Canada has sent  soldiers to Latvia , as part of NATO live fire training exercises to deter Russian aggression there.  However, they arrived with ill fitting and inadequate helmets, some with no protective vests and rain gear.  Their helmets are so inadequate that our soldiers are using yellow foam plugs to protect their hearing.  The absence of adequate hearing protection has been a long term struggle and was reported to commanders in 2019.  Hearing loss accounts for an increasing number of disability claims. Why has it taken over 3 years and these concerns have still not been addressed?

Soldiers have been buying their own ballistic helmets with built in hearing protection that doubles as a headset.  If these can be accessed on the open market, it confounds me as to why the Canadian government can’t access it NOW  for our protectors.  Canadian soldiers are personally purchasing rain gear, vests and belts to carry water and ammunition.  Body armour which has been provided doesn't fit female soldiers correctly.  The Canadian military lacks modern anti tank weapons, systems to counter drone attacks and short range air defence systems guarding against helicopter and attack jets.  

"In general, it was concerning verging on embarrassing to see the differences in issued soldier equipment between us and the Danes," said Lt.-Col. Jesse van Eijk, the Canadian battle group commander in Latvia, in a May 12, 2023 email obtained by CBC News.

"This was only exacerbated by the fact they were carrying more advanced Canadian-made Colt Canada rifles, mounting more advanced Canadian Elcan DR sights, and the fact that most of the systems our soldiers lacked were easily available on the open market and not some sort of closely guarded technology.".

Government reports say procurement  projects are under way for more modern tactical helmets, vests, boots , converged rain suits, sun hats, and hybrid combat shirts.  They are expected sometime in 2024.  How can we, in good conscience, sit in the comfort of our own homes and permit the Canadian government to send our soldiers to areas of conflict without providing them with the best tools and protection possible?  How embarrassing that our soldiers must buy their own equipment ?  

Last winter, Canadian soldiers were sent to Poland to train Ukrainian soldiers.  The government did not send a cook and soldiers were told to buy their meals and the government would reimburse them. Months went by without said reimbursement . Soldiers credit cards were maxed out and they were asking family and friends to send them money.  Does this embarrass you?  It embarrasses me.  Canadian soldiers must feel so insignificant and undervalued.  I can’t imagine how this kind of treatment impacts their morale.  

If the Danes can be kitted in Canadian made  equipment, supplied by Canadian suppliers, the government can’t make the excuse that this equipment is not available. How can we treat our soldiers with such disregard? How, in good conscience, can we send our military heroes into these dangerous circumstances with inadequate protection?  The money the government chooses to spend (or more likely, borrow) is our money. We need to stand up for our soldiers.  These men and women stand in our stead and put their lives in peril for us and for world safety.  We need to speak up loudly and clearly on their behalf .  We need to tell our government representatives to provide our soldiers with their needs NOW, not next year.  Our government cannot be permitted to send our military the message that “ we can’t afford to meet their needs”, as our esteemed Prime Minister said to a Canadian soldier in a town hall meeting in Edmonton several years ago. We can and must be able to afford this.  

I hope you will choose to tell the government that they must act now, before our soldiers lives are placed in further jeopardy. Send a letter to Anita Anand, the Minister of Defence, through twitter @AnitaAnandMP.  Letters may be sent postage paid to Members of Parliament at House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A0A6. Share this information with fellow Canadians.  We need to come to the aid of our soldiers now. They are there for us within a moment’s notice. It is our turn to show up for them and to do it loudly and clearly.  We are the taxpayers , this is our money and we want our money to be used to protect our Canadian  soldiers. 

I have composed a letter to our Minister of Defence and to Prime Minister Trudeau.  If your sentiments are echoed in those letters, I welcome you to cut and paste the letters, add your own thoughts, if you wish, attach your name and send them. 

The email address for Anita Anand is: Anita.Anand@parl.gov.ca. 

The email address for Prime Minister Trudeau is Justin.Trudeau@parl.gov.ca.   

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Dear Ms. Anand:

It has been reported that Canadian soldiers have been deployed to Latvia with inadequate equipment.  Their helmets are ill fitting, there is an absence of adequate hearing protection, body armour for female soldiers is ill fitting and some soldiers have no rain gear.  Soldiers have been purchasing their own helmets, rain gear and protective vests.  They are using yellow foam ear plugs to protect their hearing.  This is unfathomable and unacceptable.  Approximately half our units do not have anti tank or anti drone weapons.  yet, many of the Danish NATO soldiers, training alongside Canadian soldiers, carry more advanced Canadian made Colt rifles and are kitted out with Canadian made equipment which was obtained from Canadian suppliers.  This shows that this equipment is obtainable on the open market in Canada.  It is impossible for me to understand why the Danes have the equipment and our soldiers do not.

We cannot send these brave soldiers into danger without the proper equipment.  This must be devastating to morale.  You stated in a television interview with Global Television that we need to recruit more Canadian soldiers.  Who, in their right mind, would sacrifice their life for a country which shows such lack of respect for its military?  The money you are spending belongs to taxpayers, not to government representatives.  I want my money to be spent providing proper equipment and supplies to the men and women who put their lives in jeopardy for us.  I am demanding that you act now... that the supplies are provided now..  Please don't reply that orders are in place for equipment which will arrive in 2024.  Next year is not good enough.  Our soldiers are participating in live exercises now and they need the equipment now.  As Minister of Defence, the buck stops  with you.  Do your duty, now, just as our brave soldiers are doing theirs. 

 

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Dear Mr. Trudeau:

It has been reported that Canadian soldiers have been deployed to Latvia without adequate equipment.  Their helmets are ill fitting, there is an absence of adequate hearing protection, body armour for female soldiers is ill fitting and some soldiers have no rain gear. The soldiers are using yellow foam plugs to protect their hearing.  Soldiers have been purchasing their own helmets which  have hearing protection, as well as protective vests and rain gear.  This is absolutely unfathomable and unacceptable.  Approximately half of our units don't have anti tank or anti drone weapons.  Yet, many of the Danish NATO soldiers, training alongside Canadian soldiers, carry more advanced Canadian made Colt rifles and are kitted out with Canadian made equipment, obtained from Canadian suppliers.  This shows that this equipment is available on the open market in Canada.  It is impossible for me to understand why the Danes have this equipment and our soldiers do not.

We cannot send these brave soldiers into danger without the proper equipment.  This must be devastating to morale.  Your Minister of Defence was interviewed on Global Television and said that we need to recruit more Canadian soldiers.  Who, in their right mind, would sacrifice their life for a country which shows such lack of respect for its military?  The money you are spending belongs to taxpayers, not to government representatives.  I want my money to be spent providing proper equipment and supplies to the men and women who put their lives at risk for us.  I am demanding that you act now.... that the supplies are provided now.  Please do not reply that orders are in place for equipment which will arrive in 2024.  Next year is not good enough.  Our soldiers are participating in live exercises now and they need this equipment now.  As Prime Minister of a G7 country, not an impoverished third world country, the buck stops with you.  Do your duty, now, just as our brave soldiers are doing theirs.

 

 

 

 

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