How do you feel about taxpayer-funded organizations using your tax dollars to lobby elected politicians for more of your tax dollars? Welcome to the Canadian military. Last week Anju Dhillon told the House of Commons “I saw first-hand the sacrifices that our men and women in the navy have made to protect our country.” The Liberal... Continue Reading →
The world needs more union involvement in foreign affairs
Unions are a force for good in the world. Too bad not all of them are a force for good everywhere in the world. Canadian unions are largely indifferent to international affairs. And when they engage it’s rarely to challenge Ottawa’s foreign policy. Over the Labour Day weekend the Ontario Federation of Labour and some... Continue Reading →
What is behind glorifying the military?
Are soldiers more valuable to society than teachers? Are they more essential than the people who drive buses or clean up our waste? Are their jobs that much more dangerous than firefighters, or psychiatric nurses or loggers? Is what they do more honourable than parenting, caring for elders, providing essential social services or reporting the... Continue Reading →
The story behind the military’s recruitment of Indigenous youth
Is the Canadian military a friend and ally of First Nations or an exploiter and repressor? The military’s immense resources and cultural clout certainly enables it to attract indigenous youth to become soldiers. But First Nations have more reason than most to be wary of the Canadian Forces (CF). A recent Ipolitics story titled “This... Continue Reading →
Response of Canada’s ‘defence’ community to Trump threats: silence
A volatile leader in charge of a military behemoth prone to aggression has repeatedly attacked Canada and its prime minister in recent weeks. But, this country’s “defence” community, which often hypes Russian, Jihadist and other threats, has barely made a peep. Citing a concern for its “national security”, the US slapped tariffs on Canadian steel... Continue Reading →
Long past time for Canada to exit NORAD
This weekend the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) celebrates its 60th anniversary. On May 12, 1958, Canada and the US officially signed their most significant bilateral military accord. The Cold War agreement was supposed to defend the two countries from an invasion by Soviet bombers coming from the north. But, the Berlin Wall fell... Continue Reading →
Maple Leafs swimming in choppy Canadian imperial waters
Hey Maple Leafs, be careful which traditions you honour. On Saturday the Leafs play an outdoor game against the Washington Capitals at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. To mark the occasion the team created a jersey with the Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) "Ready, Aye, Ready" motto on it. The website... Continue Reading →
Ottawa’s foreign policy swamp an unhealthy quagmire
Drain the swamp’ was a popular Donald Trump campaign slogan that referred to reducing the influence of Washington lobbyists. While the three words reflect an extreme lack of ecological consciousness — wetlands need to be protected and recreated, not destroyed — the image of politicians slogging their way through lobbyist infected, tangled, dense vegetation and... Continue Reading →
Celebrating war rather than peace reflects a sick society
Why do we build monuments to war rather than to its absence? I wondered about this when reading about a recent tussle in the nation's capital over the location for yet another celebration of people killing each other. Last month the Canadian War Museum (CWM) complained to the National Capital Commission about the planned site... Continue Reading →
Time for Canada to withdraw from NATO
Ottawa should withdraw from NATO before the alliance draws Canada into an even more destructive conflict. This instrument of US-led imperialism has become more belligerent as its Cold War pretext fades further from view. In 1948 US, British and Canadian officials met secretly to lay the basis for NATO, which was established the following year.... Continue Reading →
Does NDP support Trudeau’s caving in to Trump, spending more on military?
It's no wonder the Trudeau government has moved to ramp up military outlays. Even "left" commentators/politicians are calling for increased spending on Canada's ecologically and socially destructive war machine. Recently Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced a more than 70 per cent increase in military spending over the next decade. Canada's new defence policy includes a... Continue Reading →
Canadian troops mass on Russia’s border
Why is the Trudeau government escalating its belligerence towards Russia? Yesterday it was confirmed that 200 Canadian troops would remain in the Ukraine for at least two more years. This “training” mission in the Ukraine is on top of two hundred troops in Poland, a naval frigate in the Mediterranean and Black Sea and a half dozen CF-18 fighter... Continue Reading →
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