I contributed to this CTV news report today on the government’s acquisition of helicopters for Afghanistan. When our report on Canadian casualties was released in 2006, many people felt that helicopters would save lives. But as I did then, today I pointed out that helicopters are vulnerable too, and many coalition troops have been killed […]
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Defence lobby (still) at odds with Canadian public
This letter was published in the Ottawa Citizen on August 11, 2008. Senator Kenny’s report calling for massive increases to military spending is further evidence that committees and groups and that comprise the defence lobby are increasingly at odds with the Canadian public. A government survey this year confirmed that Canadians want the budget to […]
CDA says media give new depth to word ‘shallow'
THE HILL TIMES, MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 2008 13 CDA says media give new depth to word ‘shallow’ By STEVEN STAPLES CDA’s John Scott Cowan recently criticized the ‘narcissism of a portion of the media’ but Steven Staples says it’s a trend in the discourse of defence lobby groups to blame the media if public opinion […]
Oh – bring on the silly season!
July is here, and so all kinds of funny things appear in the news these days. Here’s an interesting bit of analysis from the Conference of Defence Associations in today’s Globe and Mail: Retired colonel Alain Pellerin of the Conference of Defence Associations said it’s tough to persuade poppy farmers in Kandahar – Taliban territory […]
Conference of Defence Associations Institute President Slams Journalists and Public
The head of the military funded Conference of Defence Associations Institute used his farewell address to graduates at the Royal Military College to slam the media and public opinion (and presumably, the members of the public that hold that opinion). John Scott Cowan, President of the CDAI, told the graduating class of the Royal Military […]
Tell Harper: Don't Deploy Laser Weapons
The Canadian military is about to deploy low-power laser weapons, also known as “laser dazzlers,” to Afghanistan. Experts have raised serious concerns about the dangers these devices pose to civilians – including potentially blinding children. (more…)