Jun 182008
 

(Please go to 2008-06-19 for a more rigorous analysis of the “Canada First Defence Strategy“.  This posting is really follow-up to that.)

In June 2008 the information about the new “Canada First Defence Strategy” was posted to a Canadian Forces website: (Link no longer valid:  http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/focus/first-premier/index-eng.asp).    (“modified dates” 2009-04-03 and 2010-03-12.)

If it was reported at the time, it was under-reported in Canadian media.

– – – — – – – – – – – – – – – —

INSERT:

At Dec 2010, on the Canadian Forces webpage under “Complete Documentation” (of the Strategy), I cannot find a date on the   (Link no longer valid)   “Full PDF version 5.30Mo “.

I recommend the excellent information on Tamara Lorincz’s website  http://www.tamaralorincz.ca/ , discovered in late 2010.  Excerpt appended.

In December 2010 I phoned Tamara Lorincz in Halifax in relation to the protest over the Government’s planned purchase of F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin at a cost of $16 billion.  We had a great conversation discovering our shared knowledge of Lockheed Martin!

From the conversation with Tamara:  “Lockheed Martin has 21 external lobbyists in Ottawa.  Even the oil and gas companies don’t have this many.

– – – — – – – – – – – – – – – —

Back to the original email sent in 2008:

Understand “the money” behind the strategy, the construction of an economy that becomes dependent upon the waging of war – which becomes incentive to war, American style.

2008

This letter to the Globe and Mail addresses the Canada First Defence Strategy and offset agreements in Government contracts with Lockheed Martin Corporation.  It explains how the Canadian economy is moving toward the war economy.

SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOLD TYPE.

Email:  letters AT globeandmail.com

Re:  Two face jail time in census protest, July 5, 2008

For the information of the G&M staff:

I did not fill in my 2006 Census form. Part of the Census work was contracted out to Lockheed Martin Corporation, the world’s number one arms dealer that makes billions of dollars through wars and violence.

I am not breaking the law.

If my case is properly argued, I will be found “not guilty”.  The Statistics Act says that I, the citizen, must comply but it doesn’t end there. It sets out conditions for the Government. I also have responsibilities as a citizen.

StatsCan says “Most of the 65 people charged for not filing the 2006 census have now complied“.

Yes, most of the protestors have complied.  One person sitting in isolation, without people to impartially explain the Statistics Act, intimidated by the court system, without adequate financial resources or time or knowledge or experience, will fill in the form. They get a reduced fine and no jail time in exchange. They hold out as long as possible.

My trial is January 7 and 8, 2009   so I have time. (INSERT:  there were delays, the trial didn’t start until January 2010.) I am not isolated;  I ask for help.   I am very grateful for the support received, I know I could not stand on my own.  I cannot afford lawyer bills which might run to more than ten thousand dollars.  So I will represent myself in court, if absolutely necessary.  I do not have the skills to defend against the day-and-a-half of prosecutor’s arguments, but there is time to figure that part out, too.

Others share my concerns.  In 2003-04 there was fierce protest generated by news of the Lockheed Martin Census contract.  In response Statistics Canada reduced the involvement of Lockheed in the Census.  2006 Census work is just one of the contracts awarded to Lockheed Martin.  In 2004 they were awarded a multi-year contract worth $56 million to look after the medical records of the Canadian military.  In January 2008 “the purchase contract for 17 C-130J Hercules aircraft was valued at approximately $1.4 billion U.S., with an additional amount to be added in 2009 for at least 20 years of in-service support“.  That’s a sampling.

Lockheed Martin figures prominently in the new Canadian “defence” strategy (June 19), which requires some explanation.

The language of the strategy leads one to believe that Canadian industries will be the beneficiaries: 

A Military in Partnership with Canadian Industry The Canada First Defence Strategy will also have significant benefits for Canadian industry. The infusion of long-term stable funding it provides will enable industry to reach for global excellence and to be better positioned to compete for defence contracts at home and abroad, thus enabling a pro-active investment in research and development and opportunities for domestic and international spin-offs as well as potential commercial applications.” 

There is a lot of money to be had.  Minister responsible, Peter Mackay: “…reveals details of $490-billion defence strategy to modernize military“.  

Who gets the money?  Tax-payors pay it. The billion-dollar contracts are awarded to Lockheed Martin. Lockheed works with Canadian industries: “Under the in-service support portion, the contractor will be required to spend in Canada 75 per cent of the total cost in direct industrial regional benefits – well above the 60-per-cent ratio negotiated by the previous government for purchases of this magnitude.”  (Source:  Michael M Fortier, Minister of Public Works, Government press release, January 2008.) 

