When the Conservative government took power two and half years ago no one could have guessed how much they intended to change the face of the country. It was obvious that their social policies were going to be a lot more conservative than most of Canada had been used to up to that time. Most people hoped that because they did not have a majority in the house of parliament that they wouldn't be able to implement the worst of their platform.
But no one had counted on the opposition parties not being willing to stand up to the government and letting them get away with murder. The previous government had negotiated agreements with all the provinces for universal day care, funding for programming for Native Canadians, begun implementation of the Kyoto accord, implemented gay marriage, and begun the process of decriminalizing marijuana.
Aside from being unable to overturn the Supreme Court of Canada's decision permitting gay marriage, they reversed or overturned every single positive piece of legislation and then proceeded to slash and burn other areas of social spending that were considered "extraneous". But in spite of claiming that this was all in aid of cutting spending and lowering taxes they have been able to find millions if not billions of dollars on military spending.
Now before anyone thinks I'm going to have some knee jerk liberal reaction against military spending, let me be clear about something. As long as we are going to have an armed forces its criminal to under fund them to the point that the non-commissioned soldiers and their families are forced to use food banks or have them use equipment that puts their lives in danger when they are in the field.
I have no argument with a government that wants to correct those inequities, and if that were what the spending was for I would support it. But there's the rub, the money they have been spending has been on equipment that will change the role our military has played on the world stage since we invented the concept of peacekeepers for the Suez Canal crises in the 1950's.
Article comments
1 - The Admiral
Excuse me. But a military is for waging war, not meals on wheels. That is the purpose of a military. To fight and win wars. That is it's only purpose.
Canada is unable to provide for it's security at this point in time. Thus, failing in it's principle obligation to provide for the security of her people.
The governments job is to govern. It has no business in the healthcare industry, the daycare industry, or any other knee jerk ridiculous social program.
2 - Silver Surfer
Actually, the most successful counter-insurgency operation of the modern era (perhaps the only one if a lack of residual trouble is the benchmark) by a western nation DID use a meals-on-wheels type operation in CONJUNCTION with aggressive armed patrolling operations against communist insurgents in Malaya.
It took 12 years to win it, from aqround 1948 to the early 60s, and led to the rise of a modern, democratic muslim state (Malaysia) that has one of the highest standards of living in the world, not just Asia.
The British preferred to think of themselves as armed social workers, and it worked. The Australians learned the lessons and applied the same concept in Vietnam, and ultimately their area of operations in Vietnam was far less fraught and more peaceful than those of the US military.
It's also one of the reasons why Bush now wants to send more troops to Iraq - the change of tack is needed, because the old shoot 'em up shit just doesn't work in this context.
Fine for a regular war against Germany, Japan or the Soviets - but where is that threat today? China? Don't think so, they need us as much as we need them. India? Nah, they're on our side. That's about it, really.
Times change, and military thinking stuck in the 1960s like it is in the Pentagon won't apply in this new context.
So yes, meals on wheels does work.
3 - Mo
The military is not up-to par to protect the Country, so I feel that the military spending is somewhat justified. Canada's mission in Afghanistan seems to be only in support of the United States. The conservatives clearly are trying to establish a stronger relationship with the U.S. , however the mission in Afghanistan, as far as I am concerned is an unjustified one. However in response to Canada protecting and defending the Arctic, the last thing i'm sure the government wants at the moment is to start a military campaign there. However even the navy is in dire need of more equipment, so more money obviously must be spent on this. As well, I'd just like to add that the government's responsibiliy is to govern, and that DOES in clude the social aspects of the country (i.e. healthcare, etc.)
4 - Marc Treblay
At the risk of sounding like a Hawk, it's about time that Canada spend a little money on the armed forces. Our self-image as peacekeepers aside, the best way to make peace is to enforce it. In order to do that, the armed forces need strong offensive capabilities. Do not misunderstand me. I do not want Canada to build a war machine. We do need a strong Army, Navy and Air Force for sovereignty protection (self defence) AND to meet our commitments with Nato and especially participating in missions sanctioned and administered by the UN