Who is pushing Canada to go on war footing?

Militarists, warmongers and arms dealers are riding a wave of momentum and they’re organizing to profit as much as possible. Yesterday the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI) hosted a conference titled “Putting Canadian Defence Procurement on a War Footing”. The military put up $50,000 for the conference and likely spent tens of thousands of dollars... Continue Reading →

‘Peacekeeping’ or defund the military?

I recently participated in a debate with Walter Dorn and others on Canadian peacekeeping. It was illuminating. After Black Alliance for Peace Haiti coordinator Jemima Pierre detailed the horrors of the international body’s mission in Haiti, Dorn was asked if he agreed with the UN mission in that country. The Rideau Institute fellow answered with... Continue Reading →

Is it time for Canada to apologize to Libya?

Canada said their war in Libya was to defend human rights and enable democracy. But, NATO’s 2011 assault has unleashed a decade of instability and violence as well as deteriorating social and economic indicators. And they still haven’t held presidential elections. Since the start of the month there has been an uprising against living conditions... Continue Reading →

Military training is part of Canadian imperialism

US military training has long been controversial. After years of protest over its training of brutal military leaders in the hemisphere, the US military’s School of the Americas in Georgia changed its name. Among the peace and anti-imperialist minded, it’s widely understood that military training is an important part of US global power projection. But... Continue Reading →

Militarists on both sides are not your friends

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted a flood of calls to increase military spending. In effect, the militarists who helped precipitate the conflict are now using Moscow’s violence to demand more military spending. Recently, I debated Hugh Segal on whether ‘Canada should increase military spending and strengthen our defence in the face of Russia's aggression’.... Continue Reading →

Oppose Ottawa convoy but don’t send in military

Leftists should categorically reject the idea of deploying the military to disperse right-wing anti-vaccine mandate protesters. Talk of using the Canadian Forces (CF) to dislodge the truck convoy in Ottawa is dangerous and will inevitably come back to harm unions, First Nations and social movements. In a recent Globe and Mail column headlined “How Canadian... Continue Reading →

Fighter jets useless against real security threats

  “It’s never enough” said former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien about military spending. “They always want more.”   Canada shouldn’t spend huge sums on 88 new fighter jets incapable of protecting the population against pressing security threats. The warplanes will simply strengthen Canada’s powerful, offensive air force. Amidst a pandemic and climate crisis the security... Continue Reading →

The ties that bind Canadian military to USA

Canadian admirals and generals often act as if this country’s armed forces are an appendage of the US military, but it’s a mistake to simply label them US lackeys. As I detailed recently, the Canadian Forces (CF) have assisted their US counterparts through naval missions, special forces deployments, peacekeeping missions, chemical weapons testing, wars and... Continue Reading →

The sad truth about Canada’s likely new fighter jets

A startling about-face on fighter jets highlights the Liberals deference to Lockheed Martin’s influence. After aggressively criticizing the Harper government’s plan to buy 65 F-35s Trudeau’s Liberals have paved the way to buy 88 of the controversial stealth weapons of mass destruction. During the 2015 election campaign Justin Trudeau slagged the Conservatives as “unhealthily attached... Continue Reading →

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