Also:  “Dalhousie University is announcing a multi-million dollar research contract with Lockheed-Martin. This contract is the result of government policy, which requires a foreign company to invest in Canada before it can enter into a government contract.” 

These are called “offset agreements”.  They will in time duplicate the American military-industrial complex, in Canada.  Some say that has already happened. 

The only way that Lockheed Martin has excess money to dole out, is if the government contracts are exorbitant. The contracting-out of the Census and other purchases have nothing to do with the efficiency of Lockheed Martin because it is the private sector doing the work.  It has everything to do with transnational corporate access to the public purse through Government contracts and contacts.  In the U.S., Lockheed Martin spent more on lobbying Congress than any of its competitors, spending $9.7 million in 2002. Only General Electric and Philip Morris reported more lobbying expenses. In the 2004 election cycle, Lockheed contributed more than $1.9 million. 

The June 19, 2008 “Canada First Defence Strategy” says that Canada needs to have “compatible doctrine” with the U.S., along with  being “interoperable“.  Lockheed Martin is an obvious vehicle through which to become interoperable. 

80% of Lockheed’s money comes from the Government of the USA.  The biggest chunk of the 80% is from military contracts.  (It should be noted that Lockheed is diversifying into other Government service areas.  The Canadian census is one example.  Lockheed is also set to perform “data capture” and other services for the 2011 Census in the United Kingdom, depending upon the resistance in the UK.  It does US census work.  The medical records of Canadian soldiers have already been mentioned.) 

Canadian defence strategy is to become “compatible” in “doctrine” with the U.S..  The problem with the “doctrine” of the Bush Administration is that killing creates hatred.  Hatred breeds violence. Violence becomes terrorism. It is known that dropping bombs on people is counter-productive.  But lucrative for Lockheed Martin.  

The killing-combat model (doctrine) only escalates problems.  It does not mobilize the tremendous power of people, as Gandhi did.  A crowd of thousands, eventually millions, will overcome the various forms of violence, given time. It is the fastest road to peace.  The killing ways of “combat” add to the hatred, prolong the conflict, is transferred from one generation to the next and will destroy the earth.  In its long history, the killing ways have never accomplished peace, only destruction.  This planet is and has been our one and only home. 

Another individual who understands that we must discover alternatives to the killing ways is George Soros. George Soros is a self-made billionaire.  He helps bring freedom-fighters from various countries to the U.S. where they are trained in resistance.  They return to their countries to help overthrow oppressive regimes.  Soros works with local people “on-the-ground”.  It is about empowerment, the best weapon.

Becoming compatible with “the doctrine” of the Bush Administration, its buddies in Halliburton Corporation, Lockheed Martin, the contracting-out to mercenaries, etc., Canada too is setting up to cash in on “combat”.  Is that what we want for “defence” strategy – –  opportunities to make money?  (Really, it is a transfer of money out of the public purse to the military industry that has record profits because of illegal and immoral war.)

The Canada First Defence Strategy states: “It will also allow the Government to develop a stronger, mutually beneficial relation-ship with industry.”  The role of Governments is the relationship with human beings and other species, not corporations.

Canadians need to determine

– how much it will really cost Canadians and

– who benefits from this $490-billion defence strategy to modernize the military under Minister of Defence, Peter Mackay.

But getting back to Lockheed’s contract for Census work, the reason I will be on trial in January:

In the G&M article, Census branch director-general Peter Morrison is quoted:

“Mr. Morrison called the response to the census a “resounding success,”especially on Canada’s native reserves.”

The response to the 2006 Census (May) was a disaster that caused huge cost overruns. You may remember all the “Count Me In” advertising.  By July, 2006, ten thousand people from B.C. alone had still not filled in their Census forms. A portion of the overruns should be included in the costs when the “low-bid” from Lockheed Martin is considered.

The part of the statement related to First Nations (a “resounding success,”especially on Canada’s native reserves.”), of and by itself might be true.

But in the context of the court cases it is very misleading.   From newspaper reports in January 2008:  “Charges won’t be pursued against natives on reserves because their compliance rates used to be considerably worse, says Anil Arora, director general of the census program branch at Statistics Canada.”  The head line of the newspaper article is: “No charges sought for 35,000 natives who ignore Census.”

First Nations’ compliance was being handled well by StatsCan:  “Statistics Canada seeks co-operative approach as compliance climbs“.  There has been a change.  The January 2008 article names Anil Arora as branch director-general; the July 5 news report identifies Peter Morrison as branch director-general.

