[JD Baillie]

All our hearts go out to the Saunders family. It is a sad day when anyone is injured or loses their life in the service of our country. Let us not forget the crew of the Chicoutimi who have lost a family member too. Love him or hate him Lt(N) Saunders was still one of theirs. Sympathies to all.






At least the Prime Minister himself spoke on the issue instead of one of those endlessly anonymous defence ministers.

Serving in the armed forces, even in peace time, can be a risky business. From the recruit guarding the POL dump sneaking a smoke to dropping a wrench accross the charging terminals in the back of a rad truck. Danger lurks.

Chris: A note on buying abroad or building at home: We did build at home. It was called the Western Star LSVW. That too was a huge boondogle. Frames that ripped, no spare parts, not field serviceable, way underpowered, and uncomfortable as hell to drive - and those were its good points. It looked good in the compound, worked well on pavement ... it approached the right idea but design engineering and concept production did'nt get the consideration of 60 years of military truck design experience. Always someone knows better...


JD