the U.S. when you believe it is warranted , and maintain your right to disagree and follow your own path when it's not in your interests.

[huskydawg]

I belive that a bigger military would help our world reputation but on the other hand we should look into our other contrabutions to things like Peacekeeping and foreign affairs. I feel more proud to be Canadian when we help foreign countries rebuild rather than help the Americans destroy them....

[Navy141]

The thing is that money infused into our military directly results peacekeeping. The way that things are right now in the navy is that when a sailor goes to the gulf they are away for anywhere from 6 to 9 months. As of the day he or she gets home the navy will "try" not to send that person back for one year. Keep in mind for a sailor that means that if he or she is still on a ship upon return home they will be gone on "short" trips that range a few days to a couple of months during that year.

For a single guy like me, that is fine, it hasn't even been a year for me yet and I am more than happy to head back over there, but men and women with families waiting for them are taking a big hit. Who wants to be married to someone how is gone almost half the time?

If the military expanded its size this problem would be reduced. It would also reduce the rate of people getting out early and leaving gaps in the system.

I am not sure how bad the situation is on the infantry side on life lately but I know that when I was a reserve ground pounder on contract in Pet some of the guys were on pretty much a 6-30-6 plan...gone for 6 months, home for 30 days, and gone for 6 months.

As far as better foreign affairs goes, I think that our forces in other countries weither it be for peackeeping or training or any reason are our best ambassadors.