Author: Yves Engler

Last week Anju Dhillon told the House of Commons "I saw firsthand the sacrifices that our men and women in the navy have made to protect our country." The Liberal MP recently participated in the Canadian Leaders at Sea Program, which takes influential individuals on "action-packed" multi-day navy operations. Conducted on both coasts numerous times annually, nine Parliamentarians from all parties participated in a Spring 2017 excursion and a number more joined at the end of last year. The Commander of the Atlantic Fleet, Commodore Craig Baines, describes the initiative’s political objective: "By exposing them to the work of our men and women at sea, they gain a newfound appreciation for how the RCN protects and defends Canada at home and abroad. They can then help us spread that message to Canadians when they return home."

And vote for more military spending.

MPs are also drawn into the military’s orbit in a variety of other ways. Set up by DND’s Director of External Communications and Public Relations in 2000, the Canadian Forces Parliamentary Program was labeled a "valuable public-relations tool" by the Globe and Mail. Different programs embed MPs in the army, navy and air force. According to the Canadian Parliamentary Review, the MPs "learn how the equipment works, they train with the troops, and they deploy with their units on operations. Parliamentarians are integrated into the unit by wearing the same uniform, living on bases, eating in messes, using CF facilities and equipment." As part of the program, the military even flew MPs to the Persian Gulf to join a naval vessel on patrol.

Continue reading “Militarists’ Grip Over Canada’s Parliament”

Another Liberal broken promise. Before becoming prime minister, Justin Trudeau promised to re-engage with Iran. His government has failed to do so and is beginning to echo the warmongers in Washington and Tel Aviv.

"I would hope that Canada would be able to reopen its mission [in Tehran]," Trudeau told the CBC in June 2015. "I’m fairly certain that there are ways to re-engage [Iran]," he said.

Nearly three years into their mandate the Liberals haven’t restarted diplomatic relations with Iran. Nor has Trudeau removed that country from Canada’s state sponsor of terrorism list (Syria is the only other country on the list).

Continue reading “Trudeau Lies on Iran”

To the military shaping media coverage of deployments is what roasting a marshmallow is to a summer camper’s S’mores; there isn’t one without the other.

Even before beginning a small "peacekeeping" mission the Canadian forces’ have an elaborate media strategy.

At the end of June Chief of the Defense Staff Jonathan Vance brought journalists with him on a visit to Mali. They toured the facilities in Gao where an advance team was preparing for Canada’s UN deployment to the African nation. An Ottawa Citizen headline described Vance’s trip as part of an effort at "selling the public on the Mali mission."

The tour for journalists was followed by a "technical briefing" on the deployment for media in Ottawa. "No photography, video or audio recording for broadcast purposes" was allowed at last week’s press event, according to the advisory. Reporters were to attribute information to "a senior government" official. But, the rules were different at a concurrent departure ceremony in Trenton. "Canadian Armed Forces personnel deploying to Mali are permitted to give interviews and have their faces shown in imagery", noted the military’s release.

Continue reading “Canadian Troops Head to Mali, With In-Bedded Media in Tow”

This weekend the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) celebrates its 60th anniversary. On May 12, 1958, Canada and the US officially signed their most significant bilateral military accord.

The Cold War agreement was supposed to defend the two countries from an invasion by Soviet bombers coming from the north. But, the Berlin Wall fell three decades ago and NORAD continues. In fact, the agreement was renewed indefinitely in 2006.

Initially NORAD focused on radar and fighter jets. As technologies advanced, the Command took up intercontinental ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and space-based satellites.

Thousands of Canadian military personnel support NORAD’s operations. One hundred and fifty Canadians are stationed at NORAD’s central collection and coordination facility near Colorado Springs, Colorado. Hundreds more work at regional NORAD outposts across the US and Canada and many pilots are devoted to the Command. A Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) general is deputy commander of NORAD and its commander-in-chief is a US Air Force general.

Continue reading “As NORAD Turns 60, It’s Time To Dismantle It”

While the media has been full of news about information-gathering by Facebook and other Internet giants, other secretive organizations that are a major threat to our personal privacy and public security are seldom mentioned. When they are, it has been because politicians are praising them and offering up more money for them to spy.

For example, Justin Trudeau recently promoted the "Anglosphere’s" intelligence sharing arrangement. Two weeks ago, in a rare move, the PM revealed a meeting with his "Five Eyes" counterparts. After the meeting in London Trudeau labeled the 2,000 employee Communications Security Establishment, Canada’s main contributor to the "Five Eyes" arrangement, "an extraordinary institution". Last year Trudeau said that "collaboration and cooperation between allies, friends and partners has saved lives and keeps all of our citizens safe."

The praise comes as the government is seeking to substantially expand CSE’s powers and two months ago put up $500 million to create a federal "cybersecurity" center. This money is on top of CSE’s $600 million annual budget and a massive new $1.2 billion complex.

Continue reading “Canada’s Trudeau Promotes ‘Anglosphere’ Spying”

The US has once again flagrantly violated international law. Without UN approval, they launched dozens of airstrikes on Syria. Ottawa immediately supported the US bombing. In a statement Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, "Canada supports the decision by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France to take action to degrade the Assad regime’s ability to launch chemical weapons attacks against its own people."

Over the past week the Trudeau government has helped lay the foundation for the US led attack. 24 hours after the alleged April 7 attack foreign minister Chrystia Freeland put out a statement claiming, "the repeated and morally reprehensible use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime in the past has been confirmed by independent international investigators…. Canada condemns the Assad regime – and its backers, Russia and Iran – for its‎ repeated, gross violations of human rights and continued, deliberate targeting of civilians.” Without presenting any evidence of the alleged chemical weapons use in Douma, Freeland said on Friday "when it comes to this use of chemical weapons, it is clear to Canada that chemical weapons were used and that they were used by the Assad regime."

In her initial statement Freeland expressed Canada’s "admiration for … the White Helmets." Also known as the Syrian Civil Defense, the White Helmets produced the video purporting to show chemical weapons use in Douma.

On Friday Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov claimed the White Helmets staged the video with help from the UK. Former British ambassador to Syria Peter Ford largely endorsed Moscow’s position.

Continue reading “Canadian Government Supports US Bombing of Syria”