as harper turns canada towards the industrial military complex, so we can keep up with our neighbours ...

Harper pledges to boost military numbers
Apr. 13 2006,CTV's David Akin and The Canadian Press

{"Rather than placing a handful of soldiers here and a handful of soldiers there, we will concentrate our efforts in ways that we can show leadership ... and make a real, notable contribution," said Harper. ... Using a mix of modern marketing techniques and an old soldier's experience, the Conservative government also plans to launch its largest military recruitment drive in decades. ... Now, O'Connor and his new government have an even tougher mission ahead of them: to find and train 23,000 new recruits. ...'And as tensions in Afghanistan rise, opinion polls suggest Canadians are divided about their troops' role in the war-torn region. Harper said Thursday, however, that the soldiers "are prepared to take on danger.'''}

At a graduating ceremony on Thursday for army recruits, Prime Minister Stephen Harper emphasized his support for the military and the dangerous mission in Afghanistan.

"I believe that military service is the highest calling of citizenship," Harper told the young soldiers at a military graduation in Wainwright, Alta.

Many of the Edmonton-based soldiers, who had just completed basic infantry and leadership training, are expected to be deployed to Afghanistan.

"Each and every victory in that dangerous country occurs only because young men and women like yourselves back up our values by providing security and risking their lives,'' said the prime minister.

The stop marked Harper's second visit with troops since he took office, and his effort seemed to buoy the spirits of many graduating soldiers.

"His words meant a lot to me, because that is where I want to be -- overseas,'' said 23-year-old Pte. Justin Hodge, a member of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.

The private was beaming after accepting a marksmanship award from the prime minister.

"This shows he has a real commitment to the army. It is really incredible. It is a change from the past few years,'' said Hodge.

Harper told the soldiers he wants to send a positive message to the military after what he called "years of neglect'' by previous governments.

The prime minister conceded the Afghanistan mission has put a strain on the military, but he pledged to improve the state of Canada's armed forces over the next few years.

Part of that plan will include winding down smaller military missions around the world.

"Rather than placing a handful of soldiers here and a handful of soldiers there, we will concentrate our efforts in ways that we can show leadership ... and make a real, notable contribution," said Harper.

That could include both United Nations peacekeeping and other kinds of missions, including Afghanistan.

Recruitment drive

Using a mix of modern marketing techniques and an old soldier's experience, the Conservative government also plans to launch its largest military recruitment drive in decades.

With the country's armed forces stretched thin with the current 2,200-strong deployment in Afghanistan, a recent advertising blitz by the military seems to have worked, according to Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor.

Ads shown on movie theatre and television screens helped bring in 5,800 applications to Canada's Armed Forces in the last fiscal year -- 300 more than the goal of 5,500.

"This morning I got a report from National Defence headquarters that for this year's target, we're at 110 per cent," said O'Connor, who had a long military career and spent time in CFB Petawawa as the commander of the Royal Canadian Dragoons.

Now, O'Connor and his new government have an even tougher mission ahead of them: to find and train 23,000 new recruits.

But O'Connor said in order to do that, the military needs more money and resources.

Earlier this week Gen. Rick Hillier, chief of the defence staff, put out a call to the public, telling a business crowd that the military is in dire need of more money and recruits to better support missions abroad.

Twelve Canadians -- 11 soldiers and one diplomat -- have died since this country's troops were first deployed in Afghanistan four years ago.

About 2,300 Canadians are currently serving in Afghanistan. And as tensions in Afghanistan rise, opinion polls suggest Canadians are divided about their troops' role in the war-torn region.

Harper said Thursday, however, that the soldiers "are prepared to take on danger.''

"What they want to know from government is that if we are going to send them to a dangerous place, that we are going to support them.''