All matters Canadian / Canada

[AdamG]

As a spinoff of this thread ( http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=3530 )

Second pipeline explosion bears marks of sabotage, RCMP say
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home

The latest occurrence ruptured a pipeline in northeastern British Columbia, causing the escape of dangerous hydrogen sulphide gas and raising tensions in a region where intense resource activity is under way.

The first attempt to sabotage an EnCana gas pipeline occurred Saturday night, about 50 kilometres south of Dawson Creek, and the RCMP reported that damage from the second blast, at a nearby location, was discovered Thursday morning.


I read this and think "ELF", but then again ...

Five missing Afghan students turn up in Canada
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...5.wafghans1015

SEATTLE — Five Afghan students studying in Washington have fled to Canada, U.S. customs officials said Wednesday.

The five men, age 30 or younger, are master's students of public administration at Kabul University, but were on a three-month study visa to complete their theses at the University of Washington. Most had previously worked for the Afghanistan government.

[Jedburgh]

....I read this and think "ELF", but then again ...

Five missing Afghan students turn up in Canada
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...5.wafghans1015

Lets try and avoid unsubstantiated linkages and alarmist conjecture. Wouldn't want SWJ to turn into WND.

The kids visas ran out and they went up north to try and obtain refugee status in a nearby location where becoming a "refugee" is much easier than here in the US. Do you blame them in not wanting to go back to Afghanistan? Canada is struggling with the broader issue, and the past few years have seen a steady increase in those seeking such status, with an numbers rising about 30% over last year in the first nine months this year. Hell, they had nearly 4,000 refugee claims just in September.

Interestingly enough, already this year Mexico has become the the largest single annual source of refugee claimants since the Canucks starting tracking the issue.

If you're looking to make linkages (not related to the pipeline incident, though), there is a thriving two-way drug trade with a diverse multinational group of players on our northern border - ecstasy and MJ from Canada to US, and cocaine from US to Canada.

Then there's MS-13, which is usually thought of as a problem domestically here in the US, and more significantly south of the border, is present and active in their usual spread of illegal activities in Canada as well.

Although I'm now guilty of unsubstantiated conjecture, I don't feel that I'm too far off the mark when I say that someone with access to make the study could probably end making a substantive link between the increased US security focus on our southern border with the surge of refugee seekers - and related illegal activity - Canada is now receiving. If that is the case, then unless our northern neighbors make some serious adjustments, the situation is only going to get worse for them, as (despite certain parties' claims to the contrary) our border and internal security measures targeting the entire spectrum of illegal immigration continue to tighten up.

[AdamG]

Lets try and avoid unsubstantiated linkages and alarmist conjecture. Wouldn't want SWJ to turn into WND.

Golly. Ok, I'll articulate my unsubstantiated conjecture better: Canada's got a problem, eh.

29 Sep 2008 ... ‘Fundamentalists spreading harsh ideology in Canada’.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-9-2008_pg7_58

Quebec man's Web messages urge Al-Qa'ida to attack Canada
Praises bin Laden and blasts Ottawa for sending troops to Afghanistan and Iraq
STEWART BELL, Canwest News Service
Published: 10 hours ago
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...8-5ec3712b2e30
A Quebec man has posted messages on the Internet encouraging Al-Qa'ida to attack Canada, the latest in a series of similar sentiments that are worrying counterterrorism officials.

The author of the messages, who uses the pseudonym Altar, praised terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and asked why Al-Qa'ida was focusing its efforts only on Europe instead of Canada.

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/toron...l-trial-begins

Although I'm now guilty of unsubstantiated conjecture,

Yup.

[Jedburgh]

Adam,

The conjecture I referred to was the linkage of the Afghan students with the pipeline blast. Your linked articles did not touch on either subject.

The first:

....what shocked her on arrival in Canada was her discovery of circles of indoctrination where women are veiled even inside their own houses, with ramifications in the Middle East, Pakistan, Iran, Europe and the United States. Imams trained in fundamentalist ideology, sent on missions and paid by foreigners, spread a radical Islam aiming at isolating Muslims from their host society. Messages call for jihad and to hate the agnostics, Jews, moderate Muslims, and Christians.....

