There is a military expression “boots on the ground,” meaning ground forces actually fighting in a war of conflict, rather than troops engaged in other military action. However, with the Canadian Army, that expression has taken a different meaning.
Because of supply problems, our soldiers must buy their own combat boots since the Canadian Army cannot provide them.
Apparently, for the past decade, the army has had a problem with supply and just cannot provide boots, and this problem will continue well into 2019 due to issues with the procurement process.
Soldiers have been buying their own boots, but the army now says it will reimburse them.
Canada has committed to increase its defence budget to two per cent of GDP, but obviously has no plan to live up to this commitment. As a minimum, the defence budget should be increased somewhat so that our soldiers are not sent to missions barefoot. Perhaps the plan is to next have soldiers buy their own rifles.
Roger Cyr
Victoria
