Northern Light
Superstar
We're not particularly generous with Foreign Aid as a country either. The generally accepted target is to give 0.7% of national income; Canada provides just under 1/2 of that most years.
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- Thread starter kEiThZ
- Start date
We're not particularly generous with Foreign Aid as a country either. The generally accepted target is to give 0.7% of national income; Canada provides just under 1/2 of that most years.
Richard White
Senior Member
True but my point was that most of the announcements made are to give money to other nations or feel good causes domestically.
We need to focus on rebuilding ourselves and helping Canadians. I'm sorry Ukraine has issues, I'm sorry that something happened over a century ago that we now feel bad about but we need focus on our own problems.
Right now, the feds aren't doing that.
picard102
Senior Member
That someone hasn't heard of the country isn't a failing of anyone other than the person who has never heard of it. There are under 200 countries, it shouldn't be hard to have heard of all of them.
kEiThZ
Superstar
I'm just going to say the government might want to reconsider that $1B cut to defence and while they are at it, they should probably publish the Defence Policy Update. And maybe for once do a full foreign policy review.
T3G
Senior Member
There is no financial argument that supports any major western nation going down a path of isolationism, they have plenty of money both to help their own people, as well as that of other countries.
It's just a question of how money is spent. Personally, I would much rather we help the less fortunate, rather than our money going to help bail out a wayward private business or to help them establish a private business venture with sketchy benefits to the general public, or to have a politician take a sunny vacation on the taxpayer's dime in the name of promoting peace and cooperation and climate action other empty feel good platitudes with other politicians.
lenaitch
Senior Member
One problem with not using public money to support/encourage/entice private business to set up shop here is it's not a level playing field. Other countries, including the US, offer all sorts of inducements and can have lower business costs such as health care, tax rates, and in some jurisdictions, union-unfriendly employment law. Heck, an auto worker in Mexico makes in a day not much less than a CAW worker makes in an hour.
Thirty years ago, all we had to worry about was keeping jobs from going to the US, and natural resources seldom crossed an ocean. Now we're in a world-wide competitive market. With the size of our domestic market, there is little to no natural benefit for most businesses to locate here.
Thirty years ago, all we had to worry about was keeping jobs from going to the US, and natural resources seldom crossed an ocean. Now we're in a world-wide competitive market. With the size of our domestic market, there is little to no natural benefit for most businesses to locate here.
kEiThZ
Superstar
Pretty scathing:
www.forbes.com
To the typical left leaning Canadian who thinks defence spending is a waste, it's time to ask yourself if you're willing to allow American forces on Canadian soil, because that's what this kind of underinvestment is leading towards. The Americans will not tolerate Canada leaving the approaches to the continent unprotected.
A Leaked Report Finds That Canada’s Small Fighter Fleet ‘is in Crisis’
A report commissioned by Canada’s Department of National Defence assessed that the country’s small, old CF-18 Hornet fleet may not be able to meet its commitments.
www.forbes.com
To the typical left leaning Canadian who thinks defence spending is a waste, it's time to ask yourself if you're willing to allow American forces on Canadian soil, because that's what this kind of underinvestment is leading towards. The Americans will not tolerate Canada leaving the approaches to the continent unprotected.
Richard White
Senior Member
Pretty scathing:
A Leaked Report Finds That Canada’s Small Fighter Fleet ‘is in Crisis’
A report commissioned by Canada’s Department of National Defence assessed that the country’s small, old CF-18 Hornet fleet may not be able to meet its commitments.
To the typical left leaning Canadian who thinks defence spending is a waste, it's time to ask yourself if you're willing to allow American forces on Canadian soil, because that's what this kind of underinvestment is leading towards. The Americans will not tolerate Canada leaving the approaches to the continent unprotected.
The first signs of a problem should have been when the Sea Kings were dropping out of the sky and we were buying second hand diesel subs.
kEiThZ
Superstar
Remember when I said our shrinking foreign and defence policies would have trade impacts?
www.theglobeandmail.com
We are being reduced to an American colony where Washington speaks for us and dictates terms to us. Rather ironic given that the argument for not doing as much of defence and security was to differentiate us from the US.
Every country does business with friends first. And fairweather friends are lower on the list than real allies.
Ottawa’s exclusion from Indo-Pacific talks worries business group
Canada was left out of the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific economic talks between Washington and 13 other Indo-Pacific countries
www.theglobeandmail.com
We are being reduced to an American colony where Washington speaks for us and dictates terms to us. Rather ironic given that the argument for not doing as much of defence and security was to differentiate us from the US.
Every country does business with friends first. And fairweather friends are lower on the list than real allies.
Richard White
Senior Member
Remember when I said our shrinking foreign and defence policies would have trade impacts?
Ottawa’s exclusion from Indo-Pacific talks worries business group
Canada was left out of the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific economic talks between Washington and 13 other Indo-Pacific countries
Every country does business with friends first. And fairweather friends are lower on the list than real allies.
But But... Peacekeeping... America... NORAD..
kEiThZ
Superstar
Exactly. Must be why Australia and New Zealand were included. /S
Richard White
Senior Member
Are you surprised though?
Think about all the military projects and weapons we have given up on:
- AVRO Arrow (US Pressure)
- Nuclear Weapons (Public Pressure)
- New Submarines (For some reason we insist on second hand diesel subs)
- Helicopters (Remember when the Sea Kings kept dropping out of the sky!)
- Ship maintenance and replacement (We are barely replacing our existing fleet which is ancient and they still require a ton of upkeep)
kEiThZ
Superstar
A little bit actually. I didn't expect this government to flat out quit on fighting for Canadian interests. But they really don't seem to understand how much the world has changed, both since the 90s and in the last decade. They really seem to believe Canada is more important than it actually is. And that rhetoric can be a substitute for hard power and dollars. Obviously, countries facing off against Chinese imperialism don't have time for that.
Richard White
Senior Member
Honestly, I think this will be the end of the Liberals in much the same way that Paul Martin was tossed. The Liberals for some reason have it in their head that they are doing an amazing job. In reality, our global standing has diminished while domestically we are faced with a ton of Liberal caused problems.
I hate the Conservatives more than anyone but as a Canadian I cannot stand by while Trudeau pretends everything is sunshine and rainbows! I can see the Liberals having a Kim Campbell level defeat next time and be stuck facing the same leadership issues they faced after Paul Martin was defeated.
What we need to do is the following:
- Curtail immigration while we get our domestic situation in order
- Axe the immigration programs such as the Atlantic Immigration Program
- Focus on Military spending
- Place restrictions on home ownership in Canada so that only those with citizenship or long term residency can own a property
- Make it harder to get a work permit. Give Canadians priority over new immigrants for jobs
picard102
Senior Member
Ottawa was excluded, but the headline photo is of Justin at APEC.Ottawa’s exclusion from Indo-Pacific talks worries business group
Canada was left out of the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific economic talks between Washington and 13 other Indo-Pacific countries