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Sunday, December 8, 2013

Canada gets herself in the arms race and runs head to head with other warmongers


When did Canada change from a "peacekeeping nation" to a warmongering country?  When did the metamorphosis take place?  Did the change happen overnight like it did with Gregor in Frank Kafka's work?  

Mike Blanchfield writing at Globe&Mail:
....Bahrain, Algeria and Iraq, countries with dubious human rights records or a history of violent internal conflict, have recently become new buyers of Canadian-made guns and ammunition, an analysis of federal government data shows.
The analysis by The Canadian Press found that Canadian exports to those countries swelled by 100 per cent from 2011 to 2012, the most recent figures publicly available.
During the same time period, exports of Canadian weapons also increased to Pakistan (98 per cent), Mexico (93 per cent) and Egypt (83 per cent), where, respectively, al-Qaida terrorists, a deadly government war on drug cartels and seismic political upheaval have sparked violence.

Though Canada’s arms trade is legal and regulated, analysts say the increases raise questions about the government’s foreign policy commitment to human rights, and its regulatory regime for arms exports.
“Diversification is a principle of business in this globalized economy. As we see western militaries decrease their defence budgets, military industries will be looking for new markets,” said Walter Dorn, the chair of international affairs studies at the Canadian Forces College.
“The danger is that the almighty dollar may become the predominant motivator in trade deals and therefore weapons are more easily shipped.”.........

3 comments:

  1. It's either us selling the weapons or somebody else will gladly do it if we take the high moral road

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    Replies
    1. I don't agree.
      We have many other exportable commodities available in Canada, including scientific and medical breakthroughs.
      Let's suppose a pharmaceutical company gets an opportunity to export its various goods to prospective buyers and the buyers have a list of things they need. The list includes poisonous substances as well as antidotes. Wouldn't it be better to sell the antidotes and let other pharmaceutical companies sell the poisonous stuff. You are still making your profit and making it with a clear conscience.
      Your argument is the typical far-right one.

      Delete
  2. I am so NOT far right personally. I was being the devil's advocate. Business is business, totally amoral. It's just a fact of life. Now a true far righter would have no qualms about that. As long as the arms don't reach the Muslim terrorists.

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