Canadian Foreign Policy & Affairs II

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by ConundrumNL

Talks about the Federal government viewing 'soft power' as more important, but really comes down to voters don't want any big spend on the military.

Soft power generally means the strategic use of foreign aid in order to achieve a political goal. Canada doesn't do this any more. The standing of Canada in the world is falling off the cliff.

[ConundrumNL]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Soft power generally means the strategic use of foreign aid in order to achieve a political goal. Canada doesn't do this any more. The standing of Canada in the world is falling off the cliff.

The Soft Power argument is just excuses, I haven't seen them make any big moves in that area; defense spending is unpopular with the voting public.

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The standing of Canada in the world is falling off the cliff.

But ... but ... but aren't we back?

Mr Trudeau also offered a message to international allies who may have thought the country had "lost its compassion" over the last 10 years.

"On behalf of 35 million Canadians, we're back," he said.

link
At least Harper didn't pretend ...

[casper]

Originally Posted by shreddog

But ... but ... but aren't we back?
link
At least Harper didn't pretend ...

To his credit. Canadian defence spending is up dramatically from the dark days of Harper. We were down to under 1% GDP in 2014.

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

These delays with CSC have less to do with procurement process than shipbuilding sequencing.

Without getting into details, procurement was definitely still a major problem, as of 12 months ago. Scheduling driving capabilities, capabilities driving effects, development/deployment models driving scheduling ... all procurement issues.

And CSC was able to leverage the PMO from HCM/Felex, something a Sub PMO could not.

Again, I would be surprised (though happily) if anything meaningful could be done within 10 years from a program perspective. Complexity of a "simple" procurement would be at least comparable to the F35 (and let's not forget required RCN infrastructure) and look at how long that took (even before the LPC delays).

Regardless of what happens wrt a sub capability, I wouldn't count on it changing the needle on our sub 2% performance.

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by casper

To his credit. Canadian defence spending is up dramatically from the dark days of Harper. We were down to under 1% GDP in 2014.

But Harper didn't brag about it and mislead all our allies.

Harper = under promise and deliver.
Trudeau = over promise and under deliver.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Soft power generally means the strategic use of foreign aid in order to achieve a political goal. Canada doesn't do this any more. The standing of Canada in the world is falling off the cliff.

I doubt we do it strategically but we give a fair bit of $ away. Other than Germany probably more in relation to our defence spending than any other peer country.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

I doubt we do it strategically but we give a fair bit of $ away. Other than Germany probably more in relation to our defence spending than any other peer country.

Given out paltry defence spending, that's a pretty low bar........

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

I doubt we do it strategically but we give a fair bit of $ away. Other than Germany probably more in relation to our defence spending than any other peer country.

I doubt it.

Donor Total development aid Development aid per capita
[citation needed] % of GNI
Luxembourg $470 million $609.48 1.05
Norway $4.29 billion $812.58 1.02
Sweden $5.40 billion $701.10 0.99
Denmark $2.55 billion $447.05 0.71
Germany $23.81 billion $214.73 0.60
Netherlands $5.29 billion $338.38 0.59
United Kingdom $19.37 billion $284.85 0.50
France $12.18 billion $137.35 0.44
Switzerland $3.09 billion $421.37 0.44
Belgium $2.18 billion $167.20 0.42
Finland $1.13 billion $234.13 0.42
Ireland $940 million $151.2 0.31
Japan $15.51 billion[7] $73.58 0.29
New Zealand $560 million $90.75 0.28
Austria $1.21 billion $137.59 0.27
Canada $6.4 billion[5] $170.25 0.27

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by acottawa

I doubt it.

Donor Total development aid Development aid per capita
[citation needed] % of GNI
Luxembourg $470 million $609.48 1.05
Norway $4.29 billion $812.58 1.02
Sweden $5.40 billion $701.10 0.99
Denmark $2.55 billion $447.05 0.71
Germany $23.81 billion $214.73 0.60
Netherlands $5.29 billion $338.38 0.59
United Kingdom $19.37 billion $284.85 0.50
France $12.18 billion $137.35 0.44
Switzerland $3.09 billion $421.37 0.44
Belgium $2.18 billion $167.20 0.42
Finland $1.13 billion $234.13 0.42
Ireland $940 million $151.2 0.31
Japan $15.51 billion[7] $73.58 0.29
New Zealand $560 million $90.75 0.28
Austria $1.21 billion $137.59 0.27
Canada $6.4 billion[5] $170.25 0.27

Yeah we do trail some of the more generous countries. Still ratio wise much higher than Austria Australia (.22) Finland, Japan similar to us on both fronts) and even New Zealand though they are cutting defence spending. France doesn't actually spend much more than us on Defence which suprised me and though UK spends 50% more their aid budget is double.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The Victoria class needs to go. This has been evident for years.

