Renovating Fortress North America: Get Ready to Pay Large For A New NORAD...

He said he believes it's more likely that DND will be asked to cover Canada's NORAD contribution within its existing budget — forcing the department to make cuts elsewhere.

The NORAD project also promises to drag a reluctant federal government back into a political debate over ballistic missile defence (BMD).

The recent Liberal defence policy reaffirmed the 2005 decision by Paul Martin's government to remain on the sidelines of any continental BMD effort, despite pleas from both the Senate and House of Commons defence committees to reconsider joining.

BMD is a non-starter for New Democrats and for some experts in the defence community who argue that missile defence merely contributes to the arms race...

Instead of focusing on the missiles — the "arrows," to use NORAD parlance — the expectation is that a defensive network would focus its response on the "archers," or the launch platforms. Russian bombers circling far outside of North American airspace, for example, would be targeted under the SHIELD strategy.

"That will be unpalatable to the Canadian government," said Fergusson, pointing out that the Canadian military doesn't have the long-range capability to conduct those kinds of defensive operations.

It's a conversation Canada can't avoid for much longer, he said, because much of the existing North Warning System reaches the end of its operational life by 2024.

"The United States cannot defend itself without Canada and we can't defend ourselves without the United States."

The story is a big nothing. Looks like no new money and the Liberal government is not in favor of BMD. 

The NDP is not against NORAD has a whole. I'm not sure what Lascaris thinks about it but he would be the sole hope of Canada leaving NORAD and I think a solid majority of Canadians, 80% or more, would be strongly against it. 

This is a useless battle that only dilutes the energy progressives need if we are to make any advances on the issues where we have a chance of winning. 

NDPP wrote:

Plans to rebuild defence early-warning system means political, financial headaches for Trudeau government

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/norad-shield-defence-ballistic-missile-...

"The SHIELD strategy could be a tough sell in a pandemic economy. The proposal now presents a host of thorny political and financial problems for Canada...."

Just say no to NORAD!

[email protected]

I don't think the issue will have any impact this election but it might benefit the NDP in the next one especially if it is four years off. 

The NDP will be able to add up all the pandemic spending along with this spending and equate it to what we would have had if the money had been better managed. 

What I worry about is that after all this largess is over it will be used as an excuse to return to even more severe austerity and that by then Canadians may believe we must attack the deficit. 

Between now and then I think it is really important to attack the entrenched beliefs that liken government debt to personal debt. 

The right will divide the debt by population and say every man woman and child owes X amount of dollars but we don't. Nor are we leaving the debt "to our children".  We are growing our population and gdp. We are investing in the country because it generates wealth. 

The more educated a country the richer it is. Funding higher education is an investment not an expense. Homeless people cost more money in emergency services than housing them would. Public housing saves money. Without chlldren a country literally has no future. We need to invest much more in the mental and physical health of children not just the academics. Our financial future will be more secure with a population that is mentally and physically stronger as well as better educated. 

Canadians still believe that Conservatives are the most fiscally responsible party.  That is because they equate "not spending money" with fiscal responsibility.  

We have to change that assumption otherwise people will continue to equate being on the left as being fiscally irresponsible. 

We have to somehow get people to understand that owning a country is more like owning a mansion with a morgage. It's worth a lot, but only if you take care of it. Fixing the roof is an expense, but not fixing the roof is a bigger expense in the long run. Post secondary education is an expense that purchases future financial rewards for the individual but also for the country. 

I could go on but you get the idea.

NORAD cannot defend against hyper sonic missiles. This is nothing but a big siphon for tax dollars to be sucked into the coffers of the arms industry.

lol, that was funny. 

Canada should

• exit NORAD
• exit NATO
• leave the UN
• defund all police departments and switch to a neighborhood watch
• disband the military and make them fill sandbags and put out forest fires instead
• ban firearms but not compensate firearm owners
• legalize all drugs
• give First Nations sole ownership of all land in Canada
• ban the roman catholic church from practicing in Canada

Wonder what I'm missing

kropotkin1951 wrote:

Paladin1 wrote:

Wonder what I'm missing

Babble is NOT intended as a place where the basic and fundamental values of human rights, feminism, anti-racism and labour rights are to be debated or refought.

What better way to support the basic and fundamental values of human rights than to disband the military and abandon our alliances?

Another great way to support anti-racism is to get rid of cops who investigate and enforce laws. Human rights too, like the right not to be assaulted on the subway in Toronto.