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Base closures?

recceguy said:
:Tin-Foil-Hat: :rofl: :facepalm: :sarcasm: :ok:

Sorry. Couldn't decide which one was most appropriate. Pray, tell how you came to such a conclusion.

The fact that Quebec elected all those NDP members. The provinces that elect MPs of the governing party are gonna get the spoils. The ones that don't get the cuts. Hence why all those NDP MPs from Quebec are worried. Sarcasm all you want, tis your right..

We shall have to see.

Okay.. this board seems to be randomly reposting mesasages.. time to stop after this post as to not compound the problem any more than I am by posting this.
 
milnews.ca said:
Minister of National Defence in the House of Commons on potential base closures:  wha'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis? 


Christopherson:  Mr. Speaker, I have a copy of the directive to which the minister refers. It says: "We will also reduce portfolio size, footprint and associated overhead costs by consolidating Defence operations and programs to fewer operational sites." Again, does this mean base closures, yes or no? 



If I may just zero in on that one statement.

If the Honourable Member, Mr Christopherson, were one to actually read the newspapers and watch the news, he would of course remember that DND has purchased the Nortel Complex in Nepean into which DND plans on consolidating all its various organizations spread throughout the NCR (both in Ottawa and Gatineau) into one location; thus the necessity of the Minister's statement: "We will also reduce portfolio size, footprint and associated overhead costs by consolidating Defence operations and programs to fewer operational sites."

Does this really mean Base Closures or is it only a statement of some fiscal responsibility on the part of DND?  DND is being looked upon to cut its budget and being a little more frugal in renting office space scattered throughout Ontario and Quebec in the NCR is just one way they may be able to do it without affecting "Operations".  I will tend to agree with the Minister, the Opposition in both Houses are fearmongering.
 
Feds Pull Trigger on London's Wolseley Barracks
AM980
04 April 2012

A high ranking union official says Wolseley Barracks, a London landmark established in the 1880s, will close its doors in March 2013.

The announcement was made early Wednesday afternoon before approximately 100 employees, both civilian and military personnel.  34 civilian workers are expected to lose their jobs permanently, while most of the military members will likely be reassigned.

"Based on the information we got yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon directly from the department, they did identify that Wolseley Barracks in London was closing along with four other ASU sites," said John MacLennan, the Union of National Defence Employees President.

The civilian workers are among some 1,119 civilian employees of Canada's Department of Defense receiving layoff notices across the country Wednesday as part of federal budget trimming.

Among the positions affected were clerks, drivers, kitchen staff, heavy truck mechanics, dental hygienists, weapons technicians and radiation safety personnel, according to a report in the Ottawa Citizen. There were no cuts made to military personnel, who reportedly have been told to expect raises, the Citizen said.

In last month's federal budget, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said the Conservative government intends to trim 19,200 civil service jobs during the next three years.

MacLennan says the Wolseley Barracks in London is scheduled to close March 31st, 2013.

However, a London Conservative MP says the closure talks are just rumours.

"I want to be clear that 1st Hussars are staying put and the RCR (Royal Canadian Regiment) are staying put," said London West MP Ed Holder.

"From that standpoint I think people can have some confidence that this government has great respect for its military."

London-Fanshawe New Democrat MP Irene Mathyssen says the cutbacks will have a serious impact on the community.

“The reality of these cuts means that soldiers will have to take on the jobs currently done by civilian personnel, forcing them to refocus their priorities and burdening them with extra work,” said Mathyssen.

Wolseley Barracks was established in London back in the mid-1880s, and served as the headquarters of Number-1 District Depot in 1939 when war was declared on Germany.

The fate of the building itself remains unclear, although it's a recognized and classified Federal Heritage building on the Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings.
http://www.am980.ca/channels/news/local/Story.aspx?ID=1681703


Bouncing to a few other articles on the web, it looks like ASU London is closing but Wolseley Barracks will remain as a campus-esque reserve armoury.
It's almost like some of the cuts are ideas stolen straight from Army.ca.

 
Shoulda been a no brainer after they built all the new facilities there. Never fails ::)
 
Has he said anything about Meaford?
images
 
ArmyVern said:
Cool; nice for the troops to hear about base/det/ASU closures from the civvies (the same civvies that bargained away our severance pay at that) --- or did we somehow miss a CANFORGEN today?
I would not conclude that the troops heard about it "from the civvies."  There are more ways than just CANFORGENS to communicate information.  I am sure the local chain of command told the affected soldiers.
 
recceguy said:
Has he said anything about Meaford?
images

Seconded!

I heard they are closing every base in Canada, and posting everyone to the NCR to save on PLD costs. That, and some of the dot coms can actually see the people they are apparently responsible for.
 
MCG said:
I would not conclude that the troops heard about it "from the civvies."  There are more ways than just CANFORGENS to communicate information.  I am sure the local chain of command told the affected soldiers.

Really?? Sorry, but if you're going to close military installations, then perhaps a message letting the troops know such things would be appropriate and polite with, of course, the appropriate CoC personally informing those directly affected --- at the end of the day, we are ALL affected by this; it would have been nice to know to hear it from the appropriate and official powers that be. I don't consider the UNDE president to be fitting of that bill.

After all, how many emails etc have we got this week ref the budget and staff cuts? Apparently no one thought this was important to have a heads up on.
 
