On May 12th, 2009, in Ottawa, Bruce Blair, President Barack Obama’s advisor on nuclear weapons, delivered a speech entitled “Obama, Canada and the global movement to abolish nuclear weapons.” His visit was sponsored by Physicians for Global Survival. Recorded on May 12, 2009 Watch it on CPAC
Tag Archives: Defence policy
An Additional Billion for Afghanistan
Federal budget documents reveal over $1.1 billion of new funding is needed by the Canadian Armed Forces, in order to fulfill conditions placed on the Afghan mission extension. With Parliament’s extension of the current mission contingent on the implementation of recommendations from the 2008 Manley commission report, an extra $822 million will be needed for […]
Roleplay- Canada's future in Afghanistan
Defence Minister Peter MacKay recently travelled to Afghanistan and made a number of statements regarding Canada’s future role in the conflict. MacKay’s comments reflect a changing role for Canada beyond 2011 and allude to a bigger role in delivering aid, retreating from the rural regions and focusing on population centres. MacKay believes that the Canadian […]
Military Spending Unaffected by Recession
Despite the dismal economic climate and an impending $50 billion deficit, the Canadian government is intent on increasing current levels of defence spending. Speaking to an audience of industry and military representatives at a security and defence trade show, Defence Minister Peter MacKay assured attendees “the funding will be there…it’s locked in.” Much of the […]
A gendered approach to peace
Cynthia Cockburn, a feminist researcher and writer on peace and conflict, once wrote that “violence-free homes make violence-free communities and violence-free communities make a violence-free world.” This same sentiment is expressed in the article “Mother’s Day is Peace Day” written by Tamara Lorincz and Theresa Dunn. The authors call on Mothers to play an important […]
Poll Finds Canadians Want Out
A newly released poll by The Canadian Press and Harris-Decima shows nearly 90 per cent of Canadians want troops out of Afghanistan by the mission’s scheduled end date of 2011, or earlier. 46 per cent of respondents indicated the Canadian Forces should remain in Afghanistan only until the scheduled end date of 2011, while an […]