The Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently announced deep budget cuts to Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND). These cuts are already being felt by the Canadian Armed Forces, with the Vancouver Sun newspaper reporting on the closure of ten recruiting centers, most of them located in the outer provinces. The budget cuts have also claimed a naval intelligence center in Esquimalt, and civilians working at Area Support Unit Chilliwack will no longer support the soldier stationed therein.

The cuts come at a time when PM Harper also allocated millions for an initiative that includes the donation of forensic ballistic equipment to Costa Rica.

Earlier today, DND Minister Peter McCay tried to sound optimistic by mentioning that it was “time for Canada to devote ‘energies and efforts’ to make the military a more agile and multipurpose force,” as reported by iPolitics Canada.

University professors are also targeted by the cuts

“More Teachers than Soldiers” was Costa Rica’s motto in the wake of her bloody civil war during the middle of the 20^th century. That sentiment lead to the permanent and constitutional abolition of the standing army, thereby freeing precious budget resources for public education. We may even have too many teachers now.

Canada’s defense budget cuts include teachers, to wit: 68 senior professors and educational support staff at the Royal Military College and the Canadian Forces College.

More cuts are on the way, leading some people to think: Could Canada become the next country without a military, like Costa Rica?

Hardly. Canada has expansive territory, borders and coastlines that require constant vigilance and protection. Her Forces have also played crucial roles in international conflict, from the 3^rd Canadian Division’s landing at Juno Beach during the decisive Battle of Normandy during World War II to modern-day Afghanistan.

The current budget cuts, however, are worrisome for thousands of civilians who work for the DND, and they have also revealed mishandling of hundreds of millions of dollars in the procurement of expensive F-35 jet fighters.

The Canadian Forces are unlikely to go away, but the diminished monetary support has brought their role into focus. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal sums up the current situation:

The country’s sacrifices in Afghanistan have reinforced the bond between the military and everyday Canadians.

Canada’s experience in Afghanistan has forced a sea change in the way the government and public view their military, even as Canadians increasingly question whether the war was worth the costs and Ottawa plans to slash its military budget.