Say no to Star Wars sequel — keep your promise Carney

Assisting Washington’s effort to further subordinate the world militarily makes a mockery of the prime minister’s claim to be distancing Canada from Trump’s USA. As such, Mark Carney must reject any participation in Donald Trump’s Golden Dome.

This missile “defence” system is expected to cost between $250 billion and a trillion dollars. Its aim is to increase US military superiority over China, Russia and others. It would defend US sites after they launch offensive military operations.

With its roots in Ronald Regan’s controversial “Star Wars” project, the Golden Dome will project missiles and satellites into space. Weaponizing space increases the likelihood of nuclear war. US space-based missile defence interceptors able to eliminate Russia or China’s early warning satellites without warning will put those countries on edge, ratcheting up the arms race.

Space-based missiles run counter to the Outer Space Treaty and United Nations General Assembly resolution on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space. The Outer Space Treaty bars participating states from putting weapons of mass destruction in orbit, on the moon or in space or testing weapons or establishing bases in space. It states, “the Moon and other celestial bodies shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.”

While Ottawa has ratified the Outer Space Treaty, Canada has long supported various US initiatives to weaponize space through the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). United States Space Command (USSPACECOM), which is now part of US Strategic Command, shares NORAD surveillance and warning facilities in Cheyenne Mountain. Canadians posted to NORAD have helped research space weaponry and the Canadian Forces accessed space-based early warning systems through NORAD.

Additionally, Canadian personnel have been posted to USSPACECOM and its subcomponent US Air Force Space Command. One reason Canadian Forces personnel were posted to USSPACECOM in the 1980s was to access planning related to space-based ballistic missiles.

Between 1968 and 1981 NORAD included an “ABM Clause” restricting Canada’s participation in ballistic missile programs (cabinet only learned of its deletion in 1985). Opposed by the military, the clause read, “this Agreement will not involve in any way a Canadian commitment to participate in an active ballistic missile defence.” Even before the George W. Bush administration officially ripped up the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia in 2001, Defence Minister David Pratt wrote US Secretary of State Colin Powell committing “to amend the NORAD agreement to take into account NORAD’s contribution to the missile defence mission.”

While Paul Martin’s Liberals claimed to oppose ballistic missile defence (BMD), they granted “full cooperation by NORAD in missile- defence work,” explained Richard Sanders in a Press for Conversion report on the subject. In 2004 Ottawa formally permitted the US BMD system to use data from NORAD’s “Integrated Tactical Warning/Attack Assessment”.

The Canadian Forces have also enabled BMD through the NORAD Space Surveillance Network. While Canada officially dropped out of the missile defence partnership, Ottawa initiated an amendment to NORAD’s treaty to further enable space research in 2004. In a letter to US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld that year, defence minister David Pratt laid out that NORAD would provide a “mutually beneficial framework to ensure the closest possible involvement and insight for Canada, both government and industry, in the U.S. missile defence program.”

Subsequently, Canadian officials endorsed BMD within NATO, which the alliance labelled a “core element of … collective defence.” A 2016 Department of National Defence policy guide suggested Canada formally participate in BMD.

It’s called “missile defence” because it’s designed to defend US missiles sites after they launch offensive operations. US-installed missile defence systems in Romania and Korea, for instance, are designed primarily to stop opponents’ missiles following a US first strike.

As part of the Golden Dome the US wants to install radars across Canadian territory. Washington likely also wants Canadian personnel to serve in the command of whatever system is eventually built and to pay for part of the wildly expensive initiative, which is in large part a sop to US arms and high-tech firms.

During the election Mark Carney repeatedly promised to lessen military ties with the US. “The old relationship we had with the United States based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation is over,” Carney said in late March.

Let’s hold him to his word. Canada shouldn’t participate in this major escalation in weaponizing space and the arms race. Carney should say no to Trump’s Golden Dome.

Support Yves’ work. Donate Now.