BEST FIGHTER FOR CANADA

As Canada's 151st birthday passes by, Canadians enjoy the usual swell of patriotism.  No wonder, as  our nation is pretty great .  The last two years has found even the least-patriotic Canadians being proud.  Even those curmudgeons have to admit...  " At least we're not the United States." Canada still, and always will, have its share of issues.  That is to be expected.  Unlike some other nations, we still have an air of optimism about us.  Things are good and we hope that we can make them even better. One only has to take a cursory glance at the rest of the world to realize that not everyone shares Canada's optimism.  Not only are people taking a pessimistic view...  But they are looking for someone to blame. It is for this reason that Canadian as a whole must make a renewed commitment to its own sovereignty, lest we get bogged down with the same division. One need only look to our southern neighbor to realize how a nat...

"Hey Justin, smell my finger..." Well...  It looks like the opening salvo has been fired in a trade war between the USA and Canada . The particulars are not important to our discussion here; just the usual bloviating and rhetoric .  What is important is whether or not this trade war will play a role in Canada's CF-18 replacement decision. Should military purchases be considered as ammunition in a trade war? On one hand, it could be argued that any trade war with the USA would be temporary.  Why base a 30 (or more) year fighter commitment on presidency that may not see the end of the decade?  Trump's tariffs are not widely supported and would likely not outlast his presidency.  With the CF-18 replacement not likely happening until the mid-2020s, the entire Trump presidency could be considered a moot point. Unfortunately, the Trump presidency (and his tariffs) will cast its shadow over most, if not all, of the CF-18 replacement process.  An RFP...

Kakistocracy noun ,  plural   kakistocracies. 1. government   by   the   worst   persons;   a   form   of   government   in   which   the worst   persons   are   in   power. Well...  Here we are. The largest, most powerful, most technological advanced military in the world has a new Commander-in-Chief. This Commander-in-Chief campaigned on a premise of  American nationalism ,  isolationism , and  military build up .  He has promised to  ban immigration of an entire religion while forming a registry of those whom are already citizens .  He is a  climate-change denier .  He is a  racist .  He is an unabashed  misogynist  whose advances toward woman may be  sexual assault .   One would have hoped that Trump would have tempered his controversial ascension by surrounding himself with a less-controversial staff. ...

Get ready... [ Note:  I take little joy in this post.  As much as I would like to discuss fighter jets, Trump's election will have a profound effect on Canada's defence policy.  There is no ignoring the big, orange elephant in the room.  That being said, let us get this out of the way .] Full disclaimer:  I am no fan of Trump.  He in a privileged, obnoxious demagogue who somehow manipulated enough of the American public to become their President-elect.  For years he has cultivated his brand into the point of a cult of personality.  His election strategy was based on hate, scapegoating, and xenophobia.  Whether or not this continues into his presidency remains to be seen.  I, like many Canadians, find Trump and his rhetoric abhorrent.  He is a hypocrite the very personification of the "elitist" that he has demonized in his calls to "drain the swamp". Donald Trump is everything ugly about America. He is now their President-e...