Vigilance: Government resumes militarist spectacles

Oppose the Militarization of Culture! Make Canada a Zone for Peace!

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT⚠️

An #RCAF CF-18 will conduct a flyby over @BMOField for the @TorontoArgos #CanadianArmedForces Appreciation game on September 24, 2021 at approximately 7:30 pm. #Toronto pic.twitter.com/NPFbD7WsNc

— Royal Canadian Air Force (@RCAF_ARC) September 23, 2021

Four days after the election and the Afghan debacle before that, the Canadian Forces is launching yet another U.S.-style militarist spectacle, a “flyby” over a Canadian Football League (CFL) game featuring an “appreciation” of the military and war and its brutality. The spectacle is co-sponsored by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the latest owner of the CFL franchise Argonaut franchise of the CFL. This oligopoly also owns Raptors of the NBA cartel, Maple Leafs of the NHL cartel, Toronto FC of the MLS cartel, Scotiabank Centre, operator of BMO Field (owned by the City of Toronto), lucrative downtown real estate, cable TV channels, you name it.

State funerals to promote the military

Oppose all-sided militarization of life and war preparations

Homemade signs of solidarity and affection are taped to a metal fence across from the Northwood Manor on Gottingen Street in Halifax’s North End | Ron Short, CBC

By Tony Seed

On May 24, 2020, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) held a high-profile public funeral in Halifax for its public relations officer, Capt. Jennifer Casey, a member of the RCAF’s Snowbirds aerobatic team. She was killed on May 17 when her plane crashed in a residential neighbourhood in Kamloops, BC, during it’s cross-Canada military public relations and recruitment tour codenamed Operation Inspiration. Fortunately, there was no additional loss of life. Casey was a former radio journalist and previously with NORAD.[1] 

Major NATO military provocation in Halifax on Labour Day: No Harbour for War!

No US or NATO warships in Canadian waters!

(Revised & updated September 7) – While the media presented the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto on September 4-5 sponsored by Lockheed Martin as a one-off, local and unique spectacle of “family entertainment”, the Trudeau government is simultaneously staging a major NATO naval exercise in Nova Scotia, Cutlass Fury 2021. On September 6, Labour Day, 14 NATO warships and aircraft were to perform a high profile, wartime Halifax Harbour Sail + Fly Past.  The sail / fly pass was then postponed until Tuesday, September 7 at 4:30pm and then again postponed another hour. The U.S. warships left early and the French brought up the rear of the bedraggled formation much later. As always, the U.S. makes the rules, decides what is to be done, and who is to be left behind! In turn this is the latest of a seres of such events that represent a warmongering outlook and program unacceptable to the majority of Canadians who want Canada to be a force for peace in the world. More and more not a single U.S., NATO or foreign warship can dock in a Canadian port without being met by demonstrators.

CANCEL the CNE Air Show

During the 2019 action, protesters carried signs and chalked slogans on the sidewalk leading to the CNE grounds: Fighter Jets Are Bad for Climate and People, Air Shows Lead to Air Wars, No Militarized Entertainment, Ground the Air Show and others.

Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, World Without War, CPC (M-L) and others are holding a protest at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto on Sunday, September 5 to oppose the use of the CNE to promote war and militarism in Canada as “family entertainment.”

They demand an end to the Canadian International Air Show which highlights U.S. and Canadian fighter jets. Participating NATO military groups are the Canadian Forces Snowbirds and CF-18, the United States Air Force Thunderbirds and the British Royal Air Force Red Arrow. The main sponsor of the event is Lockheed Martin which is currently bidding for the contract to manufacture 88 new fighter jets for the Canadian military with 88 new fighter jets at an estimated expenditure of $19 billion ($77 billion over the lifecycle). The jets will be used against countries targeted in U.S. and NATO wars of aggression.

Trudeau government signs warmongering Joint Statement with the United States

Without any discussion with the public or even in Parliament, the Trudeau Liberal government issued a “Joint Statement on NORAD Modernization” with the U.S. Biden administration on August 14. NORAD, now known as the North American Aerospace Defense Command, puts the Canadian military under the control of USNORTHCOM of the U.S. armed forces. NORAD, along with NATO, integrates Canada into the U.S. war economy and strategy to wage endless wars for global hegemony. It brings Canadian forces under the command of the president of the United States.

Oppose spending another $19 billion to support US aggression

The Justin Trudeau Liberal government plans to spend $19 billion buying 88 fighter jets from a not-yet-chosen foreign war contractor to replace Canada’s aging CF-18 fighter fleet. This works out to about $216 million per aircraft. The war contractors had until the end of July 2020 to submit their bids, a deadline first extended from May 2019 to March 2020, then to June 2020. So far Boeing (U.S.), Lockheed Martin (U.S.), and Saab (Sweden) have entered the competition. The Trudeau government is expected to announce the chosen contractor by 2022, with the first aircraft delivered by 2025. On July 24 vigorous protests against the purchase plan were held at 18 MPs’ offices across Canada.

