John Mccallum is he the right man?

[saudipc-9]

OK let's see. The PM chose John Mccallum to be Minister of National Defence based on the fact that he was a cadet for 4 years and his father had fought in a war:rolleyes: I guess that makes him the most qualified minister we have had in the past 15 years.
Given this and the drastic state of the CF. Is he the man to lead the forces away from the brink of being completely useless?

[justcurious]

He's probably the only one who's worn a uniform of any kind in any Liberal Administration since Pearson.

As far as the hand at the helm goes, it really doesn't matter which dough-head has the CDS title, as long as the PM sees the Forces as our only foreign policy poker chip, doormen, and an airborne cabinet taxi service.

It's only going to get worse with this idiotic legacy-building nonsense. No matter what policies they leave in place when Cretien wanders away to live out his indexed pension- I'll only remember the greed, arrogance, and pork-barrelling. At least Trudeau when doing that sort of thing had the nerve to look straight into the camera and say so what? This outraged innocence stuff is, frankly, a little tiring.

[pigboat]

The Cretin credo: There shall be no one in the cabinet smarter than me.
McCallum ain't the only one. Take a gander at the Solicitor General. Here's a guy who's in charge of the RCMP and CSIS, and his big qualification is that he's from PEI. The Minister of Transport's biggest qualification would seem to be that he once drove to an airport.
After McCallum's admission that he knew nothing of Dieppe, and his subsequent confusion between Vichy and Vimy Ridge, Rick Mercer should take his sophomoric program "Talking To Americans" and run it outside the house of commons. He could call it "Talking to Idiots."

[MLS-12D]

Yes, he is a complete clown. :(

I am so pleased that I'm finally out of the military and not wasting my time anymore. I recall being duty officer when Art Eggleton - there's a class act for you - came to inspect our unit and I was compelled to salute him. :mad:

Personally I'm inclined to think that we should throw in the towel and scrap the military altogether. I am proud of my service, but the current shambles is just a sad pretence. We might just as well save the money and pay down the national debt.

[saudipc-9]

MLS-12D,
They would just find a way to p1ss the money down the loo.

[MLS-12D]

saudipc-9,

Sad but true! No doubt they'd give it to the Heritage people (what do they really do, anyway?), or some cronies in Quebec, or toss it into the bottomless 'health care' moneypit.

MLS-12D

[Huron Topp]

Boys,

if you ask me, and you did, the current MND seems to me to be the kind of guy who should own a flower shop or hairdressing salon, if you get the drift. I doubt that there is a single guy, or gal, in service right now who actually has anything but contempt for him, or his boss.

Should we, could we, shall we scrap the CF? Fook NO! I'm a Canuck and always will be. Damned if I would ever consider giving Dubya more ammunition to turn us into his 51st-63rd states.

If it were possible, and maybe it is, the whole d@mned government should be tried for treason.

Anyone remember 'ole Perrin Beatty? He's the boy signed my commissioning scroll. Musta been the shortest lived MND in Canadian history.

[saudipc-9]

Huron,
I think Beatty signed my scroll too. Since I am some what removed from life in Canada what has been the response about the Senator's Report? My guess is the CF will get about 500 Million extra, be told to shut up and do as we are told!! Hold on, I've just figured out why they want the troops back for two years!!! Doesn't the PM want to build another road across Canada? I'll bet he's looking for cheap labour to work on it.:D

[Huron Topp]

Hey Saudi,

say hi to the camel spiders for me. Don't miss those little b@stards!

Maybe we should call ourselves Beattified, eh?

In some ways, I might be more distant from the hapenings in the CF than you are. I took my buyout back in '91. Just couldn't stand the crap anymore. Too many damned politicians in uniform, not enough tigers. Grrrr...:cool:

I bet right now that the PM is ready to explode. Those Senators are Liberal boys that he appointed. How's that for a boot to the head!?

Personally, I would be incredibly surprised if any money were tossed the CF way. The $500M maybe, but that wouldn't even cover the cost to date of OP Apollo, and the Senators are asking for $4 Billion! Even then, we would only equal Portugal in spending. Makes me sick to my gonads, through and through.

Me...well, I'm headed for the Land of Oz in a coupla months. At least those mates know whats what.

[penguin]

Buy a few Robinson R22 for training and a few surplus Huey from the US for SAR. Problems solved. You don't need a EH101 to track Al Queda submarine.

[MLS-12D]

Huron Topp and saudipc-9,

Beatty signed my commissioning scroll too. Also Jeanne Sauvé; anyone remember her? She's the one who made Rideau Hall off limits to the likes of you and me. What a fine bunch they are in Ottawa ... :(

MLS-12D

[saudipc-9]

Cannot say that I have seen any of those here in Riyadh. Just a bunch of nutcases who drive like they are all 14 years old on a sugar high.
Ottawa, as I understand it, really has not done anything yet. Besides announce that we are short of doctors. Who I might add (correct me if I am wrong) receive a 225'000 signing bonus, only owe four years and will not be sent overseas on deployment.
I think I missed my calling deciding to be a pilot. I owed five years (now seven), had my pay frozen for 4 years and spent alot of time away from home.

[Huron Topp]

Hey Saudi...sure you're not in Montréal?? No spiders and those types of drivers, sounds like Montréal to me.

Wouldn't doubt Docs are getting HUGE bonuses. Last I saw pre-trained techs were getting $25-50K to join.

MLS- seems like there were alot of us boyos getting the mighty scroll at the same time. If memory serves, 'ole Beatty was only in for about 6 months. Guess all he ever did was sign scrolls.:D