In the present world of social media, instantaneous communication, and the 24 hour news cycle, the words of the University of Toronto’s Prof. Harold Innis’ former student, Marshall McClellan, spring to mind: “the medium is the message”. In the past decade, during the reign of the Harper government, we had a lot of photo ops and tough talk about Canada being a warrior on the world stage. It often seemed more effort was spent promoting the government than on the actual mission.
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Ken Pole
(Oct 21, 2015)
The new Liberal government-in-waiting in Ottawa evidently is about to call “eject, eject, eject” on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II for the Royal Canadian Air Force. While not a surprise, given the Liberals’ frequently-stated position while they were a rump presence in the House of Commons after the 2011 election, that they would set in motion a whole new review of potential replacements for the RCAF’s augmented fleet of Boeing CF-188 Hornet fighters.
K. Joseph Spears
(Oct 19, 2015)
The sinking last month of the Newfoundland Fishing Vessel Atlantic Charger, a new state-of-the-art dragger at the entrance of Hudson Strait in Canada’s Arctic waters, raises questions about Canada’s Arctic search and rescue capability. Brad Watkins, the vessel owner and member of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, told reporters the crew had asked him “where was the damn chopper”.
George Petrolekas
(Sep 30, 2015)
The Munk Debate on Monday was by far the best debate so far in this campaign. It was civil, generally not a cacophony, and Canadians could hear leaders positions on a variety of themes – well articulated and without interruption. We are better for that, and congratulations to Munk and Rudyard Griffiths for that success.
George Petrolekas
(Sep 18, 2015)
Both opposition leaders speak of evidence-based policy, and they are right to say that. But equally, they should refrain from fallling into the trap of emotions-based policy – which is what we risk falling into now.
Ken Pole
(Sep 18, 2015)
There’s a body of opinion which holds that retired military officers should eschew politics, that lending their names and/or ranks to a political campaign is a form of prostitution, and that using their experience and leadership skills in the civilian world is somehow "wrong".
George Petrolekas
(Sep 18, 2015)
It is 39 days into Canada's federal campaign, and there's a sense of "enough already"… at least the daily dose of the economy. We know now the details of each leader's priorities with respect to balanced budgets, spending and deficits. We have a pretty good idea of how the economy would grow under the three differing options . There's enough information to make choices on that front. Enough already.
Being the leader of a G7 nation is far more than keeping a stringent eye on the books, growing the economy, and our national taxation rates.
Robbin Laird
(Sep 07, 2015)
The Aussies Shape a Path of Combat Innovation: Plan Jericho and the Way Ahead. I recently returned from Australia where the Royal Australian Air Force is put in motion what they call Plan Jericho. In effect, the RAAF is providing the Australian Defense Force with an approach to transform jointness, or how the various elements of the ADF can work together to enhance combat effect.