Guns, not butter.

Much of our military expenditure is oriented towards helping the US carry out its foreign policy aims. The US has used the war on terror as a smokescreen to cover up its imperialist hegemonist aims as outlined in the PNAC. We are now well established as junior partners. Our Afghan role is part of this an illegal war based on the illegal and immoral doctrine of pre-emptive warfare that is a Bush trademark. Our mission in Afghanistan has already cost us over 7 billion while at home we have long waits for Canadians needing operations and plenty of other needs that are unmet for lack of funding.


Guns, not butter

Canada's military spending exceeds Cold War peak — study.

Dateline: Tuesday, October 23, 2007

from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Canada is spending more public money on its military today than it has since the Second World War, says a new study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

According to the study, by Steven Staples, Director of the Rideau Institute and CCPA Research Associate, and Bill Robinson, Senior Advisor with the Rideau Institute, Canada's military spending will reach $18.24 billion in 2007-08 — an increase of 9 percent over 2006-07 — and will continue to rise to $19.418 billion by 2009-10.

Canada now spends more on the military than the lowest 12 NATO members combined.



"Military spending is higher now than it was in the peak of the Cold War, when Canada was at war in Korea," says Staples.

Internationally, Canada is the 13th highest military spender in the world this year, up from 16th. Within the 26-member NATO alliance, Canada has moved from 7th to 6th highest military spender, dollar for dollar.

"One of the public's greatest misperceptions is about how much Canada now spends on its military," Staples says. "Canada's military spending is so substantial that it outspends the lowest 12 NATO members combined."

Since September 11, 2001, Canada's military spending has increased by 27 percent, and after the next two years of planned increases, will be 37 percent higher than 2000-01.

By the end of this fiscal year, Canada will have spent $7.2 billion on the full cost of military missions in or related to Afghanistan, or $3.3 billion on incremental costs, which exclude fixed costs such as salaries, equipment depreciation and attrition.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social and economic justice. Founded in 1980, the CCPA is one of Canada's leading progressive voices in public policy debates.


Related addresses:

URL 1: www.policyalternatives.ca/News/2007/10/PressRelease1735/index.cfm?pa=B...