Murray Brewster

While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Murray Brewster.

Thinking the 'unthinkable': NATO wants Canada and allies to gear up for a conventional war

Thinking the 'unthinkable': NATO wants Canada and allies to gear up for a conventional war

NATO says it wants its members to develop national plans to bolster the capacity of their individual defence industry sectors...

Canadian Army says new military sleeping bags not suitable for 'typical Canadian winter'

Canadian Army says new military sleeping bags not suitable for 'typical Canadian winter'

'I wonder if they should have just gone to Canadian Tire,' says defence expert. Despite the defence department spending more...

One of the military's simplest procurement projects is being tied down by red tape

One of the military's simplest procurement projects is being tied down by red tape

Despite facing heavy pressure to ramp up military spending, the Department of National Defence (DND) has slow-rolled one of the...

Ukraine cleared to use armour donated by Canada on Russian territory

Ukraine cleared to use armour donated by Canada on Russian territory

Ukraine is free to use Canadian-donated tanks and armoured vehicles inside Russia, the Department of National Defence said Thursday. The...

Government cost-cutting blows $150M hole in army's equipment maintenance budget

Government cost-cutting blows $150M hole in army's equipment maintenance budget

The Liberal government's recent internal budget cutting exercise at the Department of National Defence (DND) has deprived the army's system...

Ottawa quietly announces cost of building new supply ships has jumped by almost $1 billion

Ottawa quietly announces cost of building new supply ships has jumped by almost $1 billion

The cost to build the navy's often-delayed, long-anticipated supply ships has shot up once again — this time by almost...

Pentagon warns of potential Russian action in the Arctic — including jamming GPS satellites

Pentagon warns of potential Russian action in the Arctic — including jamming GPS satellites

The Pentagon has released an updated Arctic strategy that warns of low-level Russian "destabilizing" activities in the Far North aimed...

Ottawa looking at retiring some older military equipment — including the Snowbird jets

Ottawa looking at retiring some older military equipment — including the Snowbird jets

The Department of National Defence is actively considering whether to retire some older ships, planes and other items of equipment...

Blair defends the slow pace of Canada's defence spending, says some allies have it easier

Blair defends the slow pace of Canada's defence spending, says some allies have it easier

Reaching NATO's defence spending benchmark isn't about showing up at your local military trade show with a credit card and...

Canada commits an extra $500M in military assistance as NATO rallies around Ukraine

Canada commits an extra $500M in military assistance as NATO rallies around Ukraine

Canada plans to commit an additional $500 million in military assistance to Ukraine this year, the federal government said on...

Canada, U.S. and Finland form pact to build icebreakers for Arctic

Canada, U.S. and Finland form pact to build icebreakers for Arctic

The United States, Canada and Finland have entered into a trilateral pact to build icebreakers for the Arctic region, the...

Canada confirms plan to replace submarine fleet at NATO summit

Canada confirms plan to replace submarine fleet at NATO summit

Canada definitely plans to move forward with the purchase of new submarines, the federal government announced on the margins of...

Apprehensive allies gather in Washington to mark NATO's 75 years of mutual defence

Apprehensive allies gather in Washington to mark NATO's 75 years of mutual defence

Representatives of NATO nations gathered in Washington Tuesday for a landmark anniversary leaders' summit, complete with a musical performance that...

Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan chosen as next chief of the defence staff

Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan chosen as next chief of the defence staff

Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan has been named the next chief of the defence staff, CBC News and Radio-Canada have learned —...

Canadian military planning for evacuation of 20,000 from Lebanon, says top commander

Canadian military planning for evacuation of 20,000 from Lebanon, says top commander

The country's top military commander says contingency evacuation plans have been drawn up to extract roughly 20,000 Canadians from Lebanon...

Canada, Germany and Norway discussing a security pact to cover the North Atlantic and Arctic

Canada, Germany and Norway discussing a security pact to cover the North Atlantic and Arctic

Canada, Germany and Norway are discussing the possibility of a trilateral defence and security partnership covering the North Atlantic and...

Anand defends hesitation to further invest in defence as NATO secretary general arrives in Canada

Anand defends hesitation to further invest in defence as NATO secretary general arrives in Canada

The cabinet minister in charge of the federal treasury says it doesn't make sense to pour vast amounts of money...

Canada risks 'diplomatic isolation' if it fails to meet NATO spending target, business leaders warn

Canada risks 'diplomatic isolation' if it fails to meet NATO spending target, business leaders warn

One of the country's leading business voices is warning that Canada faces "diplomatic isolation" if it's not prepared to deliver...

As the survivors fade into history, the world marks a D-Day anniversary like no other

As the survivors fade into history, the world marks a D-Day anniversary like no other

On so many different levels, the gathering of western leaders in Normandy today is steeped in symbolism as the nations...

Critics attack long timelines in defence plan as military awaits a budget boost

Critics attack long timelines in defence plan as military awaits a budget boost

There will be money set aside in today's federal budget for the Department of National Defence (DND) — much of...

Shooting blanks: Why so many Canadian defence policies fail to launch

Shooting blanks: Why so many Canadian defence policies fail to launch

With absolutely no exceptions, every defence policy presented by the Canadian government over the past five decades has presented a...

