"two decades of darkness"?
Scott Taylor makes some good points in this article about the Mulroney governments' failures to fulfill defence promises. But, as Mr Taylor notes, the end of the Cold War was taking place; winning public support for serious increases in defence spending after 1988 or so would have been very difficult indeed.
In fact, between 1986 under the Conservatives, and 2001 under the Liberals, defence spending as a percentage of GDP was effectively cut in half, from about 2% to 1%--and especially hard hit after the Liberals took power in 1993 (see Chart IV at link). So only the Liberal decade from 1993-2003 was truly dark.
In fact, between 1986 under the Conservatives, and 2001 under the Liberals, defence spending as a percentage of GDP was effectively cut in half, from about 2% to 1%--and especially hard hit after the Liberals took power in 1993 (see Chart IV at link). So only the Liberal decade from 1993-2003 was truly dark.
posted by Mark, Ottawa at 3:19 p.m.
3 Comments:
Funny how quickly the word "Progressive" was dropped from historical references to that old, dead, party. (By Taylor but also by Mark and others)
In my opinion, the modern Conservative party is only barely congruent with the Progressive Conservatives. I think it was an error by the Reform/Alliance to not finish off drowning the old PCs before taking (part of) their name.
Taylor's editorial sought to spread the blame for military neglect to the current government, for which it bears little, if any, responsibility.
Not using the word "Progressive" is now a sign some conspiracy? Jesus wept, that's lame.
Mark, I think you're right about political expediency being on the side of not beefing up the military post cold war. That said I think it's only fair to point out that the gutting got started by Mulroney.
In the end though the LPC has treated the CF, at best, as some sort of alien entity and at worse, as something to kick at and be scared of.
Either way all our politicians bear a burden of guilt for the current state of the CF and it's equipment woes.
Finally, I'm honestly worried about the constant "LOOK AT THIS BIG HUGE NEW THING WE'RE GOING TO BUY THEM" announcements (which have yet to pan out for real) contrasted with the lack of any concrete, guaranteed, stable increases in funding.
All politicians want to be the guy/girl who announces the big, huge project/purchace, no one wants to be the person who says "Look, it's going to cost X amount or percentage from now until the end of time, every year."
It feels like bread and circuses and I think the CF deserves the main course.
sign of some.. gargh.. more coffee needed
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