Spending $19 billion on fighter jets won’t fight COVID-19 or climate change

By TAMARA LORINCZ

Last July, the federal government launched a $19-billion competition for 88 new fighter jets — the second-most expensive government procurement program in Canadian history.

In the running are Boeing’s Super Hornet, SAAB’s Gripen and Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter. Bids are due in July, the winner will be selected in 2022 and the first combat aircraft will be delivered by 2025.

Dangerous war exercise of Northern Command

On May 28, U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) launched a four-day war exercise over the northeast coast of the U.S. and Canada. It was unprecedented in that it also involves U.S. Space, Transportation and Strategic commands.

Crash of the Snowbird

Despite broad concerns about the safety of the Snowbird program, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan proclaims that he is eager to continue it. This is a time to draw warranted conclusions about the nature of Canada’s integration into the U.S. war machine | TONY SEED

On May 17, a Royal Canadian Air Force Tutor jet crashed in a residential area near Kamloops, BC. It was part of a cross-country public relations aerial show of the Royal Canadian Air Force demonstration squadron, known as the Snowbirds. Code named Operation Inspiration, the tour began in Nova Scotia on May 2, in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The tour was unleashed immediately in the wake of Operation America Strong of the USAF Thunderbirds that began on April 19 over the state of Colorado, headquarters of NORAD.[1]

Fortress America: 62nd anniversary of NORAD – The demand to dismantle NORAD is more urgent than ever

The 62th Anniversary of NORAD on May 12 is a time to draw warranted conclusions about the nature of the military alliance. NORAD is always described as responsible for the defence of North America. NORAD was conceived and brought into being during the Cold War, which has long since ended. Its survival is now justified by claiming the danger is from “rogue states.” However, NORAD, like NATO is an aggressive military alliance. From our archives: “Fortress America: 60th anniversary of NORAD – The demand to dismantle NORAD is more urgent than ever”

This year marked the 60th anniversary of the North American Aerospace Defence Agreement (NORAD) signed on May 12, 1958. It is the arrangement through which, along with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) founded on April 4, 1949, the Canadian armed forces are integrated into those of the U.S. and put under U.S. command.

NORAD’s presence at G7

Radio-Canada announced June 3 that NORAD had set up two temporary military camps to carry out radar aerial surveillance. One camp is located at Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and the other in Saint-André-de-Kamouraska. Saint-André-de-Kamouraska Mayor Gervais Darais had this to say about the military: “They do not identify themselves, they have had no contact with the municipality. The only contact we had with them was last March, when they asked us to open up the seasonal road leading to the site.”

The mayor of Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies said that around a dozen U.S. and Canadian soldiers have been deployed to the community. The municipality rented land to the military for $1,000 per day.

Both municipalities are located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River.

(Radio Canada)

‘Interoperability’ – Euphemism for integration and annexation of Canadian Forces in the service of empire-building

By TONY SEED

The “new” defence policy of the Trudeau Liberals espouses the goal of greater “interoperability” with U.S. and NATO military operations. This word is repeated no less than 23 times in the policy document.

Plans for militarization of Arctic under US control

By ENVER VILLAMIZAR

Click to enlarge

In the final months of the Obama presidency arrangements are being put in place in Canada by the Trudeau government to give the United States a dominant position in the Arctic. This is being done in the name of so-called progressive values such as environmental stewardship, reducing green house gas emissions and addressing the longstanding social and economic problems which have affected the peoples of the Arctic, especially the Inuit and other Indigenous peoples. All of it is being done to depoliticize the people and disorient their opposition to the destruction of the natural and social environment by U.S. imperialism which will be stepped up under a new U.S. war presidency.

MLPC deliberates on problems facing Canadians post-election

The candidates and campaign teams of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada (MLPC) held get-togethers in different parts of the country on October 25 to begin discussion on the significance of the election results and on the work for empowerment under the conditions of a Liberal majority.

‘Baby steps’: Presence of US security agents on Canadian soil made permanent

In hearings into the Shiprider program which has U.S. border agents enforcing Canadian law on Canadian seaways, RCMP Chief Superintendent Joe Oliver, the Mounties’ director general for border integrity, stated: “We recognized early that this approach would raise concerns about sovereignty, of privacy, and civil liberties of Canadians. We said ‘Let’s take baby steps, let’s start with two agencies to test the concept, let’s demonstrate to Canadians and Americans that such an approach might work.” These “baby steps” are taken on a regular basis to keep Canadians unaware of the extent to which the Harper government has placed Canada under U.S. command. “US forces make ‘baby steps’ into Canada,” November 14, 2013

‘Baby steps’: The operation of US military and security agents in Canada

FOLLOWING the September 11, 2001 attacks, successive Canadian governments have been systematically placing Canadian forces and security agencies under U.S. command in various ways.