The frank and honest approach of Government builds respect.  Misleading statements bring disrespect and distrust.  So does Lockheed Martin’s record of court convictions and fines amounting to tens of millions of dollars.

If Lockheed Martin was a person, they would be in jail.  If they could not hide behind the corporate person, their conscience would bother them.

I am a person and so eligible for the jail cell. I have a conscience which is clear.  With effort and help I will, in justice, stay out of jail!

Sandra Finley

Saskatoon

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APPENDED

TAMARA LORINCZ  ON THE CANADA FIRST DEFENCE STRATEGY

http://www.tamaralorincz.ca/

. . .    I want to be free to speak out against the injustices that I see and to take action as my conscience leads me. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. civil rights leaderMy passion is to make the world a better place, but in a non-partisan way.  I will continue to work for peace, social justice, children, women, international solidarity, the environment and climate change. I will continue to organize campaigns and events to get information to the public that the government often denies them, because I believe that an informed citizenry will eventually make responsible decisions. People will act when they know.

I must also share with you that I knew that I did not have full support from the NDP federally and provincially because of my outspoken opposition to Canada’s war in Afghanistan and my objection to the troubling rise of militarism in our country and the growth of weapons manufacturers like Lockheed Martin in our province.I asked for and received a copy of Nova Scotia NDP Premier Darrell Dexter’s  (Link no longer valid: speech to the arms dealers) at the Atlantic Defence & Security Conference on September 9, 2009 and was saddened by his support for the world’s largest weapons manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin is the producer of nuclear weapons, cluster bombs, Hellfire and PAC missiles, and fighter jets among many other horrible weapons. The provincial government (started under the NS Progressive Conservative Party) and Nova Scotia Business Inc. have an (Link no longer valid)  economic growth strategy for Lockheed Martin in our province. This is a company that sells its weapons to our governments and then pockets our tax dollars. This war profiteering is crippling our economy and bankrupting us morally. Please read U.S. General Smedley Butler’s book War is Racket, 1935 (available at Outside the Lines bookstore).

The federal government is now spending $20 billion on the Department of National Defence (that doubled in 6 years from $10 billion) and under the ((Link no longer valid:  Canada First Defence Strategy) released in June 2008, another $490 billion will be spent on the military over the next 20 years.  Canadians were never consulted on this strategy and never asked if we want our tax dollars spent this way. Our federal politicians – our representatives – did not do their job to bring this to the attention of the Canadian public. Look at the  (Link no longer valid – http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/recgen/txt/72-eng.html)   federal Public Accounts Vol. 2 Table 1. Find out more about the (Link no longer valid: troubling rise of militarism) in Canada.By contrast, the federal government gives only $25 million to the Status of Women and gives only $46 million to the CBC (under Canadian Heritage + CRTC $1 billion) and only $1 billion annually to Environment Canada, the lead agency on climate change. Go to Canadian Treasury Board and look at the main estimates   : Environment Canada’s budget will drop from 2008 of $1.4 billion to 2011 to $891 million .

Our governments should be investing our tax dollars to help our country transition to a sustainable, low carbon economy, to create a more equitable and vibrant society, and to support child care, education, and health care.

If we cut military spending and ended the war in Afghanistan and had more progressive tax policies, we would have the money we need to invest in renewable energy, create a national child care and early learning program, reduce tuitions, and hire more doctors and nurses. We have spent $18 billion dollars on a failed combat mission in Afghanistan that has killed Canadian soldiers and innocent Afghan civilians –Why has our military transformed into Fight with the Canadian Forces? Why are we fighting at all? Why are are so few politicians questioning this?What kind of Canada have we become? I think our country has lost its national moral compass – no action on climate change, chronic homelessness, growing gap between the rich and poor, and a war in Afghanistan. How did this happen? Our federal and provincial governments are so dominated and influenced by patriarchy and by lobbying by elite, corporate interests that they too often ignore women, the common good and the public interest and this makes me grieve.

I believe that the growing militarism in our country and in Nova Scotia is one of the greatest challenges we face along with climate change and poverty. We are never going to achieve a sustainable world with the waste of resources on war and weapons.

