I think you have made a mistake, your blog isn't twitter. You are drowning out everyone's posts from page one of the BloggingTories. Please stop! Lot's of interesting posts are getting knocked off the front page. As of the time of this writing, you have 9 blog entries on page one.
Regards.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Why Canada Needs the Bomb
I have jokingly said for years that Canada needs to develop a nuclear arsenal; I no longer think this is a laughing matter. Canada needs to develop a nuclear arsenal and a delivery system for these weapons in the next 8-12 years, failure to do will place the national security of Canada in great peril. Canada must create a strong national defence policy, backed up by a bigger, stronger, tougher and more advanced Canadian Forces, that is capable of maintaining, and using nuclear weapons should the need every arise.
DISCLAIMER: My intent is to generate an interesting and provocative debate on this subject. So let's debate in an honest, respectful manner.
In the next paragraphs I will try and build a case for why Canada should develop its own nuclear arsenal. I will layout the threats as I perceive them, the benefits of having a nuclear arsenal, and discuss why nuclear weapons are a viable option for the security of Canada.
Canada is blessed in several key ways to be well positioned in the future as a global heavyweight. Canada has three key resources that could make it an attractive target for other countries:
DISCLAIMER: My intent is to generate an interesting and provocative debate on this subject. So let's debate in an honest, respectful manner.
In the next paragraphs I will try and build a case for why Canada should develop its own nuclear arsenal. I will layout the threats as I perceive them, the benefits of having a nuclear arsenal, and discuss why nuclear weapons are a viable option for the security of Canada.
Canada is surrounded by potential enemies, from the Americans to the south, to the Russians to the north. The Americans historically have launched wars and raids against Canada and other countries in North and South America. The Russians are the Russians, enemies from the cold war, no one in their right mind should trust them to be altruistic.
Currently, neither of these countries are our enemies, in fact, the Americans are our closest friends and allies. We enjoy the longest undefended border in the world, and our culture and economy are very tightly integrated. Despite this, I still can easily foresee a time when Canada and the United States will be enemies; the reason is resources and territory.
Canada is blessed in several key ways to be well positioned in the future as a global heavyweight. Canada has three key resources that could make it an attractive target for other countries:
- A large percentage of the world's remaining freshwater supply
- One of the largest and yet untapped oil and energy reserves in the world in our oil sands
- Territorial control of the vast majority of the Arctic, one of the last unexplored areas of the world.
Peak oil and peak water will start to rear its head in the near future. Oil is obviously a finite resource, and the way we use water makes fresh drinking water a finite supply as well. Canada has a large percentage of the world's available freshwater, and a very small percentage of the world's population. Soon, countries will start asking to buy our water. And when/if we say no, the relations between water rich and water poor countries will start to degrade. It doesn't seem too outlandish to envision a future where water rich countries square off with water poor countries.
I do not sure trust the US to look after our interests when their own interests collide. This is not a slight against the Americans by any means, but the first and foremost duty of any government is to look out for the welfare of their own people.
Furthermore, the vast majority of the Arctic falls within Canada's borders, though many countries wish to challenge our claim to the Arctic. The Americans, Russians, and Danes spring to mind most readily.
The Arctic is a natural resource of utmost importance. Not only is the Arctic the last unexplored area of Earth, it is believed to hold vast untapped reserves of oil, gas, and other important commodities. The wealth in the Arctic is unbelievable. In addition to all this natural wealth, should the shipping lanes in the Arctic clear; the amount of shipping that will pass through the Arctic waters will rival that of the Panama Canal.
Canada has a wealth of natural resources, strategic territory in the Arctic, and strong superpower or near superpower neighbours that will be more than happy to take what is ours if given the chance.
Given this reality, and these threats, Canada needs to do something to protect itself and maintain a strong bargaining position. Unfortunately, the cold hard facts dictate that Canada will not have the resources or the will to maintain a large standing army, navy, and air force to act as a deterrent to possible aggression. The investment required to act as a credible deterrent to the Russians and Americans will be much larger then we can afford without drastic cuts to social programs. These cuts to the social fabric may be desirable, but are simply not practical at this point in time. Canada could not sustain a CF with a budget of 50 billion a year.
A nuclear program will be much cheaper to startup and maintain over the long term then increasing DND's budget by 400% or more.
I don't really have any idea how much it costs to create, maintain, and enhance a nuclear arsenal, I do however feel it will be much less then the additional billions required to increase the size of the CF. Canada has the technological knowhow to quickly create effective nuclear weapons, likely within months. A ballistic missile program will take more time to put together, but is not as important as the bomb itself.
A strong Canadian Forces, backed with a strong nuclear deterrent will allow Canada to bargain from a position of strength, and help ensure that we don't get the short end of the stick.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Rest in Peace Wafergate
So, does "wafergate" as some media outlets and bloggers call it have any legs? Is this faux scandal dominating conversations around both the boardroom table and the kitchen table? Or is this a complete tempest in a teapot?
In my opinion this story is a complete and utter waste of time. The media outlets, bloggers, and others looking to make this a wedge issue or spin it for partisan game need to give their heads a shake.
There is no story here! Warren Kinsella, a prominent though massively partisan blogger is once again throwing out insults and trying to spin this this into a story. The sad thing is, I used to read WK as he had some insightful stuff to say. But that was when he was on the outside looking in, and not that he is back in the war room he is a venomous little troll.
