There’s an issue that was not asked about in the election debates or by the Canadian media circuit. That question is the Canadian military, and the shocking increases in military spending. The Trudeau government is drastically increasing military spending with virtually no pushback from a country that prides itself on its “peaceful” reputation. Trudeau agreed to raise the military budget by $62.3 billion by 2037 in accordance with NATO’s policy of military spending at two percent of a country’s economy. The most controversial part of the military budget rise is the 88 fighter jets that are estimated to cost $77 billion overall, well over the promised spending increase. But it should also be noted that the fighter jets aren’t the only new military venture. The military has massive expansion projects including, but not limited to, warships, armed drones and cyber operators to conduct online disruption against “threats.” Military spending, combined with the failed 2020 bid for a seat on the UN security council, costing over $2.3 million, shows that Canada is not merely caving in to NATO pressure, but doing the groundwork to advance its imperialist power on the world stage.
All this spending is done while there are abhorrent conditions on Indigenous reserves, the Canadian economy is being ravaged by COVID, and working-class people are financially insecure. The $77 billion total cost of the fighter jets could have been put towards anything working-class people actually need: subsidies for childcare and education, dental care and pharmacare, affordable housing, or paying people to stay home for three weeks so the virus can end! $77 billion could have extraordinarily improved working-class people’s lives, but instead it goes to the military, which often ends working-class people’s lives.
Under capitalism, countries rise in power by exploiting the working class and ruthlessly extracting resources. Canada is an old hand at ruthlessly extracting resources (arguably, ruthless extraction of resources is why Canada began), and the Canadian military is essential in ensuring that raw materials are placed into capitalist hands with as much disregard for the environment and working class as possible. As climate change creates more and more scarcity, world powers will have to become more and more ruthless in their extraction of resources. The military is a major contributor to climate change both in the fuel used in operations and in the manufacture of weapons, and in a more roundabout way by destroying the working class’s (often Indigenous) defence of the environment.
Bombs are made to be dropped. It would be foolish for the ruling class to waste such a massive expense, especially since there is so much money to be made by big business in war. Canada’s role in war is usually to be an extra arm of the US military, fighting lock step with American troops in Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and Iraq (1991 war and in support of the 2003 war). As tensions mount between the US and China, Canada will be right at America’s side with little hesitation.
Former Deputy Minister of Defence Charles Nixon stated that Canada does not face any threats, and does not need fighter jets. Is an army even necessary to maintain a safe, sovereign country? The importance of a strong military is ingrained in capitalist culture. A strong military is seen as the only way to ensure peace and protection for citizens; however, this is a capitalist lie. A lie paid for by military industrial corporations and broadcasted on capitalist media corporations. A strong military does not necessarily ensure peace for a country. Several countries have no military but retain sovereign borders. Costa Rica has had no military since 1948 and is sometimes referred to as the “Switzerland of Central America,” and while many countries in Central America have been plagued by civil war, Costa Rica has not had a civil war since their first and only in 1948. Iceland, a NATO ally, does not have a military either, proving that a strong military is unnecessary to remain a member of NATO.
Canada does not need 88 new fighter jets; it doesn’t even need a military! What Canada needs is increased funding for working-class people and a sustainable future. It is very telling that politicians from all parties and national media are silent on military spending. Even the NDP remains uncritical of Canada’s military and the damage it does to working-class people around the world! An honest reflection of the role of Canada’s military and the negative effect it has on working-class people both inside and outside of its borders needs to be had. The so-called Department of National Defence has the largest budget of any federal department. Ideally, the Canadian military should be disbanded, and the multi-billions should go to helping working-class Canadians determine their own destiny.
