Lee Berthiaume  discusses government subsidies to the defence industry (“Taxpayers subsidize defence industry’s participation in arms trade shows,” Ottawa Citizen, 4 September 2014):

[Some] are wondering why the defence industry in particular can’t afford to pay its own way, given it boasts $12 billion in revenues each year, includes a number of large multinational companies, and already receives significant support from the federal government.

“Why does this industry association need essentially a taxpayer subsidy to do something they would already do in the course of their business?” asked former Canadian ambassador for disarmament Peggy Mason, now president of the Ottawa-based Rideau Institute.

…Mason noted the money is being given at a time the Conservative government is cutting public service jobs, services and funding in a variety of other areas to produce a budgetary surplus before next year’s election.

Read the full article here.

Photo credit: Steven Hillier