complacency

Tuesday February 13, 2024

Donald Trump's recent remarks, cheering on aggression against NATO countries, and Canada's position as a buffer between Russia and potential U.S. instability, highlight the urgent need for a rethink on global security.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday February 13, 2024

A Wake-Up Call for Canada’s Unique Security Position

Donald Trump's persistent lead in the polls and the reduction of the GOP field to a lone rival, Nikki Haley, underscores his unassailable influence, depicting a party transformed under his strongman-like sway.

January 25, 2024

In a recent rally in South Carolina, former President Donald Trump sent shockwaves through NATO capitals with his provocative statements, suggesting that aggressors, like Russia, should have free rein with NATO countries failing to meet their defence spending commitments. Trump explicitly recounted an anecdote, stating, “One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, ‘Well, sir, if we don’t pay and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?’” Trump continued, “I said, ‘You didn’t pay. You’re delinquent.’ He said, ‘Yes, let’s say that happened.’ No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want.” The audience responded with cheers and applause.

News: Trump’s NATO-bashing comments rile allies, rekindle European fears

December 4, 2019

The Biden administration swiftly condemned these remarks as “appalling and unhinged,” highlighting the dangerous nature of Trump’s rhetoric. The White House spokesman emphasized that such comments were “encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes.” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also responded forcefully, asserting that any suggestion that allies would not defend each other undermines the security of the entire alliance.

This careless rhetoric, however, ignores a crucial geographic reality: Canada shares a border with Russia. Canada stands as a buffer zone, wedged between a monstrous invasion of Ukraine and a potentially unhinged candidate with a penchant for authoritarianism in the continental United States. As the global community grapples with Russia’s aggression and the uncertainty surrounding the commitment of traditional allies, Canada finds itself in a unique security position.

BBC: Trump on Nato: Dangerous talk at a dangerous time (Note Canada doesn’t even get a single mention in this piece on NATO membership.)

July 1, 2023

Simultaneously, concerns about Canada’s military priorities have come to the forefront. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s emphasis on progressive causes over bolstering defence capabilities, coupled with a reluctance to take a strong stance against Russian aggression, raises questions about Canada’s commitment to military alliances. The leaked Pentagon document acknowledging Canada’s inability to meet NATO’s defence spending targets further amplifies these concerns.

Amid the escalating global tensions spurred by Vladimir Putin's threat, Canada responds passively, contrasting with the proactive efforts of Baltic nations and the UK, underscoring the urgency for Canada to match diplomatic initiatives with a more assertive and holistic approach to address the evolving security landscape.

January 31, 2024

We are in a dangerous place where the U.S.’s commitment to traditional alliances is being questioned, and Canada’s defence priorities are under scrutiny, it is crucial for nations to reevaluate their security strategies. The dangerous rhetoric from Trump, as evidenced by his specific words, serves as a wake-up call, emphasizing the need for global partners to take a more serious and proactive approach to ensure collective security and stability in an increasingly complex international landscape. The world cannot afford to be complacent about its security in the face of evolving geopolitical challenges, especially when Canada stands as a vital buffer against potential threats from both sides of its borders.

 

Wednesday February 8 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday February 8 2017

Why the electoral reform sham will breed cynicism

By killing electoral reform, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has damaged more than just Canada’s prospects for releasing itself from the clutches of moribund first-past-the-post elections. He has cut down the democratic aspirations of hundreds of thousands of young Canadians, tacitly teaching them to expect less from government and dream smaller political dreams.

The most revealing and dangerous aspect of the reform boondoggle was the timing of this announcement, shoehorned into the week of President Donald Trump’s executive orders and travel ban, when so many eyes were transfixed on the American political horror show. Shortly after Gould’s announcement, Trudeau dodged a scrum in the foyer of the House with a drive-by soundbite: “Canadians expect us to do the right thing for the country and focus on the things that matter.”

But the irony of the Prime Minister’s comment is that in the age of Trump, we should be learning that it is democratic integrity and public spirit that matter above just about anything else; that doing the right thing for the country means, at the bare minimum, not blaming citizens themselves when one’s promises can’t be kept.

Conservative commentator David Frum’s startling piece in The Atlantic claims that the primary cause of Donald Trump’s rise has been the “inculcation of cynicism.” He asks how one builds an autocracy and answers: “demoralize potential opponents by nurturing the idea that everybody lies and nothing matters. 

[…] Believers can be disillusioned; people who expect to hear only lies can hardly complain when a lie is exposed.”

We are not yet teetering on the precipice of a maple tea party or Northern Trump. Still, the creeping doubt and disengagement that the electoral reform saga is spawning even now should give the Liberal government reason to pause, get its bearings and rediscover true north on its moral and democratic compass. (Source: MacLean’s)