We stand on guard for thee. But in ever less sufficient numbers.

Surely we can at least count on a right-wing government to get military development as a point of pride, right? Sadly, no - and in fact a gap between intentions and manpower only figures to get worse:

The Canadian navy is operating with significantly fewer service men and women than it needs on its East Coast ships, says the country’s top sailor.

"On this coast, I would say . . . I’m probably operating somewhere between 10, 13 per cent below the numbers that I want in sea-going billets," said Vice-Admiral Dean McFadden.
...
(T)he admiral’s trip to Halifax and meeting media outlets is to get the word out about careers in the navy. There are 2,463 East Coast naval positions, but only 2,200 or so are filled.

The need for enhanced recruiting will be more noticeable by 2014 when Ottawa’s defence strategy calls for the rolling out of six to eight Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships, he said.