$16 billion for new fighter aircraft, ships

Anybody want to take any wagers on whats going to happen to these plans?

My wager is that they scrap the idea of buying more Fighter Jets or atleast the Joint Strike Fighter and go with something with a cheaper price tag. Though I doubt they will scrap the idea of the Joint Support Ship purchase. After recent events, its quite clear some are required.

$16 Billion for replacement fighters and support ships is great, but when are they going to get up off their collective asses and address the issue of the nuclear powered icebreakers we need to support our claims in the Arctic?

The key words in that paragraph are "announcement". Just more of the same old, same old from the current government (a favourite trick of the former Liberal governemnt too); announce projects and then never get around to paying for them.

Money talks and BS walks Mr. Harper.

Which is it? More bullshit press conferences or paying for real capability? Sadly, history dictates it will be more BS and less cash.

Oh you didn't hear? We're building one (not the three he originally promised), which will be unarmed and ready in about 2017.

http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=2258



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CCGS_John_G._Diefenbaker

As for the 'Arctic Patrol Vessels' (AKA slushbreakers) he promised in 2007, well, that's on hold altogether...



http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/s ... 6/20090616

So much for 'Canada First'...

And for this I place the blame fully on the Canadian public. We seem to want a strong proud military but we don't want to pony up the cash. Apparently a cradle to the grave welfare system is more important than a stron defence force.

I thought all this had been announced before?

Did the government think we wouldn't notice? Come on guys, just buy the stuff and stop telling us you are going to buy it.

Why not buy flammable old cruisers from GB ?

And for this I place the blame fully on the Canadian public. We seem to want a strong proud military but we don't want to pony up the cash. Apparently a cradle to the grave welfare system is more important than a stron defence force.

I agree, and we get the government we elect don't we? Canadians only seem to want to spend money on defence when there's a real threat, which is short-sighted and foolish, but that's the hand we've been dealt with. The problem is that the electorate lets politicians (of all stripes) get away with this nonsense of repeating announcements, so why should they ever change?

I honestly thought Harper would be different than the previous Liberal governments, but as far as I can see, his policy is the same as the Libs was, promise just enough to make it look like you're actually doing something, coupled with re-announce the program over and over and over so it looks like you're a big spender when you're really not. Sure, he's made a few splashy purchases (like the C-17s) but isn't that exactly what the Libs did, go out and spend a few billion to buy fighters or frigates every few years and ignore the military the rest of the time?

$16 billion in Zimbabwe currency buys you how much?

A pencil if your lucky.

Here's the ice breaker that the CF will be able to afford once their $16b budget gets knocked down by the pols...



The stand is included but the batteries are extra.

If these are the shadows of things yet to come Canada will be making a bunch of take out deliveries to the Chines PLAN ships as the collect their 20%.

No they won't. Canadians are our friends. We will have the opportunity to oblige the Chinese who want to die for their country.

That chopper on the landing pad looks rather pricey. Can we haggle over this?

-J.

Where are we going to get the money for this stuff? Am I the only one who sees a repeat of the 90's happening? Runaway Conservative spending that will no doubt need to be reined in by the Liberals. It's not a sound policy that we're spending all this money that we don't really have, and we're lowering taxes to boot. This will NOT end well for us if we're not careful...