As an aside, I found it interesting that she links problems with the fundies to her perception of the rise of the evangelical right in the US and problems emerging from that issue.

In any case, problems within some immigrant communities (as well as some non-immigrant groups brought together simply by a shared radical ideology or other common bond) is an issue that also exists in certain communities here in the US, and has long been of concern to LE. And its not just radical Islam from whatever locus of origin - there's always the old example of the Irish-American community's support for the IRA, as well as current issues such as clots of White Supremacists and their militia camps in isolated areas, or certain Hispanic communities and the gang problem that migrates with them from state to state. Each is a unique security problem in its own context, but we always have to take care not to assume broader, more complex linkages and to look for the evidence.

The second linked story was simply a tale of a guy posting a rant on the 'net. The short story had a lot of alarmist spin, but little substantive context.

The final article, regarding the trial, was closer to the point - but the two year old disruption and rolling up of a terrorist cell is still not related to the incident of the Afghan students, nor does it support even a weak supposition that those students may be linked to terrorism.

Again, they crossed the border, reported to the Canadian authorities and were prepared to attend a detention review hearing before the Immigration Review Board. They didn't "disappear" - but they did know exactly what they were going to do prior to arriving in WA for their classes.

These five haven't been the only ones. Over the past couple of years it has become pretty obvious that young, educated Afghans are aware of the potential value of obtaining subsidized travel to the US on student visas, then bolting to Canada to take advantage of their more lenient policies. ACIE has lost a few out of host homes much farther from the border than WA. The ones that concern me aren't the ones that turn up in Canada looking to obtain refugee status (the majority), but the ones that just disappear off the radar entirely......

Regards,

Ted

[Norfolk]

Trying to sustain 3 (while raising two of those three) SF/SOF units at the same time whle the Army is struggling just to keep up to authorized strength is self-defeating; when I raised this point, Major Dion told me that that is the reason why he wrote this paper in the first place. And Major Dion is an SF Officer. Interesting. It seems that, in reversal of what tends to happen with our Southern neighbours, "Big Army" is at the mercy of SF and SOF; weird...

Correction: Major Dion put this paper out on another forum some months ago hoping to avoid what is now happening - Things aregetting worse; not long ago JTF 2 stated on its public website that it's adjusted its physical entry standards on its selection course to reflect "functionality", and as a result the pass rate has rsien from some 10-15% to ~45%. And all the while competing with the new Special Operations Regiment - with the proposed Marine Commando Regiment to come. The Army is struggling with a 1,000 man shortage of junior NCO's, and more soldiers are leaving the CF now than are joining. The wheels on the cart may be getting wobbly soon, if not already.

Another member of this board on another thread had proposed that the CF send more candiadates on the Ranger and Q-Courses: never having been to Ranger School myself, I yet have no doubt that it is effective at toughening people up. But inititail entry training should do that, not a specialized course. As for the Q-course, while Canadians do attend it, we don't need to duplicate the US SOF model; for starters, we have just to small an Army for that kind of compartmentalization.


I really need to get out, get an FAC and a hunting license, and learn to hunt, or something.

[Rex Brynen]

Jets scrambled to intercept plane

STEVEN CHASE
Globe and Mail Update
February 27, 2009 at 10:53 AM EST

OTTAWA — A Russian military bomber came close to breaching northern Canadian airspace just prior to U.S. President Barack Obama's visit here last week, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said today.

Norad fighters immediately intercepted it and turned it away, he said. CF-18s took off from Cold Lake, Alta., on Feb. 18. The incident took place about 24 hours before Mr. Obama journeyed to Canada for his first foreign visit.

“They met a Russian aircraft that was approaching Canadian airspace. They sent very clear signals that the Russian aircraft was to turn around - turn tail - to its own airspace, which it did,” the minister said, speaking to reporters after a visit with Norad brass in Ottawa.

[TristanAbbey]

Notice how the Canadians couched the visit, at least in Reuters:

MacKay spoke after a meeting with U.S. General Gene Renuart, commander of the binational North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

"They (the Russians) have been professional in the way they have conducted their aircraft operations," Renuart said.