The only real question is how many subs does the RCN need? I have heard as many as 12. Is this realistic???

Yes. But we need more sailors.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by shreddog

. Complexity of a "simple" procurement would be at least comparable to the F35 (and let's not forget required RCN infrastructure) and look at how long that took (even before the LPC delays).

Our defence infrastructure from jetty's to hangars to garages to base housing are in deplorable shape.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by shreddog

But Harper didn't brag about it and mislead all our allies.

Harper = under promise and deliver.
Trudeau = over promise and under deliver.

He did agree to the 2% target when he know he had no intention of reaching this goal and openly stated that a goal he agreed to wasn't realistic.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ste...mmit-1.2752422

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by ConundrumNL

The Soft Power argument is just excuses, I haven't seen them make any big moves in that area; defense spending is unpopular with the voting public.

Is it? I have never seen a public protest or organized campaign against defence spending. I don’t think any political party objects to more defence spending. Opinion polling shows strong support for more defence spending.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pol...o%20per%20cent.

I just think Trudeau, like Harper, has little interest in international affairs. The staffers come from provincial politics or constituency offices and see international affairs in domestic policy terms. Trudeau undertakes few official trips abroad, most of his key ministers take few trips abroad.

Part of it is Canadians, unlike Brits, Americans, Australians, etc. have little overseas exposure, but even in that context Canadians also don’t have much objection to international involvement.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Is it? I have never seen a public protest or organized campaign against defence spending. I don’t think any political party objects to more defence spending. Opinion polling shows strong support for more defence spending.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pol...o%20per%20cent.

I just think Trudeau, like Harper, has little interest in international affairs. The staffers come from provincial politics or constituency offices and see international affairs in domestic policy terms. Trudeau undertakes few official trips abroad, most of his key ministers take few trips abroad.

Part of it is Canadians, unlike Brits, Americans, Australians, etc. have little overseas exposure, but even in that context Canadians also don’t have much objection to international involvement.

Well I think you are mostly right but it's pretty easy to say you are for more spending but nobody wants to cut elsewhere, raise taxes or borrow more to finance it. It's basically charity on the ordre of climate change action as what we do is basically irrelvant and like Climate change we are one of the least likely to be impacted by global security issues. As you say we lack internatioanl involvement but we also lack military involvement. The whole Liberal caucus maybe has a handful of veterans? Provincial orientation indeeed in both senses of the word.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by casper

To his credit. Canadian defence spending is up dramatically from the dark days of Harper. We were down to under 1% GDP in 2014.

But our Department of Global Affairs is in the crapper. Soft power needs someone to implement it.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

But our Department of Global Affairs is in the crapper. Soft power needs someone to implement it.

Has the budget there also doubled since Trudeau came to power?

IRCC has doubled its headcount. Maybe the plan is to let enough people in that we will have diaspora power everywhere.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Has the budget there also doubled since Trudeau came to power?

IRCC has doubled its headcount. Maybe the plan is to let enough people in that we will have diaspora power everywhere.

They are currently in the midst of spending cuts.

https://www.international.gc.ca/tran....aspx?lang=eng

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by acottawa

They are currently in the midst of spending cuts.

https://www.international.gc.ca/tran....aspx?lang=eng

Lester Pearson must be spinning in his grave.

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

But our Department of Global Affairs is in the crapper. Soft power needs someone to implement it.

I guess that would depend on how you define Global Affairs . In the Canadian context the only Global relationship that matters is the U.S. When the Trudeau Government had to endure the NAFTA renegotiation it was a true all Canada effort that flooded the field especially at the Senate and State level.
Trudeau even got Mr Mulroney involved.There literally is no other focus that matters as much to Canadian prosperity, Security, culture and future.

The mandate of Global Affairs is what then? Canadian missions around the World are usually the first to close and run when bad things happen.They provide a Passport replacement service at their discretion but are a public service announcement for difficult circumstances. I am glad my Nieces have dual Canadian American citizenship. Lucky them.