Ottawa Citizen, Military on verge of 'rapid collapse' if funding doesn't soar
OTTAWA – Canada's air force, as well as either the army or navy, will likely cease to exist around the end of this decade unless the federal government orders a massive infusion of cash, warns a Queen's University study to be released today.
In Canada Without Armed Forces?, researchers paint a gloomy picture of the country's defences.
If the situation is not fixed, Canada will have trouble exerting control over its own territory, as well as in making a contribution to the international scene and repairing the country's damaged relationship with the United States, the study concludes.
“The next government will be caught up in a cascading policy entanglement initiated by the rapid collapse of Canadian Forces core assets and core capabilities. This problem will inevitably disarm foreign policy as Canada repeatedly backs away from international commitments because it lacks adequate military forces.”
If funding for new equipment continues to decline and is not increased, “then the air force will likely disappear through the 2008-2013 time frame, and either the army or navy will disappear in the same time frame.”
It recommends the direct intervention of Paul Martin to halt the decline and begin to lay the groundwork for revitalizing the armed forces.
It also says the defence budget should be boosted to $18.5-billion annually, an increase of about $5- billion from present levels.
The report was produced by researchers with the defence management studies program at Queen's University in collaboration with the Ottawa-based Conference of Defence Associations.
Doug Bland, who led the study, said the crisis in the military is so extensive that even if Mr. Martin earmarks a substantial amount of money for the Canadian Forces, the situation would not change immediately.
“Even if he found $3-billion a year for the armed forces, it's not going to solve his problem because of the legacy he's been left with by [Brian] Mulroney and [Jean] Chr
