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Chief of Staff, Canadian Armed Forces, General Donald J. Lawson meets with members of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC)

General Lawson flew in from Ottawa, literally in his staff plane. He is an air force officer and a pilot, to talk to the members of the NEPMCC brought together by president Mr.Thomas Saras.

Lawson came to his post as Canada's top soldier after being deputy commander of NORADhe (North American Air Defense Command) where he was number two in charge of all the air defense of North America. He gave the standard overview of the Canadian armed forces.

General Donald J. Lawson. Photo by Adu Raudkivi

Lawson did not explain (nor was he asked) why Canada's portion of the defense budget is only a half (1% of the Gross National Product (GNP)) of the NATO requirement (2% of GNP) and almost one quarter of the United States (3.8% of GNP). This is a political decision, not his.

There was a question about why Canada has been considering the F-35 fighter which doesn't have the range of other fighters. That too is a political decision.

Estonian Life thanked the general for the Canadian fighters guarding Baltic airspace and how long they would be staying (the NATO term ends at the end of December 2014). The General said he wasn't sure, they would decide at the end of December. And he was gone.

 

Adu Raudkivi

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