Canada's Subservient Defence
Policy
Billions Spent on Military Procurement
- Philip Fernandez -
On August 4, the Department of National Defence
(DND) announced the beginning of production for 360 Armoured Combat
Support Vehicles (ACSV) at the General Dynamic Land Systems (GDLS)
production facilities in London, Ontario. GDLS is a subsidiary of
General Dynamics USA, the fifth largest weapons manufacturer in the
U.S. The contract is valued at $2 billion. According to DND, "This
fleet can be used in a wide variety of roles, such as part of Canada's
contribution to NATO's assurance and deterrence measures in Central and
Eastern Europe, or in the Canadian Armed Forces' response to natural
disasters in Canada."
 This announcement
followed another from DND on July 31 on the delivery of the first of
six Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) for the Canadian Navy, the
HMCS Harry DeWolf, built by the Irving Shipyards in
Halifax. DND notes: "Specifically designed to patrol Canada's offshore
waters and northernmost regions, this new class of ship will be at the
core of an enhanced Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Arctic presence,
effectively complementing the capabilities of our other current and
future warships through critical reconnaissance and surveillance
activities. In addition to highly versatile platforms that will enable
the ship to support a variety of domestic and international missions."
Apart from the six AOPS, Irving is building two
coast guard vessels. Together they make up the first part of the
"Combat Package" that was awarded to Irving under the National
Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) which was announced by the former Harper
Conservatives and now made operational and expanded under the Trudeau
Liberals who have shown themselves to be even greater warmongers than
the Harperites. The initial cost of $38 billion for the NSS has almost
doubled to $70 billion to date and will likely increase to many more
billions.
Additionally, Canada is poised to purchase 88 new
jet fighters from one of three armaments monopolies, at a cost of $19
billion, which is being opposed in a national campaign led by Canadian
Voice of Women for Peace and their allies.
All of the tens of billions being spent on
boosting of military hardware is being justified in the name of
Canada's defence policy under the Liberals -- "Strong, Secure, Engaged"
-- adopted in 2018, which aims, among other things, to increase
"significant and strategic long-term investments that will ensure the
Canadian Armed Forces continues to function as an agile, and
combat-ready force, capable of making tangible contributions and
delivering on its commitments at home and around the world." The
Liberals committed $62.3 billion over the next 20 years to boost
Canada's military under their new policy. In an effort to divert the
anti-war movement in Canada, these large amounts of money being handed
over in pay-the-rich schemes to Irving Shipbuilding Inc., GDLS and
others are being justified in the name of job creation and boosting the
economy! Under the so-called Industrial and Regional Benefits (IRB)
Policy, introduced in 2014, companies that are awarded "military
procurement contracts must undertake business activity in Canada equal
to the value of the contract."
 Even as Canadians
are in the midst of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic which is far
from over, the Liberals are quietly pushing through their military
procurement. In this they have the support of the other cartel parties
in the Parliament, all of whom are on side with Canada's foreign policy
based on modern day colonialism, imperialism and war under the dictate
of U.S. imperialism and its instruments NATO and NORAD. This is the
essence of the "Strong, Secure, Engaged" foreign policy.
This increased drive to militarism and war by the
Trudeau Liberals and the other cartel parties must be stopped by the
stepped-up organized resistance of the Canadian people to U.S.
imperialism, NATO and NORAD. It is the Canadian people who must decide
on Canada's military policy, foreign policy and the future of Canadian
society. It is they who must step up their organizing for an anti-war
government and work to make Canada a zone for peace. In this way
Canadians can make a decisive contribution to peace in the Americas and
the world, and contribute to securing a permanent peace in the world
which is the condition for the flourishing of all peoples and nations.
All Out to Make Canada A
Zone For Peace!
Organize for an Anti-War Government!
This article was published in
Volume 50 Number 29 - August 8, 2020
Article Link:
Canada's Subservient Defence
Policy: Billions Spent on Military Procurement - Philip Fernandez
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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