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More budget slashing, great. Love it. GREAT!!! :endnigh:
A consortium of Canadian Universities built a small space telescope (called MOST) which was about the size and weight of a barracks box, yet capable of high degrees of pointing accuracy, for the price of @ $10 million CAD. Launching a fleet of similar satelites in time of crisis would provide a very robust surveillance capability (especially when multiple satelites are ganged together in a process called optical interferometry, which creates a virtual telescope with an arbitrarily large aperture).
Ambrose appoints businessman to work with defence industry, government
By: The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose has appointed an Ontario businessman to help improve Canada's often-troubled defence procurement process.
She says Tom Jenkins will be a special adviser and will work with defence contractors to boost competitiveness.
Jenkins is executive chairman and chief strategy officer of OpenText Corp., of Waterloo, Ont.
He was chairman of an expert review panel which looked at federal support for research and development and made recommendations for the government's 2012 economic plan.
Ambrose says Jenkins will look at ways to streamline procurement and increase job opportunities in defence-related industries.
The military procurement process has long been a source of complaints, with some projects delayed for years and others hit by cost overruns.
"I look forward to working with Mr. Jenkins to improve our ability to leverage military procurement in support of Canadian jobs and industry, including innovation and technology development," Ambrose said in a statement.
Bios also attached in case link doesn't work for you..... the Government of Canada appointed Tom Jenkins as a Special Advisor to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, the Honourable Rona Ambrose.
"I have agreed to assume this role and am pleased to support the Minister in the capacity of Special Advisor in her work to help improve the ability to leverage military procurement in support of Canadian jobs and industry, including innovation and technology development," said Mr. Jenkins.
"To assist me in this role, I have asked four distinguished Canadians to contribute as expert advisors in this important work - their significant experience related to business, industry and government will be valuable input to me, and I look forward to working with them," he added.
These individuals are: Major General (Retired) David Fraser; Peter Nicholson, former President and CEO, Canadian Council of Academies; Ray Castelli, CEO, Weatherhaven; and Christyn Cianfarani, Director, Government Programs, Research and Development, and Intellectual Property, CAE Inc. Full bios are available at: http://files.newswire.ca/1131/BiosPanelMembers.pdf
Efforts of Mr. Jenkins and his advisors will be focused on engaging a range of stakeholders involved in Canada's defence-related industries to develop criteria, and a supporting process to inform the selection of key industrial capabilities ....
I love it. "Hey, we still want the political benefits of sending soldiers overseas, but we don't want to spend the money the properly prepare and equip them for such a task."GAP said:The Harper government has repeatedly said it wants Canada playing a leading role internationally alongside allies, but the report warns, the way the cuts are shaking out, the military will be strained almost as badly as in the 1990s.
E.R. Campbell said:Back in the 1990s, when Prime Minister Chretien and Finance Minister Martin were attacking the (far too large) Canadian budget deficit, the message to DND was, roughly: the country is in dire straits and we must all "pull together" to win our "war on the deficit;" DND and the CF must do their full and fair share, too. We did a more than full and a more than fair share, but we knew that was coming because good, solid public opinion polling - the kind you can trust - told us, then, and tells us know that Canadians do not like spending on their defence. DND and the CF rank, consistently, at the bottom of most Canadians' public spending priorities lists ~ we are down with symphony orchestras and ballet companies.
Despite all the red t-shirts and yellow ribbons, Canadian's support for their military, which may be a mile wide, is only an inch deep.
Spectrum said:All we need is a pay/promotion freeze and then we will be able to have a real party in the coming years.
I will readily admit I got in when the ice cream and candy bar was just opening up and pouring out, so I didn't personally live through the decade of pain. However, I can live if someone cuts off my left nut with a rusty razor, hell I am probably still "effective". Doesn't mean I want to experience that pain, and if I do it's something that will have a lasting effect for a long time.Infanteer said:Meh, the usual post-war budget cutting. I'm not too concerned; although we aren't going to see any post-Korea, NATO fuelled expansion a la 1953-54, we aren't going to fall off the map as we did in 1919 or 1946.
We'll live.
ModlrMike said:That there will be pain is without doubt. I just don't think it will be as bad as the 90s pain.
To put it in context... during the Liberal cuts Defence shouldered a 23% reduction, all other government offices grew. There's been nothing from Ottawa lately that appears to be setting us up for a repeat evisceration.
FJAG said:One needs a program to streamline and reduce policies and procedures which runs in combination with an integrated staff reduction plan.