Canadian taxpayer-funded military chief promotes war, arms build-up

 

The business of war is very profitable for a few weapons makers and generals who end their careers as high paid shills.

The recent warmongering by the head of Canada’s military is a troubling escalation that must be called out. But it is erroneous to frame his reaction as a fundamental change instead of part of the Canadian Force’s longstanding bid to further militarize society and deepen ties to the world’s preeminent military power.

In a year-end review interview with Wayne Eyre, Murray Brewster pointed out that in the latter half of 2022 Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff claimed China and Russia are at war with us, those countries could soon seize Canadian territory in the Arctic and called for putting Canadian industry on “wartime footing”. In the interview with CBC’s senior military reporter (propagandist?), Eyre added that Canada may have to militarize like it did at the start of World War II. “I often challenged the team [military planners] to look at history. What did we do in 1939?” noted Eyre.

While Eyre has been particularly aggressive with his rhetoric recently, the Canadian Forces have long promoted what some euphemistically describe as “forward defence”. Drawing a dubious hockey analogy, Chief of the Defence Staff Rick Hillier claimed in 2005 “the best defense for Canada is a good offense. We must play a significant part in the world to prevent that violence and conflict coming home.” Echoing this thinking, the 2017 “Strong, Secure, Engaged: Canada’s Defence Policy” claims the CF has to “actively address threats abroad for stability at home” and that “defending Canada and Canadian interests … requires active engagement abroad.” A logic that can, of course, be used to justify participating in endless US-led military endeavors.  (more...)

Canadian taxpayer-funded military chief promotes war, arms build-up