[Johnny Au]

It is time Catholic schools stop being funded by non-Catholics.

If Catholics want their own schools, they can set up their own schools independent of the provincial government, just like other faith-based schools in the province.

Same applies to the publicly funded Protestant school in Penetanguishene. It should not be publicly funded.

 

[Towered]

It is time Catholic schools stop being funded by non-Catholics.

If Catholics want their own schools, they can set up their own schools independent of the provincial government, just like other faith-based schools in the province.

Same applies to the publicly funded Protestant school in Penetanguishene. It should not be publicly funded.

Totally agreed. Funding the Catholic school system is an utter waste of money and goes against separation of church and state.

 

[Admiral Beez]

And/or eliminate multiple publicly-funded school systems.

I agree, but that’s outside of Trudeau‘s jurisdiction.

 

[Northern Light]

Totally agreed. Funding the Catholic school system is an utter waste of money and goes against separation of church and state.

While I am very pro-abolition of the Separate School system; I would be remiss if I didn't note that Canada, in its Constitution has no specific separation of church and State.

Though courts have affirmed some level of such based on the non-discrimination based on religion clause.

However, the current system is explicitly affirmed in the Constitution.

But its not a big deal to amend it, both Quebec and Nfld did to abolish their religious school systems.

 

[Northern Light]

It is time Catholic schools stop being funded by non-Catholics.

If Catholics want their own schools, they can set up their own schools independent of the provincial government, just like other faith-based schools in the province.

Same applies to the publicly funded Protestant school in Penetanguishene. It should not be publicly funded.

Agreed; but the province has to apply to Ottawa for a constitutional amendment.

Its very do-able. But not quite as easy as stroke of a pen.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I don't think the current Premier of Ontario can go down that rabbit hole and survive.

AoD

 

[lenaitch]

I don't think the current Premier of Ontario can go down that rabbit hole and survive.

AoD

I don't think any Premier can do it and survive, or at least feel they couldn't; otherwise it would have happened. It is political Kryptonite, certainly for the back room folks.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I don't think any Premier can do it and survive, or at least feel they couldn't; otherwise it would have happened. It is political Kryptonite, certainly for the back room folks.

A premier not as beholden to the demographic can possibly make it (but it will expend tremendous amount of political capital). Ford isn't such a premier - it's his base.

AoD

 

[Northern Light]

I don't think any Premier can do it and survive, or at least feel they couldn't; otherwise it would have happened. It is political Kryptonite, certainly for the back room folks.

Nfld did it by holding a referendum.

Abolition passed by a hair (54%) in 1995.

Though, interestingly, the denominations (protestant denominations all had their own schools as well), fought the change; and NFLD held a second referendum in 1997 in which the result was 73% in favour of abolition.

No party had dared go the other way since.

I think it would offer good political cover if all 4 Ontario parties agreed to referendum and agreed to abide by the result.

I feel confident abolition would pass.

 

[Northern Light]

A premier not as beholden to the demographic can possibly make it (but it will expend tremendous amount of political capital). Ford isn't such a premier - it's his base.

AoD

The only Ontario party officially in favour of abolition of the Separate School system is the Green Party. Though there are members of the Liberals and NDP sympathetic to this cause. But the Liberal leadership candidate who championed this issue finished no better than 4th in the race and far back of Del Duca.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I don't think the current Premier of Ontario can go down that rabbit hole and survive.

AoD

The time to do it is when you've decided not to run again, and looking at a Wynne-like collapse in an election. Once you don't GAF about survival you run down that bucket list of important but unpopular projects.

 

[Admiral Beez]

It will be interesting what Trudeau does with the military now. The cost of the CF-18 replacement program is estimated at $20 billion. IDK if that's just for the aircraft or all the new infrastructure, simulators, training, etc. Maybe @kEiThZ or those here with military connections may know? Then there's the $60 billion program to replace the aging Halifax class frigates with the British Type 26 frigates. Combined these two projects alone is $80 billion, and we know how military spending goes over budget, so expect this to cost closer to $100 billion or more. I understand that's $100 billion or whatever it costs spread over a several years, but that's a third of the estimated 2020 budget deficit right there.

