CANADA'S MILITARY IGNORED IN BUDGET

   Last week’s federal budget offered relatively modest spending with targeted funding after years of spending from a government that seemed to believe the deficit will solve itself. Unfortunately, the Canadian Armed Forces again escaped the finance minister’s gaze and for the second consecutive year, national defense is conspicuous by its absence from the budget.
   You might recall the fanfare when Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan released the Liberals’ defense policy review in 2017: “Strong, Secure, Engaged.” It was already more than six months overdue and there was a feeling among defense analysts and most journalists that the Liberals had to deliver a document that suggested serious resolve.

   In any case, we’ve yet to see any indication that the Liberals were serious about the plan. They cut defense spending in 2018 and have ignored it in 2019.