Ravaged by war, Russia's army is rebuilding with surprising speed

Ravaged by war, Russia's army is rebuilding with surprising speed

As the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine arrives, the Russian Army is showing a remarkable capacity to...

Canada set to help bankroll massive ammunition shipments to Ukraine: sources

Canada set to help bankroll massive ammunition shipments to Ukraine: sources

Canada has signalled it's prepared to get behind a Czech Republic initiative to ship tens of thousands of artillery shells...

As allies scramble to supply Ukraine, Canada still has no deal to ramp up munitions production

As allies scramble to supply Ukraine, Canada still has no deal to ramp up munitions production

In the fall of 2022, a little more than six months into the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, two of...

Canada chips in another $60M for Ukrainian F-16 training as U.S. aid remains gridlocked

Canada chips in another $60M for Ukrainian F-16 training as U.S. aid remains gridlocked

Canada is cutting another cheque for $60 million to help train Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16, Defence Minister Bill...

The political tides of war are shifting — and may be taking Ukraine with them

The political tides of war are shifting — and may be taking Ukraine with them

We have been warned — over and over again lately — that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is an inflection point...

Military was warned some Cyclone helicopter blades are defective, could rip apart in flight

Military was warned some Cyclone helicopter blades are defective, could rip apart in flight

Air force technicians are being forced to perform more frequent inspections of Canada's trouble-prone CH-148 Cyclone helicopters after the U.S...

As Europe's armies brace for war, allies call on Canada and others to catch up

As Europe's armies brace for war, allies call on Canada and others to catch up

In Estonia, they're talking about building more public bomb shelters and making them mandatory in all newly constructed homes. In...

Estimated life-cycle cost of military's Cyclone choppers rises to $15.9B

Estimated life-cycle cost of military's Cyclone choppers rises to $15.9B

The Department of National Defence (DND) has revised its estimate of the lifetime cost of owning and operating the air...

Ukraine is looking for more than bland security 'assurances' in talks with Canada, expert says

Ukraine is looking for more than bland security 'assurances' in talks with Canada, expert says

A significant, even far-reaching event would have slipped almost silently under the radar in Ottawa this week, had it not...

Lifetime cost of military's Cyclone choppers set to soar past $14B, government document reveals

Lifetime cost of military's Cyclone choppers set to soar past $14B, government document reveals

The lifetime cost of buying, owning and operating the air force's troubled CH-148 Cyclones is now expected to top $14.8...

Air force worried about keeping new maritime helicopters' weapons systems operational

Air force worried about keeping new maritime helicopters' weapons systems operational

The air force is worried about keeping the aging weapons systems aboard its CH-148 Cyclones operational into the future, according...

National Defence vows to get better at helping men who report military sexual misconduct

National Defence vows to get better at helping men who report military sexual misconduct

The Department of National Defence (DND) says it's taking steps to improve training for staff at the military's sexual misconduct...

Military whistleblower calls on Conservatives to demand probe of torture video reports

Military whistleblower calls on Conservatives to demand probe of torture video reports

The former soldier who blew the whistle on alleged torture videos involving Iraqi security forces who were trained by Canadian...

Israel's Gaza bombing campaign is the most destructive of this century, analysts say

Israel's Gaza bombing campaign is the most destructive of this century, analysts say

Few outside journalists have been able to enter Gaza, but developments in satellite technology over the past decade have made...

Ukraine digs in as the West stumbles to keep up with Russian war production

Ukraine digs in as the West stumbles to keep up with Russian war production

"War," said British philosopher, mathematician and pacifist Bertrand Russell, "does not determine who is right — only who is left."...

Sweden set to join Canadian-led brigade in Latvia once roadblocks to NATO membership end

Sweden set to join Canadian-led brigade in Latvia once roadblocks to NATO membership end

Canada has more at stake than meets the eye in the long, drawn-out geopolitical drama over Sweden's bid to join...

Canadian military buying armed drones for $2.49B

Canadian military buying armed drones for $2.49B

After more than two decades of debate, discussion and policy dissection, Canada's air force finally has the green light to...

Military is being called on too often to deal with domestic emergencies, commander warns

Military is being called on too often to deal with domestic emergencies, commander warns

Something's gotta give. That's the message the Canadian military's top operations commander delivers now every time he meets with federal...

Former soldiers say they fear Iraqi trainees committed war crimes with allies' weapons

Former soldiers say they fear Iraqi trainees committed war crimes with allies' weapons

Canada not only trained suspected Iraqi war criminals in 2018, it distributed western-made weapons and protective equipment to them —...

Air force will have to wait even longer to get armed drones, defence department says

Air force will have to wait even longer to get armed drones, defence department says

Canada's air force will have to wait a few extra years to get the armed drones it has been promised...

Ombudsman blasts Ottawa's 'inadequate' efforts to help injured Afghan military advisers

Ombudsman blasts Ottawa's 'inadequate' efforts to help injured Afghan military advisers

The country's military ombudsman says efforts by the Department of National Defence (DND) to get care and treatment for former...

Top generals warn that allies — Canada included — are running dangerously low on artillery shells

Top generals warn that allies — Canada included — are running dangerously low on artillery shells

A leading NATO official and Canada's top military commander have both warned allies within the past week that their ammunition...