Trudeau Popularity - or not (various polling, etc.)

[dapaterson]

DND and CAF suffer from extreme financial management illiteracy. If an O-6 finance officer doesn't know the difference between operating costs and assets, there's a problem.

Most "finance" in DND/CAF is poor quality accounting and compliance activities conducted by under- or un-qualified individuals.

Unfortunately, the GiC has no desire to improve; believe it or not, you can be a senior PS finance officer (CT-Fin 4, old FI-4) without formal training or a professional accounting designation.

That lack of knowledge, in turn, restricts what can be done. On the other hand, knowledgeable folks can be a huge force multiplier. I know of one reserve brigade where the class A MMTs in the service battalion were able to do their acquisition role and actually support the bde units to execute things that were always low priorities for the support bases, but that made material differences to the units.

TL;DR proper training and education in finance is needed to improve DND/CAF outcomes.

 

[CBH99]

If high interest rates are a big source of limiting economic growth, what is the big concern about lowering those interest rates at this point in the game?

Could lowering those interest rates somehow crash our economy?

(Which, when contracting for the 6th consecutive quarter, is called a recession everywhere else in the world...)

Just re-read my post from early early this morning and realize it makes no sense as written.

Disregard.

 

[CBH99]

Lower interest rates tend to increase inflation - lower borrowing costs, aka "cheap money". Inflation is the reason interest rates are higher than they used to be, so what would be the point of lowering them again and whipsawing ourselves between periods of high inflation and high interest rates?

I posted my question far earlier in the day before brain was functioning...sorry

 

[daftandbarmy]

Just re-read my post from early early this morning and realize it makes no sense as written.

Disregard.

Nothing before coffee

 

[Halifax Tar]

That lack of knowledge, in turn, restricts what can be done. On the other hand, knowledgeable folks can be a huge force multiplier. I know of one reserve brigade where the class A MMTs in the service battalion were able to do their acquisition role and actually support the bde units to execute things that were always low priorities for the support bases, but that made material differences to the units.

That is the direction I was pushing 36 Svc before the Navy snatched me back. I would like to see the Svc Bns become the field and garrison support organizations for their CBGs. And I think its possible.

 

[Remius]

That is the direction I was pushing 36 Svc before the Navy snatched me back. I would like to see the Svc Bns become the field and garrison support organizations for their CBGs. And I think its possible.

Our local Svc Bn has been doing a lot of that this year. Provided a field kitchen for us on ex and sent some guys over to assist on our annual stocktaking and ATI.

The CO there is keen to do that sort of thing.

 

[ArmyRick]

Our local Svc Bn has been doing a lot of that this year. Provided a field kitchen for us on ex and sent some guys over to assist on our annual stocktaking and ATI.

The CO there is keen to do that sort of thing.

You gotta love a proactive CO

 

[Brad Sallows]

Our local Svc Bn has been doing a lot of that this year. Provided a field kitchen for us on ex and sent some guys over to assist on our annual stocktaking and ATI.

The CO there is keen to do that sort of thing.

Are people not thinking broadly when requesting support? We used to have field kitchens from the local service battalion and the local artillery unit, and a couple of time the cooks from the naval reserve unit (no trailer, but all the other equipment needed).

 

[Remius]

Are people not thinking broadly when requesting support? We used to have field kitchens from the local service battalion and the local artillery unit, and a couple of time the cooks from the naval reserve unit (no trailer, but all the other equipment needed).

As always situation, timing and stars aligning. But there is an open offer that can be taken up.

 

[Eaglelord17]

A quarter century ago the complaints were that CAF members were living in RHUs all their career and never building up home equity.

The solution was to incentivize home ownership.

A quarter century ago the CAF was looking to get rid of expenses and liabilities (which on base housing is) and divested it pretending it was in the members favour. The fact the housing market was magnitudes cheaper than it is now made it a easier sell.

Short term thought processes for long term pain.

 

[The Bread Guy]

As always situation, timing and stars aligning …

And I suspect sometimes, personalities can enter the chat when there’s less than stellar co-operation, no?

 

[Furniture]

And I suspect sometimes, personalities can enter the chat when there’s less than stellar co-operation, no?

I think we underplay the importance of personalities and networking when things go well too.

When the "stars align" often times it's due to the fact that two or more people have made an effort to support one another beyond just doing what they had to do.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I think we underplay the importance of personalities and networking when things go well too ...

Good point - "old boys' club" can sometimes get good things done, too.

 

[Quirky]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1863750250655060452

 

[lenaitch]

A quarter century ago the CAF was looking to get rid of expenses and liabilities (which on base housing is) and divested it pretending it was in the members favour. The fact the housing market was magnitudes cheaper than it is now made it a easier sell.

Short term thought processes for long term pain.

The Ontario government, and I suspect the entire federal government, lost interest in being a residential landlord except where unavoidable, around that time.

 

[dimsum]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1863750250655060452

Not sure the US could handle so many potential Dem voters

Meanwhile Puerto Rico and Guam: