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The Navy's Strategy for 2020
By
Bob Orrick
In June 2001, Canada's Armed Forces' Maritime Command - the Liberals' metamorphosis of the Royal Canadian Navy - issued a strategy for the
navy to cover the present to 2020 and beyond. The strategy is known, simply, as Leadmark. According to naval lore, a 'leadmark' is "a fixed point
of reference, to lead a vessel in making a safe passage, ahead of time and in line with a chosen course; an aid for turning onto and steering that
chosen course; used also to mark clearing bearings (cf.) past known but unmarked shoals and other dangers." Clearly, the naval authorities want
the senior service to be able to see its way clear for the next two decades and to set a course that will avoid any known or unknown pitfalls along
the course chosen. It is admirable that someone in Ottawa appears to have the foresight to plan beyond the next weekend; past history of things
that originate in Ottawa seem to be that nobody has the ability to plan well into the future. How else to explain the idiocy of Ottawa sending off a
thousand soldiers to fight in the dusty terrain of Afghanistan in green camouflage battle dress. The entire world soon learned that regardless of how
well-prepared the soldiers were - and they certainly were that - and no matter how hard they tried to 'blend into the background,' their green
uniforms stood out like a bright moon on a dark night. One wonders if anyone in Ottawa thinks. This point is especially pertinent when one
considers that those who are making decisions on behalf of all Canadians, are doing so with our tax dollars. Lord knows, and Canadians know
even if the mandarins in Ottawa do not, that each tax dollar wasted means double the cost: the initial loss plus the added cost to replace the folly.
We should not cry too loudly, however, it was we, the people of Canada, who put those politicians in place and it was we, the people of Canada,
who continue to put up with the nonsense that passes for 'intelligent thought' today. So, as Hemmingway, in For Whom The Bell Tolls, quoted
John Donne's theme: "...any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde [sic]; And therefore never send to know for whom the
bell tolls; It tolls for thee," the bell tolls for us. Or, to paraphrase, slightly, an an old truism, "You made your bed, now lie in it." That said, however,
none of us are fakirs or mendicant dervishers, and so that bed that we so slovenly made, is akin to a bed of nails - it hurts to lie on it. It is time we
changed the bed of nails for a bed of common sense and replaced those who profess to have our best interests at heart with some who truly do
have our best interests at heart. Sadly, in Canada today, no shining knights appear ready to ride to our rescue. We are doomed to continue the
failure that is Canada's political process. Canada's political system is a mess and nobody, certainly not those in power in Ottawa, have any
interest in righting the wrong. Unfortunately, we do not have the sensible system that the citizens of Switzerland know so well. More on that topic
at a later time.
Unlike some other departments in Ottawa, the heads of Maritime Command have sat down, looked at the present, projected the future, and arrived
at a plan that appears to be sensible and workable.
A quote from 'Leadmark.' As an active member of the global community, Canada has significant maritime interests. Despite the lure of continental
influences, the sea remains an important part of our national identity; it is our gateway to the world. And that world - "the global village" - has a
significant maritime dimension. Over 70 per cent of the world's surface is covered by sea, 80 per cent of countries have a coastline and most of the
world's population lives within 500 kilometres of a coast. As importantly, Canada is surrounded on three sides by the sea. While the Atlantic,
Pacific and Arctic Oceans open the country to the world, they serve also in our defence. The vast expanse and harsh environments of these
northern waters and the assurance of opposition along the way - historically have given pause to those who might launch an assault from across
the seas.
"As the embodiment of a Canadian 'naval strategy' for 2020 and beyond, Leadmark closely examines Canada's geo-strategic location, interests
and history, as well as the dramatic shifts within the international system in the recent past and the uncertainty of the decades to come. In this
changing and often murky security environment, such an examination is critical. Some point of reference must be established if the Canadian navy
is to be guided on its course into the future. Leadmark provides that point of reference. It articulates a passage plan for the future development of a
coherent Canadian naval force structure and its most effective employment."
Pretty impressive words; hopefully Ottawa will see the wisdom of those words and ensure that the necessary funding is in place now and into the
future to carry out a naval strategy that has eight parts: setting course; selecting a landmark; gathering the instruments; sternmark to 2020;
clearing bearings - the future security environment; leadmark - mission, vision and strategy for Canada's navy; preparing the notebook - future naval
capability requirements; and part 8, On track by leadmark.
It appears that this is one area where Canadian taxpayer dollars are at work, earning their keep and repaying handsome dividends.
The motto of the navy is: Ready, Aye, Ready.
Count on it!
For a copy of Leadmark the Navy's Strategy for 2020, write to: Directorate of Maritime Strategy, NDHQ/Chief of the Maritime Staff, Major-General
George R. Pearkes, Bldg, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0K2. The publication's ISBN is 0-662-65977-5. There is no charge; you've
paid for it with your tax dollars.
Bob Orrick is a private tutor of English grammar, literature, poetry and Canadian history to off-shore youngsters. His pupils hail from such places as Taiwan, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea and Venezuela. He was previously in international marketing, was a ministerial assistant to a provincial cabinet minister, spent a few years as a reporter then editor of a community newspaper and enjoyed a career in the Royal Canadian Navy.
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