US forces make ‘baby steps’ into Canada

It used to be quite rare and even noteworthy when foreign military training and operations took place on Canadian soil, which is now included in the U.S. “homeland.”

‘Mock disaster’ aboard visiting US nuclear sub, and the disinformation of the Chronically Horrid

By TONY SEED

ALTHOUGH the vast majority of Canadians want an independent and nuclear-free Canada, a Canada which is a factor for peace, not war, the Government of Canada continues to welcome the unceasing “visits” of U.S. and NATO nuclear-capable warships with open arms: no questions asked. Its total hypocrisy is to the extent that it also claims to be the greatest upholder of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty under the pretext of “security” when it comes time to attacking independent states who are not kowtowing to the dictate of the United States.

News blackout on largest-ever US Homeland Security exercise within Canada

By TONY SEED

HALIFAX (April 19, 2005) – From April 4 to 8 US Homeland Security carried out a massive exercise, “Exercise Triple Play,” which included the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, home of the strategic port of Halifax where US President George W Bush “visited” on December 3, speaking to 300 mainly homeland security personnel at Pier 21.

According to a press release on the Homeland Security website, the exercise was the largest ever conducted by the US, involving some 10,000 people at various levels of government in the United States, 19 Canadian federal departments and agencies as well as Britain. The irony of all of this is that, after such an intensive mobilization at the expense of millions of dollars, you couldn’t tell it by the media. A Google search reveals that there has so far been a complete media blackout in Canada on the exercise following the initial announcement one month ago.

This raises the question: was this exercise a “preventive” exercise or a totally criminal blackmail of gigantic proportions?

Washington’s threat to the Grand Banks: By what right does the US lay claim to the sea and sky?

By TONY SEED

HALIFAX (12 April 2005) – The pressure exerted by Washington against allied countries goes so far as to directly exclude them from its master plans and to even directly threaten them, facing them with the alternative of either following a pro-American policy or resigning and withdrawing from state power. In the 1980s, these demands, as arrogant as they were unscrupulous, were experienced by the government of New Zealand, which opposed the presence of American nuclear ships in the ports of New Zealand. As then Prime Minister Lange stated, the Reagan White House tried to threaten the New Zealand government into not following an anti-nuclear or anti-American policy. The same language was used against Denmark and Holland, which had publicly refused to deploy US nuclear arms on their territories, especially Greenland. In opposition to all norms governing international relations threats were also addressed to Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palme, who expressed opposition to the American policy of war and aggression in Central America. (His subsequent assassination was never solved.)

The grim reality unfolding right in front of our eyes

An overview of war preparations in Halifax and Canadian ports | TONY SEED*

Second of a series on Canada’s involvement in the Iraq war

(HALIFAX, 13 February 2003) – HOW CAN WE shut our eyes to the grim reality unfolding in front of us?

Northern Command: Arrangements for improving military integration and rule

(29 January 2003) – DAILY MEETINGS run by Air Force General Ralph E. Eberhart now include 14 federal agencies “that otherwise rarely answer directly to the Pentagon,” The New York Times reports. General Eberhart is commander of the military’s recently established Northern Command or NorthCom, a combat command responsible for military activity inside the US, and in Canada, Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico. The 14 agencies have permanent representatives to NorthCom. They include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the State Department, NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). According to The Times, they “meet to debate how the Pentagon should respond if terrorists strike again in the United States.”

Canadian soldiers must not let it pass

By TONY SEED*

HALIFAX (January 17, 2003) – A VERY SERIOUS problem faces the personnel of the Canadian Forces as with all Canadians: the new agreement of the government to allow US troops to enter Canada and Canadian troops to enter the United States.

Canada’s future at stake – Canada, Mexico and Cuba brought under US Northern Command Military Zone

For your information: Canadian contribution to the ‘War on Terrorism’

By TONY SEED,

Shunpiking Magazine. December 2001 – January, 2002, No. 40

HALIFAX (19 December 2001) – CANADA is the third largest contributor to the “war on terrorism” after the US and Britain. By mid-February 750 Canadian troops will be deployed in Kandahar “and in outlying areas with a higher chance of conflict,” news sources say. A Department of National Defence (DND) official said the troops, members of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, will work with US troops to secure transportation routes, de-mine roads and help with humanitarian aid.