Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - It's not just the weather that's cooler in Canada

Aladdin Sane · 12-22-2005, 08:35 AM

Charlatan, thank you for addressing the issue.
The world is not a vacuum. If the United States did not have a powerful military and the will to use it, some other country or many other countries would step into the void--countries like Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Syria. Today these rogue nations are held in check by U.S. power.

Is Canada making her fair share of the contribution to international peace? Let's look at the figures. Canada currently ranks 17th in NATO in terms of defence spending as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Only Luxembourg and Iceland spend less. Of the 27 countries represented by NATO, the Pacific Allies, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, Canada ranks 25th in defense spending and 11th in spending on foreign assistence. I believe this is evidence that Canada is not doing her fair share. The question is how can Canada get by with spending so little. The answer to that, in part, lies south of 49N. Simply put, Canada is safe under the protection of the United States.
Permit me to quote Amy Ridenour's National Center Blog:

Canada spends 1.1 percent of its GDP on defense, compared to 3.4 percent for the United States (2002 figures; source: U.S. Defense Department). The U.S. in 2002 spent $350 billion on defense, Canada, $8.17 billion.

Even when it comes to multinational peacekeeping operations, something you'd think would be a little more to the pacifist taste, Canada still doesn't outclass the U.S. The U.S. spent $669 million on this in 2001-2002, while Canada spent $47 million (as a percentage of GDP, the two nations' contributions were roughly equivalent, at .75 and .76 percent respectively).

To put that $47 million figure in perspective, Canada spent less on international peacekeeping in 2002 than The Heritage Foundation, a conservative DC think-tank without a penchant for taking taxpayer dollars, took in in revenue that same year ($52 million).

Canadians proudly point to their contributions to world peace keeping and humanitarian assistence. Today there are at least three humanitarian disasters occuring in Africa. This is the perfect opportunity for peace loving countries like Canada to step in and help. Leadership is needed. Why shouldn't Canada take the lead? To wait is to impose the death penalty on hundreds of thousands of innocent people.

12-22-2005, 08:35 AM	#144 (permalink)
Aladdin Sane Degenerate Location: San Marvelous	Charlatan, thank you for addressing the issue. The world is not a vacuum. If the United States did not have a powerful military and the will to use it, some other country or many other countries would step into the void--countries like Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Syria. Today these rogue nations are held in check by U.S. power. Is Canada making her fair share of the contribution to international peace? Let's look at the figures. Canada currently ranks 17th in NATO in terms of defence spending as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Only Luxembourg and Iceland spend less. Of the 27 countries represented by NATO, the Pacific Allies, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, Canada ranks 25th in defense spending and 11th in spending on foreign assistence. I believe this is evidence that Canada is not doing her fair share. The question is how can Canada get by with spending so little. The answer to that, in part, lies south of 49N. Simply put, Canada is safe under the protection of the United States. Permit me to quote Amy Ridenour's National Center Blog: Canada spends 1.1 percent of its GDP on defense, compared to 3.4 percent for the United States (2002 figures; source: U.S. Defense Department). The U.S. in 2002 spent $350 billion on defense, Canada, $8.17 billion. Even when it comes to multinational peacekeeping operations, something you'd think would be a little more to the pacifist taste, Canada still doesn't outclass the U.S. The U.S. spent $669 million on this in 2001-2002, while Canada spent $47 million (as a percentage of GDP, the two nations' contributions were roughly equivalent, at .75 and .76 percent respectively). To put that $47 million figure in perspective, Canada spent less on international peacekeeping in 2002 than The Heritage Foundation, a conservative DC think-tank without a penchant for taking taxpayer dollars, took in in revenue that same year ($52 million). Canadians proudly point to their contributions to world peace keeping and humanitarian assistence. Today there are at least three humanitarian disasters occuring in Africa. This is the perfect opportunity for peace loving countries like Canada to step in and help. Leadership is needed. Why shouldn't Canada take the lead? To wait is to impose the death penalty on hundreds of thousands of innocent people. __________________ Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam. Last edited by Aladdin Sane; 12-22-2005 at 08:49 AM..