Canada's minority Conservative government has promised to spend billions of dollars boosting Canada's presence in the Arctic, which scientists believe has vast reserves of oil and natural gas.

"Our intention is very much to demonstrate our sovereignty, our capability to protect our territory, our airspace, our water (and) our people in the Arctic and that includes our resources," MacKay said.

Five countries with an Arctic coastline -- Russia, the United States, Canada, Norway, and Denmark through its control of Greenland -- have competing claims to the region.

Scientists say oil and gas exploration could begin during the summer months within decades.

Russia said this week it would respond to any moves to militarize the Arctic.

Ottawa -- which plans to build a deep water port in the region -- has stepped up sovereignty patrols in the Arctic and last August it said it would toughen reporting requirements for ships entering its waters in the Far North.

I'm not sure we've seen the Canadians explicitly draw the link between Russia's patrols and the new great game in the Arctic.

[AdamG]

Two recent articles that'll probably be fodder for a new Stephen Coonts novel. Anyone remember the old Cold War rumors of Spetsnaz vacations in Alaska?

Canada says will defend its Arctic
Mar 27 12:41 PM US/Eastern
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1

The Canadian government on Friday reaffirmed its Arctic claims, saying it will defend its northern territories and waters after Russia earlier announced plans to militarize the North.

"Canada is an Arctic power," Catherine Loubier, a spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, said in an email to AFP.

"The government is engaged in protecting the security of Canada and in exercising its sovereignty in the North, including Canadian waters," she said.

Loubier pointed to the planned acquisition of Arctic patrol vessels, construction of a deep water port and eavesdropping network in the region, annual military exercises and boosting the number Inuit Arctic rangers keeping on eye on goings-on along its northern frontier.

Earlier, Russia announced plans to turn the Arctic into its "leading strategic resource base" by 2020 and station troops there, documents showed, as nations race to stake a claim to the oil-rich region.

The country's strategy for the Arctic through 2020 -- adopted last year and now published on the national security council website -- says one of Russia's main goals for the region is to put troops in its Arctic zone "capable of ensuring military security."

[031-Bacon,RG]

They must have gotten the story wrong - an excess of recruits actually choosing infantry, in the midst of a shooting war?

"I am 1,600 infantrymen over my establishment," Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie said Thursday, adding that the high numbers of recruits who want to "serve at the tip of the spear . . . completely refuted" any notion that there were problems getting people to serve in a wartime army.

Somebody must have made a mistake, since everything I've been told (over and over and over) is that Canadians are peace-loving and unwarlike friends to everyone, who aspire to nothing more than to don the blue beret and go stand with an empty rifle as an alternative target between warring factions. I mean, at some point someone must have told these recruits that the role of infantry is to close with and destroy the enemy, right?

"I find myself in a unique position in comparison to most of my fellow army commanders across NATO," Lt.-Gen. Leslie said. "I have more volunteers every tour than I have positions. To come to Afghanistan is a competitive process."

Go figure. Teach 'em to read and think, and then they wanna go and extend the same opportunities to others. They must not have got enough hugs as children - the whole lot of them.


http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2215490

[RJ]

Its genetics 031. Those ressive genes handed down from the Celts and the Norse mixed with the Tribes of Gaul and the martial blood that flows in the veins of of the tribes that inhabitated the Med Basin has always had a component that instinctively sought physical contact with the enemy.

The United States Marine Corps has become very selective in who is retained in the O300 MOS infantry field in the past couple of years. During this whole conflict the Marines never had a problem attracting tip of the spear types. Neither has the Regular US Army had a problem filling the ranks of their Infantry and Airborne Divisions.

I suspect your Forces see that in Regiments like the Princess Patricia, and some of the Scots connected Regts.

It was rumored that one of Gen. Robert E. Lee's Col.s told one of Gen. U.S. Grant's Colonel's at Appomatox Court House when the South surrendered "The only reason you won, was because you had more Irish fighting on your side!"

