Federal election pledges by Canada's party leaders to pump
billions into Canada's flailing military will do little to bring the
country's defence forces up to speed.
That's because training personnel how to use the latest military
technology -- which is becoming increasingly high tech -- takes
years, said Mercedes Stephenson of the Centre for Military and
Strategic Studies in Calgary.
"Even if we got the new helicopters (to replace the Sea Kings)
tomorrow, it would be six years before we could use them," said
Stephenson during a panel discussion on the current affairs
television program Global Sunday.
"When you let the armed forces erode to a certain level, it becomes
extremely difficult to rebuild them."
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is promising that, if elected,
his party would increase the current 50,000-strong troop level by
27,600 and inject $5.5 billion into the defence budget.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Paul Martin has announced the Liberals
would deliver an unspecified boost in defence spending, in addition
to looking at improving maritime security and bolstering reserve
forces.
In pre-campaign promises, Martin committed to spend more than $7
billion on new helicopters, fixed-wing search-and-rescue aircraft, a
lightweight mobile gun system for the army and new navy supply
ships.
"There's actually quite a bit of daylight between the political
parties and what they're proposing (for the military)," said
National Post editorial writer Adam Daifallah, noting that the
Liberals appear more interested than the Conservatives in directing
money to peacekeeping initiatives.
"We do have a real choice in this election, and I think it's
something that's long overdue for discussion," he said.
Meanwhile, Stephen Staples of the Polaris Institute in Ottawa
argued that the Canadian government also needs to inject cash into
intelligence operations to protect against a possible terrorist
attack in Canada.
"A military solution in the traditional way we've been doing this
is not going to solve this problem," said Staples of the threat of
terrorism.
Daifallah agreed. "It's obviously an area where Canada's severely
lacking," he said of intelligence operations.
"We're absolutely a target," for a terrorist attack, he added.
twhite@theherald.canwest.com