Canadian Author and Activist
Why has there been so little discussion of debt relief for Ukraine? Is it because powerful debt-holders support Ukraine fighting Russia but care little about that country’s economy, democracy or sovereignty? Amidst an outpouring of support for Ukraine, no Western leader has called for international debt forgiveness. But, the country owes the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World... Continue Reading →
Today I interrupted Deputy Prime Minister Christya Freeland at a press conference to ask if she’s a warmonger. I criticized her for devoting half a billion dollars in last week’s budget for new weapons to fight Russia. I also questioned her support of NATO expansion and failure to support the Minsk accords for a negotiated... Continue Reading →
Few measures better marry ecological and social justice than turning public land devoted to noisy, dangerous and polluting vehicles into social/co-op/rental housing. René Lévesque Boulevard in Montréal is a prime candidate for this type of transformation (similar examples abound in other cities). A week ago I bumped into about 500 students protesting behind a banner... Continue Reading →
Militarists are trying to present their long-standing requests for ever more arms spending as simply a response to Russia’s brutal actions in Ukraine. Yesterday the Canadian Press reported, “One of Canada’s most influential business lobby groups is making an unprecedented request for increased defence spending in Thursday’s federal budget because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.... Continue Reading →
Chants of “CA-NA-DA” at rallies. The Maple Leaf waving at protest camps. A Canadian labeled “godfather” of its military. Canada has long had significant influence in Ukraine, which it has used to drive a centuries old bid to weaken Russia. In “Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” the camera pans over a Maple Leaf... Continue Reading →
Paul Street and other respectable North American leftists are fixated on the role of “fascism” in Russia’s criminal invasion of Ukraine. Yes, Vladimir Putin is an authoritarian, right-wing, nationalist but liberal North American leaders have in fact invaded far more sovereign nations. In 1999 one of Canada’s least fascistic prime ministers, Jean Chretien, and his... Continue Reading →
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is a flagrant violation of international law. It has led to thousands of deaths, millions of refugees and tens of billions of dollars in damage. Troublingly, the situation could get worse if the escalatory politics sweeping Canada is any indication. A month ago, Ottawa was unwilling to send lethal weapons... Continue Reading →
Ottawa’s hostility to Ukrainian democracy is a largely ignored element in the tragedy unfolding in that country. While not excusing Russia’s criminal invasion, Canada’s multi-year campaign to subvert an elected government was an important factor in producing the conditions that led to where we are today. As I previously detailed, the Canadian government encouraged the... Continue Reading →
Canada needs to break its addiction to one of the most dangerous and violent alliances in human history. Justin Trudeau is currently in Brussels to attend a special summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Canada’s prime minister will likely praise an alliance that has become more belligerent – with wars in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan... Continue Reading →
While in no way excusing Russia’s criminal invasion, NATO expansion eastward increased its likelihood. Although we’ll never know if the war would not have happened under different circumstances, after a month of Russian violence against Ukraine the two countries’ negotiators have reportedly agreed that it will reject joining NATO as part of a peace pact.... Continue Reading →
To understand the present, one must study the past. One of the wealthier parts of the Soviet Union, Ukraine’s GDP per capita is now less than half Russia’s and far below other neighbours. Every year since 1993 its population has declined and an eight-year-old war in the east of the country has killed some 14,000.... Continue Reading →
On Wednesday foreign affairs minister Melanie Joly told the press, “right now, it’s not about a diplomatic solution” and that “you can’t negotiate when you have a gun to your head.” But that’s simply not true. That’s exactly what you should do if the alternative is far worse. More war is a recipe for many... Continue Reading →
Has the Trudeau government violated the law by promoting Canadians joining the Ukrainian military? Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly recently responded to a question about Canadians joining the Ukrainian military by saying, “we understand that people of Ukrainian descent want to support their fellow Ukrainians. We are all very supportive of any form of support to... Continue Reading →
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 →
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a flagrant violation of international law that must be condemned. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore how Canada’s opposition to a diplomatic solution to the war in eastern Ukraine increased the likelihood of escalating conflict. The Minsk agreements were designed to overcome the violence and division caused by... Continue Reading →
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