It's certainly liberating, not having to pander to public opinion

Liberal Senator Colin Kenny sure doesn't pull any punches with the ruling Conservatives, nor with his own Liberal party in this op-ed:

Our national government rules the country from the Commons. The primary role of that national government should be the physical protection of its citizens, plus the advancement of their interests at home and abroad. To do this effectively -- particularly in times of domestic or international crises -- a country needs a military with a little muscle on its bones.

Not everybody agrees. There are many Canadians who decry the use of military force generally. And given the number of stupid wars that have taken so many lives over the centuries, they have a point. But anyone who lives in the real world knows that tyrants don't bend to diplomatic pressure unless there is the threat of force behind that pressure. We're simply not going to help contribute to a better world by eviscerating our military.

I believe that the people who have been running our country for the past couple of decades -- be they Liberals or Conservatives -- have declined to invest reasonable amounts of public money into Canada's military. I also think that this is likely to leave the physical, economic and cultural protection of future generations of Canadians largely to chance.

The rest of Kenny's piece is equally worth reading. I'd encourage you to do just that.