In every generation there are segments of the population who are drawn to the military life. Those more in tune than most, select the personal combat with the enemy route to exercise their instincts.

It may be as simple as that.

[Rifleman]

It was rumored that one of Gen. Robert E. Lee's Col.s told one of Gen. U.S. Grant's Colonel's at Appomatox Court House when the South surrendered "The only reason you won, was because you had more Irish fighting on your side!"

Actually, I suspect it was because the Union fielded three million men and the Confederacy fielded one million.

It may be as simple at that.

[031-Bacon,RG]

The United States Marine Corps has become very selective in who is retained in the O300 MOS infantry field in the past couple of years. During this whole conflict the Marines never had a problem attracting tip of the spear types. Neither has the Regular US Army had a problem filling the ranks of their Infantry and Airborne Divisions.

I suspect your Forces see that in Regiments like the Princess Patricia, and some of the Scots connected Regts.

Since I was in, during the '80s, the Canadian Forces have gone from a "unified" service back towards a more discrete Army, Air Force, and Navy. In the forty-year interregnum the CF has been the red-headed stepchild of Canadian federal policy, kept alive with the bare minumum of support. Coincidentally, for much of this time we have been ruled by the Liberal party.

Integration was supposed to create efficiencies, common purpose, and other such nonsense, but the real reason was to diminish the cost of maintaining a standing force in an era of nuclear weapons - especially when our cousins, the Americans whom our Liberals love to malign with such passion - were NATO-bound to defend us. We leaned on America and leaned hard; our Canadian Forces had little ability to project force.

Fast forward to the current era of SmallWar, and the attendant need for the ability to put boots where our political mouths are (oh, how I love the English language). Suddenly, CF members have purpose, the support of the general population (less in Quebec, of course), modern tools to do the job, and the prospects of a career spent serving in a meaningful way.

In short, the CF is reinventing itself to be a completely different Army than the "Force" I was in, and yes, I'm both happy and p-o'd (that I missed my chance).

What the CF becomes, however, is still up for grabs. Canada has possibly the best opportunity of any Western nation to create a modern, SmallWar specialist military - since we really have only the cadre of a military, amost all of whom will find themselves involved in some manner with our Afghanistan commitment, this graduation exercise will shape the future of the CF as it is shaping the lives of serving members. If we choose carefully how to re-grow our military we will have a CF to be as proud of as we were once of our Royal Canadian Army, Air Force, and Navy.

If we do it right, we could end up with an integrated, capable CF that looks very much like the US Marines.

[RJ]

031 - Back in the late 50's I was part of an exercise with the Princess Pats.

Did your intergration eleminate the history and traditions of those proud old regiments. I was shocked when the Brits started combining the old Scots Regiments, but they did retain there kilts and hyphenated the combined units titles.

Canada could do much worse than building the new foreces on the Marine Corps pattern. Look deep and copy the Navy Medical Service and Chaplin's seconded to the Marine Divisions to provide comfort and solace.

The US Navy Corpsmen who serve with the Marines are held in awe by the Marines and those sailors who have not served in the Fleet Marine Forces.

Rifleman - The south did fairly well with the 1:3 ratio. They did a fair amount of recruiting Irish from the "Ald Sod" and fielded Irish Brigades of their own. Savannah GA was a large port of entry for the Irish and today boasts the second largest St. Patricks Day Parade in the world. And New Orleans, drew many Irish immigrents from a section of the City called Algeirs situated across "The Irish Channel" for City of New Orleans Regiments. I had a great, great uncle who wore a Fez and Pantaloons for the City of New Orleans and a great, great grandfather who was with the 88th NY Infantry Vol. Regt. ("The Devils Own") from lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, NY of the Irish Brigade formed by the State of New York. A lot of that Regiments first soldiers were veterans of and Irish Light Infantry Regiment of the British Army The 88th Connaught Rangers. Rifleman - It is all in the gene pool. Good Stock, as a gentleman from Atlanta, GA said, once upon a time.

I've heard of an Irish Brigade Regiment from Georgia who's knickname was "The Jaspers". It might be time for someone to write a history of the Irish contribution to the Southern side of the War between the States.

