This is unreal.
The Canadian Army has been begging for a new air-defense system for nearly a decade while parliament ignored its plea. But then Ukraine asked for the exact same system like five minutes ago and and the politicians couldn't wait to write the check!
From the National Post:
The Liberal government is spending more than $400 million to buy air-defence systems for Ukraine even though the Canadian Forces has been without such equipment for more than a decade.
Defence Minister Anita Anand announced Tuesday that Canada would purchase a "National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System" and associated munitions from the United States to donate to Ukraine. A NASAMS is a short- to medium-range ground-based air-defence system that protects against drone, missile and aircraft attacks. The donation will cost Canadian taxpayers approximately $406 million.
Canada is going to spend $400 million to virtue signal about Ukraine while THEIR OWN defenses are out-of-date.
This involves a level of embarrassment I never imagined.
"Canada stands in solidarity with Ukrainians as they fight heroically against Russia's illegal and unjustifiable invasion," Anand said. "We have committed over $1 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, and today we are moving forward with the first Canadian donation of an air defence system to Ukraine. Canada will continue to collaborate with the United States, as well as other Allies and partners, to address Ukraine's defence priorities in the short and long term — including with high-capability equipment such as the NASAMS."
Anand did not explain how the government was able to act so quickly in acquiring the air-defence system for Ukraine while a similar project for Canada's military continued to go unfulfilled.
But her office added in a statement, "We continue to work towards the procurement of Ground-Based Air Defence Equipment for the Canadian Armed Forces — and Minister Anand is committed to getting this done, as outlined in our defence policy."
Canada's "defense" ministry doesn't actually care about defending Canada. They would rather spend their money on far-away wars in countries that don't really affect them.
Because it's about global interests.
It's never about national interests.
Faced with budget cuts ordered by the Conservative government, the army announced it was removing ADATS from service in 2012.
That move left the Canadian Forces without a primary air-defence system. Army officers acknowledged then that the decision was risky, but the service had determined it was acceptable in the short term. The army had plans to introduce a new air-defence system around 2017, but that project never went forward.
The Liberal government outlined its proposed purchase of an air-defence system in its 2018 defence capability plan, but that acquisition is still being examined.
Army commander Lt. Gen. Joe Paul told The Canadian Press in December that the army was moving forward on purchasing air-defence equipment, but he did not provide timelines.
