Gr. 4 math problem

Babble on.

Remember this line in a post I wrote a couple of weeks back?

The Toronto Star reports (registration required) that DND will also be required to find $640 million in cost-savings/efficiencies, although they don't specify over what time period.

As it turns out, Chris Wattie of the National Post has tracked down all the sordid details (ht:CFP):

Major-General Douglas Dempster, the Forces’ director-general of strategic planning, told the National Post yesterday that the military will be required to give back $178-million — which amounts to 35.6% of the hike — in the coming fiscal year.

In the year after that, when Defence was to get a $600-million increase, the department will be required to return $272-million — or 45.3% of the hike — to the government’s central coffers.

This is starting resemble a Grade Four math problem:

Q. If you give Gen Hillier $500 million this year, and $600 million next year, but force him to give back $178 million this year and $272 million next year, what is Gen Hillier left with at the end of the day?

A. A disgraceful misrepresentation of the true level of military funding in the Liberal budget.

Babble off.