Well, to be sure it would probably bankrupt Canada to have a large enough standing military to be able to truly defend our borders and coastline if we had to. Still, it has been allowed to decline greatly in the last few decades. The good news is that the Canadian public has started to understand just how woefull our military is for the roles that we have in mind for, how outdated much of their equipment is. Similarly, the Liberal government under the new PM Paul Martin is making noises that indicate it also understands the need for renewal of the Canadian armed forces.
Maybe we should send an armored brigade across the border and occupy Winnepeg. The ransom would be enough beer for all the troops. Don't think the Mounties will pull them over for drunk driving.