Re-Imagination Part 6
And while I am absolutely sure there are many other areas of Canadian life that need an overhaul this this the final instalment in this series of Canadian Re-Imagination. So once more, with thanks to Ben Mulroney for his November 10th article that has inspired this group of posts we look at the final area of Canada that is in need of rethinking. That of national service.
As new reports told last week, the recently released budget of the Carney Government had a few ideas how to reshape national service as well. What their suggestion is, is that members of the federal public service could be conscripted to the Canadian Militia. Possibly conscripted is not the right term, cajoled might fit in better. And why would this even be considered by the military brass? They believe we need to reach a force volume of 300,000 bodies. most of which would be in the militia.
When I went to high school, considering the military as a career path was for the other people. There was one fellow at my high school that we figured would go that route but that was all. To say he was not mainstream would not be unkind. I played a lot of euchre with him during our spares, and I appreciated him. Never considered chatting to him about the future though. I am not sure what direction his life went.
I have one of my childhood friends that joined the Canadian Armed Forces. He joined the Navy and sailed the globe representing Canada. Sadly what befell him was a form of cancer that if you wanted could likely be closely tied to his service on ships. He passed at a relatively young age.
For the generation prior to me service was not all that uncommon. Both of my natural parents were in the Air Force at my conception, my father living a career in service to Canada retiring as a Colonel and now entered at Canada’s National Cemetery in Ottawa. Pregnancy forced my mother to leave the services. My adopted father, Dad, was a volunteer at the end of WW2 joining the Navy. He was about to be deployed to the Pacific theatre when Japan unconditionally surrendered thus ending his chance to see the world. He also died of cancer very young.
Today, not one person my daughter’s age that I know of has enlisted in Canada’s military. This shows in the facts of membership in the armed services. Canada is really able to field 50,000 troops when all are accounted for. In a country of 35 million souls, this is a ridiculously low number. During WW2 1.1 million served, 44,000 made the ultimate sacrifice. These numbers from a population of 12 million. While an almost 10% participation rate would not be possible today for a variety of reasons if we are expected to fund our defence at between 3 and 5% why would active participation not also be expected to reach those levels.
That would peg our military at 1.2 million on the low side to 1.5 million on the high. If we decided to have a 1% active and the balance reserve that would have Canada recruiting to an active base of 350,000 armed service men and women. That would require support of 7-900,000 folks in the militia. Crazy numbers maybe, but lets think a moment what it could do for Canada, then how can we get there.
Imagine for a moment if 3 in 10 Canadians were in the services. It would be very hard not to know someone who is. With a generation of this under our belt it would mean that many of our friends and neighbours had served, not to mention our children or grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. The military would not be some remote idea but personal. We would own how we look after our military because more and more it would be us. Whether or not we were directly involved as a country in a conflict, caring about how our Government cares for its warriors becomes a very real priority for many Canadians.
What about pride. Our national pride for so long has been based on sports analogies. We beat the Soviets in ’72. The US often in International Hockey and occasionally in pro sports, the Raptors being the last example in 2019. Long past is the national pride we had for our participation in the world wars. The poppy as a national symbol of remembrance is coming under threat from the courts. We take very little care of our veterans. Stories abound of our aged veterans in trouble economically being offered ‘Medical Assistance in Dying rather than real help.
We need to learn again to cherish these men and women who step up and protect us. And this can only begin when we have a personal connection. Whether that’s our own service or that of a family member, relative or close friend, this happens when we commit to our country. And cherishing the women and men will rebuild a pride in Nation built on real values. The very simple value that I love this country so much I am willing to sacrifice everything for its survival.
Our fearless leader spoke of needed sacrifice by the young of our country. I believe he was speaking of the financial and equity sacrifices that are coming due to the extended budget bloat. But just what if he was speaking to the sacrifice of National Service?
Many countries still have a conscription to service. Surprisingly quite a few are western capitalist countries. Denmark has a conscrition lottery to fill necessary voids in the volunteer recruitment. Apparently it is very often not needed as the volunteers oversubscribe the recruiting requirement.
Israel has a serious requirement for participation. 24 months for all women and 36 months for all men. with certain exemptions for marriage and being Arab. Canada need not be so agressive as this but setting a significant growth goal and coming up with the national pride strategy to support it would make great sense. Why not turn elbows up into a recruiting strategy?
The Canadian Passport is one sought after. Why not make acquiring one a test of mettle by requiring any new emmigree of the proper age who wants to become a citizen be required to serve for 12 or 24 months? Ingrain in them pride of nation and cultural values of thier newly chose nation. I for one would have much less resistance to the influx of immigrants if I knew they were immediately contributing to the well being of our country at their sacrifice.
The president of Ford the other day was commenting that they needed to hire people who could remove service and reinstall a diesel engine from a truck. These people would be paid $120,000 starting salaries and be needed in the 10’s of thousands. Imagine if Canada was producing great numbers of these skilled folks after a 24 month turn in the military. And what about all the other skilled positions that a growing military need. Doctors, nurses, engineers, all are needed in a modern military.
And with a military of this size we couldn’t help but build a military industrial complex to support it. Imagine home grown aeronautics, naval and ground force development and manufacturing here in Canada.
These posts are simply a start to a conversation about what Canada could become. But change requires a starting point and that is always a realization that the path currently used is flawed or dangerous and the state we are in is broken as a result of following that path. Until we get to that place we can not change. So if you read is series or just even this one, please start a conversation talk about where we are as a country. Do this by looking around and making your own observations. Leave the pop culture descriptions by the way side Come up with new ideas through these conversations and then see how these ideas fit with what politicians are selling you. . It is only then that we can take back our country and set it on a new course.
Good luck!