Making Love, Not War
O, Canada!
From Our Canadian Correspondent, Pookie:
Canadian Forces members are supplied with free condoms, paid for by the government and handed out through military dispensaries. A practice that dates back to the First World War, free condoms help defray medical costs by preventing soldiers from getting sexually transmitted diseases, the military says.
In 1999, soldiers used 295,200 military condoms. But in 2002, the number dipped to 25,355 condoms. Military officials had no explanation for the extreme drop in demand.
While demand for condoms is back on the rise, the cost per prophylactic has dropped. In 1999, Ottawa spent $100,000 on condoms, at a cost of 30 cents each. In the past two years, the cost per condom has dropped to 13 cents.
While sex between the 2,300 soldiers is forbidden on the Kandahar air base in Afghanistan, the military does supply condoms there. Officials wouldn't speculate what the condoms were being used for, said the report.
There are roughly 62,000 Canadian Forces members, including administrative and support personnel. In addition, there are about 22,000 reservists.
(Bernice was wondering if Alexander the Great had made it as far as Afghanistan.)
Comments
However, I'm sure most are being used for water balloon fights. Our boys are so wholesome that most wouldn't want to break regulations by having sex with anyone.
Lord, Bernice, it's the apocalypse. I actually, for a brief second believed that.