ArmyVern said:
Really?? Sorry, but if you're going to close military installations, then perhaps a message letting the troops know such things would be appropriate and polite with, of course, the appropriate CoC personally informing those directly affected --- at the end of the day, we are ALL affected by this; it would have been nice to know to hear it from the appropriate and official powers that be. I don't consider the UNDE president to be fitting of that bill.

After all, how many emails etc have we got this week ref the budget and staff cuts?

ASU Toronto had everyone, Civvy and Military, at an early morning Townhall to announce the details of the news, before it was officially released.  I am assuming the other ASUs were instructed to do the same.

dileas

tess
 
the 48th regulator said:
ASU Toronto had everyone, Civvy and Military, at an early morning Townhall to announce the details of the news, before it was officially released.  I am assuming the other ASUs were instructed to do the same.

dileas

tess

I realize that; the rest of us military members find out from the UNDE president. Nice.

As I already said, we got umpteen emails ref the budget and rationalization because it was "important and nice to know" - apparently the powers that be didn't think same could be said about this.

I guess my guy that was supposed to be posted to location X ... won't be going now. Eerie how the rollout of the news does indeed affect others outside of location proper.
 
ArmyVern said:
... at the end of the day, we are ALL affected by this; it would have been nice to know ...
ArmyVern said:
I realize that; the rest of us military members find out from the UNDE president. Nice.
Across the size scope of our organization, a few ASUs is a very small thing.  Organizational changes of greater magnitude than these often happen and without informing the whole of the CF.  That is because, at the end of the day, this affects very few of us.

ArmyVern said:
I guess my guy that was supposed to be posted to location X ... won't be going now.
You are assuming. 


 
ArmyVern said:
Cool; nice for the troops to hear about base/det/ASU closures from the civvies (the same civvies that bargained away our severance pay at that) --- or did we somehow miss a CANFORGEN today?

What does severance pay have to do with base closures?

ArmyVern said:
I guess my guy that was supposed to be posted to location X ... won't be going now. Eerie how the rollout of the news does indeed affect others outside of location proper.

Did he have a posting message in hand yet?  If no, then he's no worse for wear as he shouldn't have been making any commitments until the message was cut.  If yes, then it's a sad situation, but he can join the long list of servicemembers who have had postings changed on short notice for service reasons - and if my memory hasn't failed me, you yourself have been in that unfortunate but necessary position.

The saying "Don't shoot the messenger" comes to mind.  The CF personnel posted to the affected base/det/ASUs will still have jobs when the dust settles.  The same may not be said for the affected civilian personnel.
 
ArmyVern said:
I realize that; the rest of us military members find out from the UNDE president. Nice.

As I already said, we got umpteen emails ref the budget and rationalization because it was "important and nice to know" - apparently the powers that be didn't think same could be said about this.

I guess my guy that was supposed to be posted to location X ... won't be going now. Eerie how the rollout of the news does indeed affect others outside of location proper.

Vern,

The Union were informed that there was a 48 hour embargo - they did not follow it.  It is the Union that screwed you, not the chain of command....

 
PPCLI Guy said:
Vern,

The Union were informed that there was a 48 hour embargo - they did not follow it.  It is the Union that screwed you, not the chain of command....

Thanks for that!! Nice to have relevant info because it certainly didn`t make sense to me after the email flurry this week. Thanks again. :)
 
Occam said:
What does severance pay have to do with base closures?

Did he have a posting message in hand yet?  If no, then he's no worse for wear as he shouldn't have been making any commitments until the message was cut.  ...

The saying "Don't shoot the messenger" comes to mind.  The CF personnel posted to the affected base/det/ASUs will still have jobs when the dust settles.  The same may not be said for the affected civilian personnel.

Ohhhh, PM sooooooooo coming in to your mailbox. Not that I`ll get into the situation on here as it is, quite frankly, NOYB, but if I`m posting that it affects him - it is because it IS.
 
the 48th regulator said:
ASU Toronto had everyone, Civvy and Military, at an early morning Townhall to announce the details of the news, before it was officially released.

Really?  Oh, that's right, I only belong to ASU Toronto for admin purposes.  ;)
 
I support Armyvern's stand on these issues
1. This smacks of 1995 when we found out about disbanding of the CDN AB REGT on the media before CoC could tell everybody;
2. It was the same year that MND Collinette announced 2VP UNPROFOR deployment to Bosnia was cancelled, again announced on TV and our CO, Lt Col Turner trying to re-assure us on parade AFTER the annoucement on TV was already made, that we (our BN) were still going. Needless to say he had to explain later that we were not going;
3. The Canadian public service union gets 0 sympathy from myself. They have rules like not saying anything for 48 hours and ignore it? They think they are free to do whatever pleases them; and
4. PLEASE, please do not arm chair quarter back someone else situation!!! People do that ALL the time on army.ca and I get sick of it. If they ask for input or an opinion, fair enough. Armyvern stated something here about one of her subordinates and people chime in with opinions without the full picture.

The way to find out things properly should be via the CoC. Good on the ASU toronto commander for doing it right by a townhall. That union leader just sparking off and saying things without respecting the 48 hour gag bugs the hell out of me.

It makes me glad that I have less and less to do with the army and more with farming.
 
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