Spending More on NATO Threatens Domestic Needs
Rethinking Canada's Budget Allocation: The Disadvantages of Enhanced NATO Expenditure
Carney vows Canada will meet 2% NATO spending pledge this year, June 9
With conflagrations ravaging the western half of Canada, a disastrous housing and infrastructure shortage, a drug epidemic, and a healthcare crisis, one wonders if it's at all prudent to commit to increasing Canada's NATO spending to 2% of GDP?
It's forecast that this increase will cost a fortune. A hefty sum of cash that should be allocated towards tackling the aforementioned crises, which pose more immediate threats to our national security and well-being than any issue this NATO spending might address.
So, who are we at war with, you ask? Apart from our belligerent neighbours to the south, who've we ever fought with?
One hears talk of this move being some sort of distancing tactic, with Prime Minister Mark Carney trying to lure us closer to our European allies. But isn't that akin to swapping one rotten apple for another? Europe's economy is as shaky as Canada's, so we're just exchanging one unreliable partner for another. He's also making claims that this will boost our defense industry through new industrial policies, developed in partnership with industry leaders.
Good for the big guns, one supposes, but not so great for the rest of us. This appears to be a clear corporate handout, with a big portion of that capital destined for shareholders and executives. It's time to stop fanning the flames of war, especially when our own house is burning down.
Evan Marnoch, Winnipeg
Canada Post: A Vital National Institution
Canada Post effectively 'bankrupt,' federal mediator says in report pushing for weekend delivery, June 4
The ongoing risk of labor action isn't about Canada Post being bankrupt, as some reports claim. It's about preserving a vital public institution.
Canada Post has ignored the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) recommendations and concerns for years, disregarding their proposals to expand services and revitalize the company. The government-initiated report on the company treats it as a for-profit enterprise, ignoring its true nature: a public service.
In 2025, we've seen privatization tactics of "defund, create chaos, hand it over to private capital." CUPW isn't just fighting for their rights to collectively bargain, their livelihoods, or their working conditions; they're fighting to preserve a cherished national institution. Canada Post is a lifeline that connects Canadians from coast to coast to coast, not just those in densely populated zones. Imagine expanding banking services, internet services, wellness checks, or emissions reductions through the Post Office.
Andria Babbington, Toronto
Ford's Tories Shamefully Ignore Indigenous Rights
Doug Ford pushes through rapid development law despite objections of First Nations, June 4
The Ontario Tories have passed Bill 5, a shameful act considering June is Canada's National Indigenous History Month.
This bill gives the Ontario government sweeping powers to fast-track mining and development projects without consulting Indigenous peoples. Premier Doug Ford has turned a blind eye to the harm inflicted on Grassy Narrows for decades and that done recently with the Reed Paper Company, which dumped toxic waste into the Wabigoon River.
Ford's flagrant disregard for the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which demand Indigenous rights be respected, and for United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which Canada has signed, is a step back in Indigenous relations.
All for the sake of speeding up development for his cronies. Shame on them.
Joanne Clarke, Toronto
Carney's Priorities: Subsidies and Military Spending
Insiders say Mark Carney could compromise on emissions cap, June 6
Prime Minister Mark Carney's first moves are apparently subsidizing Alberta's oil industry and increasing military spending.
So now we know where he stands, and it's disheartening.
If Canada invested as much into renewable energy as it does into the oil industry, we could solve our climate change problems and increase employment. If we halved military spending, we could address our housing issues.
As long as billion-dollar oil subsidies and military spending remain our federal government's top priorities, our problems will persist. Investments in renewables and housing are what's truly needed to improve our livelihoods.
Max Moore, Toronto
Conservatives' Unwavering Loyalty to Poilievre
Despite Pierre Poilievre's loss in the last election, he enjoys significant support within the Conservative Party. Now, he's asking a elected MP in Alberta to step down to force a costly by-election. The true believers in the Conservative Party seem unfazed by the voters' rejection of him. His questionable tactics and disregard for the law in Ottawa don't seem to concern them.
Richard Murri, Niagara Falls, Ont.
Opinion articles are based on the author's interpretations and judgments of facts, data, and events.
Incidentally, it's worth noting that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) emphasizes the importance of consultation and cooperation with Indigenous communities in any development projects affecting their territories. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action also include urgent requests for governments to recognize and implement UNDRIP. By ignoring these calls, the Ontario Tories are undermining the very principles of reconciliation and respect for Indigenous rights.
Moreover, some experts argue that investing in renewable energy industries could deliver numerous benefits, such as creating jobs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening energy security. By prioritizing fossil fuel subsidies over renewables, Canada may be missing an opportunity to address both its climate change challenges and its loss of competitiveness in the global renewable energy market. Similarly, diverted military spending could be better allocated towards addressing pressing social issues like housing shortages, healthcare, and education.
- It's crucial to reconsider increases in NATO spending when domestic needs such as climate change, health, and housing are pressing issues.
- Canada Post, a vital public institution, requires support instead of facing privatization, as seen in strategies like "defund, create chaos, hand it over to private capital."
- Indigenous rights continue to be disregarded by the government, as seen in the passing of Bill 5, which overlooks the impacts on First Nations and ignores the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
- The federal government's priorities in subsidizing the oil industry and increasing military spending may lead to persistent problems related to climate change and social issues.
- Conservatives' unwavering loyalty to Pierre Poilievre is evident despite his loss in the last election, costly by-elections, questionable tactics, and disregard for the law in Ottawa.
- The media plays a significant role in shaping public opinion, as illustrated by the portrayal of Canada Post's financial situation and the ongoing labor action.
- The government's environmental policies should prioritize renewable energy investments to address climate change, create jobs, and improve competitiveness in the global market.
- Climate change science and environmental-science policies are crucial in developing effective climate-change mitigation strategies and addressing the impacts on Canadian communities.
- Migration policies should address borders and immigration policies to ensure fair and just treatment of migrants, and offer safe and legal pathways to those seeking asylum in Canada.
- War and conflicts, crime and justice, and general news are all topics of concern that require thoughtful policy-and-legislation and law-enforcement decisions to ensure a safe and just society.