New Zealand eliminated its air force, outside of SAR entirely. Canada can't do that, due to NORAD obiligations, but I feel we're likely not getting the F-35 at all. Perhaps we'll get more surplus F-18. It wouldn't shock me if we got something small and cheap, like the SAAB.

Here's the list of Canadian military planned new spending. How many of these projects will be canceled. Such as the $2 billion CP-140 Aurora fleet modernization and life extension program. The Snowbird and the four submarines may get the chop as well.

Planned Canadian Forces projects - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

It will be interesting what Trudeau does with the military now. The cost of the CF-18 replacement program is estimated at $20 billion. IDK if that's just for the aircraft or all the new infrastructure, simulators, training, etc. Maybe @kEiThZ or those here with military connections may know? Then there's the $60 billion program to replace the aging Halifax class frigates with the British Type 26 frigates. Combined these two projects alone is $80 billion, and we know how military spending goes over budget, so expect this to cost closer to $100 billion or more. I understand that's $100 billion or whatever it costs spread over a several years, but that's a third of the estimated 2020 budget deficit right there.

New Zealand eliminated its air force, outside of SAR entirely. Canada can't do that, due to NORAD obiligations, but I feel we're likely not getting the F-35 at all. Perhaps we'll get more surplus F-18. It wouldn't shock me if we got something small and cheap, like the SAAB.

Here's the list of Canadian military planned new spending. How many of these projects will be canceled. Such as the $2 billion CP-140 Aurora fleet modernization and life extension program. The Snowbird and the four submarines may get the chop as well.

Planned Canadian Forces projects - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

None of the spending should be cancelled (if anything, the geopolitical situation suggests it should be expanded - but we should develop more local.

AoD

 

[Towered]

It will be interesting what Trudeau does with the military now. The cost of the CF-18 replacement program is estimated at $20 billion. IDK if that's just for the aircraft or all the new infrastructure, simulators, training, etc. Maybe @kEiThZ or those here with military connections may know? Then there's the $60 billion program to replace the aging Halifax class frigates with the British Type 26 frigates. Combined these two projects alone is $80 billion, and we know how military spending goes over budget, so expect this to cost closer to $100 billion or more. I understand that's $100 billion or whatever it costs spread over a several years, but that's a third of the estimated 2020 budget deficit right there.

New Zealand eliminated its air force, outside of SAR entirely. Canada can't do that, due to NORAD obiligations, but I feel we're likely not getting the F-35 at all. Perhaps we'll get more surplus F-18. It wouldn't shock me if we got something small and cheap, like the SAAB.

Here's the list of Canadian military planned new spending. How many of these projects will be canceled. Such as the $2 billion CP-140 Aurora fleet modernization and life extension program. The Snowbird and the four submarines may get the chop as well.

Planned Canadian Forces projects - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It begs the question - what is the appropriate amount of funding that Canada should allocate to its military forces?

 

[Northern Light]

It begs the question - what is the appropriate amount of funding that Canada should allocate to its military forces?

I don't think there's a good or satisfying answer to that.

It really depends on what you expect the military to be capable of.

If you want a military capable of withstanding an all-out assault by the U.S., Russia or China without allied help..............we can't possibly spend that much money. We could easily put a few warheads on missiles for the sake of MAD, but that's about it.

If you want a military that can provide high-quality Search and Rescue, natural disaster support, and limited coastal and border protections against commercial or personal (not state) intrusion (foreign fishing in Canadian waters or such) then that's very do-able and much less expensive; though very different from today's focus.

If you want something in the middle, you have to answer a lot of questions about the value that produces; because its going to be expensive.

Today, Canada's military is ranked by international publications somewhere between #21 in the world and #26.

More powerful than many would think; but inconsequential to the truly big players.

Taking for granted we literally can't spend our way to number #1,2 or 3 the world.

Further considering that #1 is on southern and north-western border with Russia just beyond.

I think its a live question to ask; do we gain enough as a nation by powering up to say #15 in the world?

If that means spending like Pakistan (Ranked #15) it would be mean spending potentially 4% of GDP.

In truth we could probably manage less; but to climb to that level would certainly mean a 50% increase in spend.

That ain't chump change.

It is worth it?

What would we gain?