The Canadian Forces, like every part of the federal government, is facing stiff budget cuts. Before the hatchet falls, it is worth considering how little, rather than how much, Canada spends on national defence.
Australia may not immediately spring to mind as the country with which to best compare Canada's defence spending, but is not that much of a stretch. They share the same values and allies, have similarly robust resource-based economies, generous welfare nets and military histories from the Boer War through to the war in Afghanistan that usually have dovetailed.
Although Canada's economy is nearly twice the size of Australia's - and has about 40 per cent more people - Canada lags far behind its Antipodean cousin in defence spending.
... disgrace.
5 comments:
Remember that this is what Canadians think when they hear about the military budget
http://rabble.ca/news/2011/04/canadas-massive-military-budget-table-federal-election
Of course, I use a Rabble link, but the MSM is no better really.
A Wiki article has spending as a percent of GDP at 1.5%. Here is a link to another source:
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/canada/military-expenditure-percent-of-gdp-wb-data.html
Looks like we have not topped 2% in years.
People only look at the numbers that the MSM tell them, they don't compare it to anything else, and they don't show it as a percentage of total spending. It sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but not when you look at what other countries spend to protect themselves. I know, most "progressives" will as what we are protecting from who, they just don't get the fact that we have to provide for our own security.
Indeed!
It doesn't matter how much we're spending, but how much value we are getting as opposed to what we need. Australia could spend 4x as much and get only 2x as much...'defense power' as we have if they are spending it badly. America should cuts its military and sell us their surplus stuffs.
And what if we are not only spending significantly less, but spending it significantly less wisely?
It only shows the shortsightedness of the Canadian government but never fear WAR is on the horizon what with the situation in between Israel and Iran, Israel will require our help even if Obama refuses,Mr. Harper will NOT refuse!
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