Our enemies and allies alike have realized that Canada is an easy mark
The infiltration of the Winnipeg lab is completely unacceptable, as is the apparent absence of comprehensive oversight of the project from government or security services.
The infiltration of the Winnipeg lab is completely unacceptable, as is the apparent absence of comprehensive oversight of the project from government or security services.
In sum, the ArriveCan scandal points to the critical failure within the government of Canada: the lack of program management capability across most departments and agencies.
Overall, I believe the poor state of transparency in defence has largely been counterproductive for the government, resulting in the very outcome they wanted to avoid. Public understanding of the military is at an all-time low.
Regardless of who wins the next American election, the best thing Canada can do to manage our most important bilateral relationship is to start taking our defence and security responsibilities seriously.
Last week General Wayne Eyre announced that he intended to retire from the Canadian Armed Forces and step down from his position as Chief of the Defence Staff after 40…
Considering the hope that the year started with and how it ended, it’s unlikely that much will change in 2024. Rather than the beginnings of a renewal, the CAF is in a worse state and facing an even deeper hole it needs to dig out of.
Much like with the F-35 purchase last year, the cabinet dithered on making a final decision, which increased its political cost and undermined the purchase’s legitimacy. It’s another unnecessary wound on the military, turning an unambiguous win into a muddled mess.
The relationship between the bureaucracy and soldiers and veterans is not a harmonious one. At best it can be described as adversarial.
Warfare is fast becoming more lethal and decisive. Modern armies must be able to respond to those changes as quickly as they occur. That cannot occur in an organization that is continually starved for funding like the Canadian Armed Forces is today.
Political decisions have simultaneously over-deployed the Canadian Armed Forces while not investing in its capabilities. This has upset the fragile sustainment system, leaving its actual operational capability in tatters.