In his latest posting WK proudly hosts the video that "proves" Stephen Harper didn't consume the host, or at least that's what he thinks.
As Michael Geist has written tonight on his top-ranked blog, Radio-Canada - a fully-funded agency of the Harper government, last time I checked - has gone after YouTube for hosting the now-infamous clip I and others posted two days ago. Before it was yanked, that little YouTube video was seen by more than 50,000 people around the globe - which may explain why Rad-Can was pressured to get it off the Internet. (CP and the Star have a segment of the video posted by "Kramet1" here.)
But, in pushing to censor the video, the Harper Cons have drawn yet more attention to Harper's mistake, one that many Catholics consider sacreligious - and, moreover, revealed themselves to be in the full-on (but ineffective) damage-control mode.
Anyway. Here's the video again. I will keep posting it, over and over, until they give up.
You could call me, ahem, a willing host for this one.
Not only is WK desperately trying to manufacture outrage and create a story, WK is also trying to lay the foundation of a conspiracy theory. What is going though his head?
This "controversy" has been laid to rest. The priest has come on record saying that the Prime Minister did consume the host.
The priest who delivered the homily at the funeral mass of former governor-general Romeo LeBlanc said Stephen Harper behaved properly when he took part in the communion service last week.
“The Prime Minister did consume the host; he did not put it in his pocket,” said Father Arthur Bourgeois, who had been a friend of Mr. LeBlanc for 30 years.
Oh, and WK feel free to keep posting the video, since it has been proven the Prime Minister did consume the host you will just keep looking like the petty little hack that you have become.
Thankfully, at least some of the LibLoggers are seeing this "scandal" for what it is. Hattip to you RedTory!
In my opinion this story is a complete and utter waste of time. The media outlets, bloggers, and others looking to make this a wedge issue or spin it for partisan game need to give their heads a shake.
There is no story here! Warren Kinsella, a prominent though massively partisan blogger is once again throwing out insults and trying to spin this this into a story. The sad thing is, I used to read WK as he had some insightful stuff to say. But that was when he was on the outside looking in, and not that he is back in the war room he is a venomous little troll.
In his latest posting WK proudly hosts the video that "proves" Stephen Harper didn't consume the host, or at least that's what he thinks.
As Michael Geist has written tonight on his top-ranked blog, Radio-Canada - a fully-funded agency of the Harper government, last time I checked - has gone after YouTube for hosting the now-infamous clip I and others posted two days ago. Before it was yanked, that little YouTube video was seen by more than 50,000 people around the globe - which may explain why Rad-Can was pressured to get it off the Internet. (CP and the Star have a segment of the video posted by "Kramet1" here.)
But, in pushing to censor the video, the Harper Cons have drawn yet more attention to Harper's mistake, one that many Catholics consider sacreligious - and, moreover, revealed themselves to be in the full-on (but ineffective) damage-control mode.
Anyway. Here's the video again. I will keep posting it, over and over, until they give up.
You could call me, ahem, a willing host for this one.
Not only is WK desperately trying to manufacture outrage and create a story, WK is also trying to lay the foundation of a conspiracy theory. What is going though his head?
This "controversy" has been laid to rest. The priest has come on record saying that the Prime Minister did consume the host.
The priest who delivered the homily at the funeral mass of former governor-general Romeo LeBlanc said Stephen Harper behaved properly when he took part in the communion service last week.
“The Prime Minister did consume the host; he did not put it in his pocket,” said Father Arthur Bourgeois, who had been a friend of Mr. LeBlanc for 30 years.
Oh, and WK feel free to keep posting the video, since it has been proven the Prime Minister did consume the host you will just keep looking like the petty little hack that you have become.
Thankfully, at least some of the LibLoggers are seeing this "scandal" for what it is. Hattip to you RedTory!
A Sad State of Affairs
I find it very sad, and perhaps a telling indicator of our society today when hundreds of reporters and other media types will research and investigate every little detail of Michael Jackson's life and death, but fail to spend the seconds required to properly honour our fallen Canadian heroes.
Dear media, especially CTV (as you are the one I watch) please take the time to get the soldier’s ranks, and the abbreviations of those ranks correct when airing the stories on the news. It is very frustrating for a long time serving member to see the complete lack of effort your editors or producers take when creating the copy for the anchors to read or the media to be displayed. I am sure Wikipedia will have a good reference for the service and regimental ranks and their abbreviations.
Please take the extra few seconds to get this right, it is the least we can do.
Dear media, especially CTV (as you are the one I watch) please take the time to get the soldier’s ranks, and the abbreviations of those ranks correct when airing the stories on the news. It is very frustrating for a long time serving member to see the complete lack of effort your editors or producers take when creating the copy for the anchors to read or the media to be displayed. I am sure Wikipedia will have a good reference for the service and regimental ranks and their abbreviations.
Please take the extra few seconds to get this right, it is the least we can do.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Montreal Gazette on the CHRCs
The Montreal Gazette takes Jennifer Lynch and her CHRC to task for their inability to learn from past mistakes, and their desire to restrict our liberties. The Gazette even seems to be starting to lean towards removing all restrictions on freedom of speech. At least that is what I am reading into this paragraph.
Pretty hard to disagree with that sentiment.
Abolish Section 13 Now!
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