Martin calls for review of military
Regina Leader-Post
BERTHIERVILLE, Que. — Canada should rethink the role of its fighting forces abroad, but the military must remain well-funded and active internationally, Liberal MP Paul Martin said Wednesday.
Martin said he disagrees with a Senate report that recommended Canada recall all its military forces from overseas duty and place a two-year moratorium on deployments pending an overhaul of the Forces.
The Liberal leadership candidate said defence spending should be increased while the government decides where and how soldiers and hardware should be deployed in the future.
"What is required, I believe, is a full review of the role of the military," the ex-finance minister told reporters following a meeting with local politicians in Berthierville, an industrial community 75 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
"That has to accompany a full review of our foreign policy role and those two things together will give the government an indication of exactly what it should be doing."
The Senate defence committee said Tuesday that all Canadian troops should be pulled out of foreign postings within six months.
It also called for a two-year moratorium on deployments while Canada‘s defence capabilities are overhauled.
The Senate report called for a $4-billion annual increase in military expenditures, raising per capita defence spending by $130 to $525 per Canadian.
The extra money would bring Canada‘s annual defence budget to $15.8 billion.
A spokesman for Defence Minister John McCallum dismissed the proposal for a full-scale military recall, while Canadian Alliance defence critic Leon Benoit called the recommendation "very naive and irresponsible."
And the Conference of Defence Associations, a military think-tank, said a pullout would hurt Canada‘s reputation in the eyes of its allies.
Martin, meanwhile, said Canada has an "historic role" to play on the international scene.
While he didn‘t make mention of the Iraqi conflict, he stressed that the international community is looking to Canada to participate in joint military activities. "It‘s expected of us and Canadians expect us to do it."
McCallum has acknowledged the need for more money for the military in the face of a budgetary shortfall of between $100 million and $200 million this year.
He‘s in the midst of a defence update and administrative review he says will provide the basis for his submission to cabinet prior to a federal budget expected in February.