Buckdog

Funny, Harper was quoted in 1995 as being just fine with the military budget cuts of Paul Martin.

Amazing what a liar and a political whore will do to to get power over us. (with all due respect to prostitutes - I should really not compare them to Harper, at least they deliver on their promises.)

That's an interesting observation. In the days before 911, everyone understood that the end of the cold war meant that the multi billion budget for defence could be somewhat reduced.

Harper is being phony on this then.

I have no qualms with General Hillier reporting his opinions to his superious - it is his shameless practice of taking it to the press that has me ticked off.

When the top general of a nation's armed forces chooses political sides, the very democracy of that nation becomes threatened. It is clear General Hillier has taken sides with the Conservative party and should either resign his position immediately, or be promptly replaced.

I agree with almost everything you said with the exception of one thing.

Members of the Armed Forces, no matter what their rank, are not civil servants. That also goes for regular members of the RCMP.

Otherwise, good post.

Dave, could we say 'like' civil servants? I guess citizens in uniform such as RCMP and military are a special type of public servant but I'm not sure how you define it. Service personnel?

You might use "public servant" but even that isn't accurate.

Service personnel is the common description.

Members of the armed forces are sworn to an oath of loyalty to the Crown. In that respect, they possess a distinctly different place in the structure of government than all other public servants.

"Serving member of the armed forces" provides the distinction, particularly since they have a combat liability. It means they owe allegiance to the government but in a completely different sense than a civil servant. And a serving member of the armed forces is required to appear apolitical, particularly at the higher levels.

Leftdog....no surprises here.

We do have something in common....you hate the right. I hate the left.

You are the epitome of what is wrong in Saskatchewan. You and those like you have driven some great people out of that province. When some of those people ask me about what's happening in Saskatchewan I tell them to visit your blog, or that idiot Laddie in Swift Current. They report back that not much has changed still envious, hateful, narrowminded left wingers minding the store. We laugh and are genuinley grateful we only have to check on your gross stupidity once in a while, we no longer have to subject ourselves to it on a daily basis.
Have a good life Leftdog.I feel kinda sorry for you having imprisoned yourself in a world of never ending disappointment. As I told Laddie I will listen for the choking sound you make when both Stephen Harper and Brad Wall sweep into power.

mooner - the Conservative Party that you love so much had 9 years government in Saskatchewan where they did not balance one budget in the whole time. They borrowed $14 Billion that we are still paying off.

16 of your beloved 'Progressive Conservative' Members of the Legislature were convicted of Fraud in Court of Queens Bench.

Don't talk about shit you know nothing about. And yhour beloved Brad Wall worked for those crooks so we'll see if he can try and hoodwink the good people of this province. (We all know that the 'Saskatchewan Party' is just the Conservatives under the 'Witness Protection Program').

You are a tyical right winger with your head in the clouds, unintentionally defending crooks, scheisters, swindlers and other general riff raff who call themselves 'Conservatives'.

Tell you what if you hate the people of Saskatchewan so much .... stay in Coaldale Alberta. We don't need you here.

Dave, Leftdog,

I think the point to recognize is that both Military and law enforcement personnel in Canada are in service to Canadians, and derive their authority from the crown directly (as does the Parliament).

In both cases, those personnel are expected to be apolitical (at least publicly) - otherwise what we have is nothing more than an organized partisan group of thugs. (and an armed one at that)

I agree with both of you that Hillier is way out of bounds.