[031-Bacon,RG]

RJ - Integration didn't end the regimental system; the three regular army regiments are the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infanftry, The Royal Canadian Regiment, and the Royal 22nd Regiment (Van-Doos).

[jmm99]

.....................

Leroyal22regiment.jpg

and lest we not forget the spiritual ancestor of the Van Doos - CFM-Canada.

Bonsoir, mon amis

Michel

Although, it is said that, once, the Van Doos lost their goat - if so, a classic in Canadian special operations.

[031-Bacon,RG]

JMM,

There's also an old nasty rumour about an RCR weapon retrieved by the Pats, but I can't remember the whole story....

[jmm99]

is don't lift "precious relics" from the HQs of another unit lest they "get your goat" (or the equivalent) - thereby leading to a "prisoner swap".

Not a "goat rumor", according to the officer who planned and executed the operation, with no harm done except a couple of dazed subaltern "goat tenders" (the "Second Battle on the Plains of Abraham"). Classified as a helicopterborne training exercise by the "black helicopter folks". The incident cannot be found in the Van Doos historical page dealing with the many incarnations of Bâtisse (now on goat X).

La Citadelle, the regimental museum and mess impressed me; but then there were family ties to its prior incarnation as Château de St. Louis, including one ancestor executed for homicide near La redoute du Cap Diamants; and another "tué par les Iroquois" near the main entrance as one goes down the hill into the Basse Ville.

The regular Canadian regiments manage to cram a lot of history and tradition into three units.

Regards

Mike

[davidbfpo]

A Canadian think tank review popped into my email box just and apologies for bein serious it may be of interest:http://www.cdfai.org/PDF/The%20Canad...ar%20Later.pdf

From the summary:

An objective examination of progress in the other three pillars of the CFDS – personnel, readiness and infrastructure – indicates some movement towards achieving a balanced military capability, even though the actual measurement of success is challenging.

[jmm99]

for some proper UK seriousness - after all, you (the UK, not "you") are the parent nation.

Reading the CF main page on Canada First Defence Strategy, took me to consideration of what is meant by "Canada First" (that is positing that the words are intended to mean something - not always the case for political documents).

Perhaps, its meaning is found in the Roles of the Canadian Forces:

To this end, the Government is giving the Canadian Forces clear direction concerning their three roles – defending Canada, defending North America and contributing to international peace and security – as well as the types and numbers of missions it expects our military to fulfill. This level of ambition will see the Canadian Forces deliver excellence at home, be a strong and reliable partner in the defence of North America, and project leadership abroad by contributing to international operations in support of Canadian interests and values.

My inference (which may be dead wrong) is posited on the roles being definitely weighted in the order stated: Canada, primary; North America, secondary; and international, tertiary. Of course, that may be wrong - and the roles could be differently weighted.

This brings me to my point (IMO). Canada's military problem from the gitgo (which I measure from 1608) has been too much geography and not enough people. The thought of defending Canada only, with its vast littorals and open spaces, is a daunting one to me. The concept of a very mobile combined arms force (akin to MAGTF + light Naval) seems most logical. If Canada can defend Canada and secure its borders, it will fully meet any obligation it might feel it owes to defend North America. What it feels it owes internationally is up to Canada. (IMO)

Another question I have is based in part on the Executive Summary, which envisions a very long-term series of increased military expenditures. Given the turnover in Canadian politics (just as in US politics), is there much probability that this 20-30 year plan will be implemented ?

Full plan .pdf.

What think ye, ye of Irish, French, beaver or goat heritage - and other serious folks as well ?

Regards

Mike

[tankersteve]

In my classes at the CFC, the great land mass of Canada is commonly considered indefensible, yet unassailable.

It is too much territory to cover, yet so big and open once landed on, it would be relatively simple to repulse an attacker. Much of the hospitable areas have local communities that would notice an invasion. The areas that have sparse human habitation get Canadian Ranger patrols occasionally.

Any invader into these areas really wouldn't accomplish much other than be really sorry about being in the frozen wastelands of Canada (coming from someone who spent a whole 4 days in Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut).

Tankersteve