What, we have an army? Since when?

The Canadian Land Forces are finally replacing the current fleet of aging Leopard C2s with Leopard 2 A4/A6s. Apparently they're surplus tanks that the Dutch are selling. What, they have an army? Since when?¹

Meanwhile, we got 20 of them on loan from Germany operating in Afghanistan. They were borrowed free of charge (what friendly Germans), but of course being Canada, we don't actually have the planes needed to pick them up. They were shipped (also free of charge) over by Germany.

It's about time, those C2s have been operated by Canada since the 70s. Of course, being Canada, that means the Leopard 1 (the platform those tanks were based off of) has actually been operational since the 60s. Aging might have been an understatement.

What pushed the Department of Defense over the edge?

The C2s weren't air conditioned.

Yep, that's the Canadian Forces for you.

¹ Alternatively, they don't have an army. Hence the surplus tanks.