Liberal platform on defence

This is it. Three pathetically thin paragraphs. Note the lie in the third paragraph.

6. Defence

Canada’s ongoing commitment to the military mission in Afghanistan has depleted our ability to deploy the Canadian Forces elsewhere in the world. When combined with the commitments that will be necessary in order to provide the needed security requirements when Canada welcomes the world to the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010, we are severely limited in our ability to offer assistance to other international efforts as they arise. By putting a firm end date on the military deployment in Kandahar, we will regain flexibility with respect to our military to respond to emergency situations both domestically and internationally.

A Liberal government will remain committed to the money allocated in the fiscal framework to the Canadian Forces (CF) over the coming four years [and then? More here.]– much of which was originally committed in the Liberal Budget of 2005. But the job of supporting Canada’s armed forces doesn’t end when our troops return home. Military life, overseas deployments, and dangerous missions take a heavy toll. Our soldiers need adequate support services when they return from overseas or leave the service. A Liberal government will support the current members of the CF and our veterans by establishing a dedicated $60-million fund to help them cope with post-traumatic stress disorder and other ailments. As previously mentioned, a Liberal government will also establish a health ombudsman both within the CF and within Veterans Affairs Canada.

The federal government must also ensure that our forces get the most value for money on military contracts. We will abandon the sole-sourcing approach to defence contracts taken by the Conservatives [so what would they have bought other than C-17s and C-130Js (A400Ms?)--and Ch-47Fs?], ensuring that Canadian industry can compete for contracts while guaranteeing the best equipment at the best price [for the above sort of aircraft? And what if Canadian industry can't do the job even when asked?--more here]. We will also finally act on the purchase of much needed replacements for the fixed-wing search-and-rescue (SAR) planes to replace the current ageing fleet. The previous Liberal government set aside money to make this purchase in 2005 [a lie--the money was budgeted in 2004 and the Liberal government failed to act] but the Conservatives have failed to act. These SAR planes are needed both for the safety of Canadians but also to promote our sovereignty in Canada’s North [Why?]. That is why we will ensure that some of the new fleet of SAR planes are based in the North .

Wow.