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Question 4: Security

In promoting the security of Canadians, where should our priorities lie? Should Canada give a higher priority to military combat operations? To sectors such as intelligence gathering and analysis? Or should we focus on broader security measures, such as combatting environmental degradation and the spread of infectious disease? What should be our distinctive role in promoting global security?

 

 
 
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Contributor:1935
Date: 2003-05-01 22:01:30
Answer:
Military strength cannot increase our security against terrorism because terrorism is the only response oppressed peoples can use against overwhelming military dominance. While Canada must continue to maintain a military force with the capability of holding armed combatants at bay, much
more emphasis should be placed on the health and welfare of people in developing nations as a means of combatting terrorism.

We could improve our capability of helping war-ravaged countries re-build their social infra-structures, including police forces, justice systems, health care, schools, and delivery systems for water, food and electricity. The re-building of infra-structure should most definitely NOT be placed in the hands of private corporations, but should be part of our peace-keepers' capabilities developed during training at Cornwallis, Nova Scotia.

We could try to develop a policy of reducing economic disparity among nations. Strong pro-active regulations are needed to promote economic development and self-sufficiency of developing countries. This will require introduction of trade protection policies (at least temporary ones) for
developing countries, and carefully regulated trade ssistance between developed and developing countries. This is most definitely NOT what the World Trade Organization is designed to do, and it implies a complete re-thinking of policy by our Ministry of Trade.
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