[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Malthus]

The new leader of the BC opposition is apparently calling for the BC provincial government to take action on Ukraine by immediately removing Russian liquor from government owned liquor stores.

Same thing happening in Ontario.

On the more, ah, useful side - apparently Canada will match donations made to the Canadian Red Cross for use in Ukraine.

[Jacob]

I can say that increasing Canada's military budget to the NATO agreed 2% of GDP has risen on my scale of political priorities. I don't really care about Russian liquor.

[Malthus]

I can say that increasing Canada's military budget to the NATO agreed 2% of GDP has risen on my scale of political priorities. I don't really care about Russian liquor.

Indeed!

[crazy canuck]

I can say that increasing Canada's military budget to the NATO agreed 2% of GDP has risen on my scale of political priorities. I don't really care about Russian liquor.

Well yeah, all prior assumptions are out the window.  Time to buckle down and get ready.

[Grey Fox]

#1 priority should still be building a deep water port in the arctic.

[crazy canuck]

#1 priority should still be building a deep water port in the arctic.

You have always been correct about that

[Zoupa]

One of the few things Harper was right about.

[viper37]

One of the few many things Harper was right about.

Fixed it for you.

[viper37]

Maybe they hoped the protestors would peacefully do their protest and leave without having to risk a confrontation? If it went badly that would have looked pretty bad yes? But the protestors kept at it and eventually the Canadian government had to act.

Is that not a plausible explanation?

One day, sure.  Two days.  Yeah.  3 days?  Still plausible.  3 weeks and multiple attempts from two major political parties, the Ottawa mayor the Ontarian govt to get them to leave?  Not really.

But yes, it if went badly it would have looked pretty bad.  But Quebec managed to control its own protests without incidents.  Granted, the government kinda knew what was in store. 

But still, since that Canadian convoy came from all of Canadian provinces, that was the job of the RCMP to be prepared for the eventuality of the blockade and coordinate with other police forces.

They are either extremely incompetent or they were told to sit down.

[Jacob]

In terms of practical support for Ukraine, right now, what can Canada do?

If we want to pressure our government and elected representatives to take immediate, practical action - beyond sanctions - what should we push for?

Can we send them useful war-fighting materiel?

[Malthus]

I'm not sure what Canada can do, but one thing we can do is donate to the Red Cross Ukraine fund. Canada is matching donations.

I've donated.

[Jacob]

So have we.

I'd like to send them some weapons and ammunition, somehow. I mean, not me personally... but Canada.

[Grey Fox]

I think Canada should be sending troops. Canada might be the only country other than China to be able to do so.

While Putin's nuclear threat could be real against the European NATO nations. Canada's nuclear deterrent is not NATO's article 5 but NORAD. Sending ICBM at Canada is the same as sending them at the USA.

[viper37]

I think Canada should be sending troops.

under staffed and under equipped army, we have.  We're in no shape to wage a prolonged war now.  We could send a few hundred troops to all the area around Ukraine.  Well, we already did.  But we pulled back from Ukraine proper.

And we have no way to send tanks, lav, artillery, etc, oversea without some help.  I think for Afghanistan we leased a Russian cargo plane.  Maybe if we ask nicely enough this time, they'll do it again...

Navy wise, we don't have decent submarine that can patrol the arctic to find Russian subs.  We may have one icebreaker for coast guard and navy that can be deployed, but I don't think it's big enough for operations in the Arctic during winter.  The American coast gard has bigger icebreakers than us.

We have some decent frigates and medical ships.  Old aircrafts.  Not much to wage war.

[crazy canuck]

I heard a report on the CBC morning radio show that Canada has the largest Ukrainian population outside Ukraine.  It was a bit of a throw away comment they used to explain why they were giving the event so much coverage (not sure why they thought they needed to justify it). And I am not sure how accurate it is (or how they are counting it).  For example am I (half Ukrainian third generation on my mother's side) in that number?  We of course had a large influx of Ukrainian immigrants and the prairie provinces were largely settled by those immigrants. But I was a bit surprised that other countries do not have larger ex pat populations.