Canadian Author and Activist
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 →
Reports that members of Canada’s elite special forces are supporting the right-wing anti-vaccine mandate protests inOttawa are troubling. The federal government has invested heavily in training these individuals and they likely have experience in violent situations. On Sunday leading military reporter David Pugliese revealed that two Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2) are under investigation for... Continue Reading →
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 →
The Liberals plan to purchase 88 fighter jets lacks transparency. Even worse, new warplanes will empower a secretive branch of an institution not known for its democratic ethos. Canada’s second largest ever government procurement is set to be made without the public knowing the likely climate impacts or lifecycle cost of the jets. Additionally, the... Continue Reading →
“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 military and arms industry sustain many ideological institutions, which goes a long way in explaining the strength of militarist ideology. Last week the Globe and Mail published “Canada must do its part to defend the Arctic. That requires F-35 purchases and NORAD modernization”. The commentary was written by Robert Huebert, a long-time associate and... Continue Reading →
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 →
Who are they “standing on guard” for, really? The Canadian military has deep ties to their US counterparts. From naval patrols to special forces deployments, research initiatives to wars, the Canadian Forces (CF) function largely as an appendage of their southern neighbour’s enormous killing machine. Recently HMCS Winnipeg joined with a US destroyer to... Continue Reading →
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 →
The Trudeau government’s plan to buy 88 new fighter jets and 15 combat vessels will do little to protect Canadians from this country’s most serious threats. And some people are angry enough to take the streets to send this message to Ottawa. Two dozen rallies were held across the country last week to oppose a... Continue Reading →
Is the Canadian or Chinese military a greater threat to humanity? As the likelihood of military conflict with China grows it’s worth assessing the balance of power. This offers an indication of which parties are likely to be the primary belligerent force (because they would prevail in a conflict). When it comes to international bases... Continue Reading →
A military concept few have heard of is shaping Canada’s second largest ever government procurement. Ottawa is planning to spend tens of billions of dollars on 88 new fighter jets largely to serve the god of “interoperability”. At its most basic “interoperability” means the ability for military forces to act together seamlessly because their doctrines,... Continue Reading →
A friend in Montreal, whose partner is a teacher, recently messaged me: “My wife, who sat through the Grade 4 virtual Remembrance Day activity organized by the school board described what it was like: The students watched two soldiers walk around a military base giving a tour. This included tanks. … A student asked if... Continue Reading →
The Canadian military seem willing, even eager, to work with neo-Nazis in the Ukraine in order to weaken Russia, something the US, NATO and Ukrainian–Canadian groups support. On Monday Ottawa Citizen military reporter David Pugliese revealed that when Canadian military officials met with the Azov Battalion in June 2018, they knew the group used the... Continue Reading →
Progressives shouldn’t buy or wear red poppies. Remembrance Day promotes martial patriotism and the militaristic, imperialistic, Royal Canadian Legion owns the copyright to the red poppy. Red poppies commemorate Canadians who have died at war. Not being commemorated are the Afghans, or Libyans killed by Canadians in the 2000s, or the Iraqis and Serbians killed... Continue Reading →
The government should spend whatever is necessary to ensure the security of Canadians. And to do so requires redirecting resources away from weapons of destruction towards the real and present dangers that threaten our security. Leftists have long argued that “national security” is a euphemism for promoting a violent, patriarchal, institution that aids corporations and... Continue Reading →
Randall Garrison was recently removed as NDP defence critic. Prompted by antiwar and Palestine solidarity campaigners, Garrison’s removal improves the prospect that the social democratic party will shift away from militarism. In the summer two dozen groups signed a public letter instigated by Just Peace Advocates calling for Garrison to be “removed as NDP defence... Continue Reading →
To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. To a man with Canadian military training, any threat requires one to shoot first and consider other alternatives later. Recently, the Supreme Court called for a retrial in the acquittal of former army reservist Peter Khill. He was charged with second-degree murder for firing... Continue Reading →
10. Bloated government? Misplaced priorities? The military is by far the largest Canadian government department, employing the largest number and purchasing the most equipment. The combined budget of the Department of National Defence (DND) and Veteran Affairs is $30 billion, about 15 times Environment and Climate Change Canada’s. With 0.5 percent of the world’s people,... Continue Reading →
Undoing centuries of racism requires looking at major government purchases through the lens of whether or not they challenge, or reinforce, existing structural power imbalances. For example, would spending billions of dollars on 88 new fighter jets reinforce white domination? To answer that question, one must look at history and current affairs. Historically, the Royal... Continue Reading →
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