The Earth Charter, the value system for sustainability established in 2000 by global consensus and adopted by UNESCO, comprises 16 principles into the following four categories: respect for the community of life, ecological integrity, social and economic justice, and democracy, peace and non-violence. Principle 16c states that we must “Demilitarize national security systems to the level of a non-provocative defense posture, and convert military resources to peaceful purposes, including ecological restoration.”On April 4, 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the great civil rights leader and youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize said in his speech “Beyond Vietnam,” one of the most profound and important speeches of his life, said “I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must we must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”

He closed by saying, “Our only hope today lies in our ability to recapture the revolutionary spirit and go out into a sometimes hostile world declaring eternal hostility to poverty, racism, and militarism.”

In an interview this year, Howard Zinn, the great American social activist and historian, was asked what the biggest problem is in the U.S. today and with the Obama administration. He answered – militarism.

We need to transform our military and foreign policies to create genuine peace in the world and transform our economy and society to give real prosperity for everyone. We need greater moral courage to do what is right for people and the planet and we need real leadership to make it happen.I hope that someday our country will put an end to these injustices of poverty and climate inaction and can face the truth about our foreign and military policies. I also hope someday that our country will have a public inquiry and atone for its illegal and immoral war in Afghanistan and its shameful, covert involvement in the coup in Haiti, the most impoverished country in the Western hemisphere, against the democratically elected president, priest for the poor, Jean Bertrand Aristide in 2004.

Things will only change when Canadians realize how much power they have to hold our governments to account, to ask more questions, to think critically, to seek the truth, and to take action. Very few politicians lead, they follow. It is the people who lead and must lead now. Canadians need to care more about the social and environmental impacts of our actions at home and in other countries. Our country also desperately needs electoral reform – Find out more at Fair Vote Canada. We should also learn from the international best practices and strong social democracies of Norway and Sweden – countries that treat their citizens and the natural environment much better.

Finally, I find hope these days in the brave acts of resistance and solidarity in the women’s movements (such as Codepink) and the indigenous movements (such as the Indigenous Environmental Network ). In 2008, the first indigenous president of Bolivia, Evo Morales Ayma, gave a profound statement to the 7th Session Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples, outlining his country’s 10 commandments to save the planet, humanity, and life. I wish we had such political courage and will among our elected officials in Canada.President Morales’ words are the echoes of Dr. King’s – they resonate in my soul and they are my mission.

For me, it is not about a political party – it is about the issues and doing what is right for the planet and for kids.”But there is a calling that is yet above high office, fame, lucre and security. It is the call of conscience.”

Lasantha Wickrematunge, co-founder Sunday Leader newspaper, Sri Lanka, assassinated 2009In solidarity for peace, earth and justice,

Tamara Lorincz

Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaBOLIVIA’S TEN COMMANDMENTS TO SAVE THE PLANET

1. In order to save the planet, the capitalist model must be eradicated and the North pays its ecological debt, rather than the countries of the South and throughout the world continuing to pay their external debts.2. Renounce and put an end to war, which only brings profits for empires, transnationals, and a few families, but not for peoples. The million and millions of dollars destined to warfare should be invested in the Earth, which has been hurt as a result of misuse and overexploitation.

3. Develop relations of coexistence, rather than domination, among countries in a world without imperialism or colonialism. Bilateral and multilateral relations are important because we belong to a culture of dialogue and social coexistence, but those relationships should not be of submission of one country to another.

4. Water is a human right and a right for all living things on the planet. It is not possible that there be policies that permit the privatization of water.

5. Develop clean energies that are nature friendly; put an end to energy wastefulness. In 100 years we are doing away with the fossil fuels that have been created over millions of years. Avoid the promotion of agrofuels. It is incomprehensible that some governments and economic development models can set aside land in order to make luxury cars run, rather than using it to provide food for human beings. Promote debates with governments and create awareness that the earth must be used for the benefit of all human beings and not to produce agrofuels.

6. Respect for the mother Earth. Learn from the historic teachings of native and indigenous peoples with regard to the respect for the mother Earth. A collective social consciousness must be developed among all sectors of society, recognizing that the Earth is our mother.

7. Basic services, such as water, electricity, education, healthcare, communications, and collective transportation should all be considered human rights; they cannot be privatized but must rather be public services.

8. Consume what is necessary, give priority and consume what is produced locally, put an end to consumerism, waste, and luxury. It is incomprehensible that some families dedicate themselves to the search for luxury, when millions and millions of persons do not have the possibility to live well.

9. Promote cultural and economic diversity. We are very diverse and this is our nature. A plurinational state, in which everyone is included within that state – whites, browns, blacks, everyone.

10. We want everyone to be able to live well, which does not mean to live better at the expense of others. We must build a communitarian socialism that is in harmony with the mother Earth.

Read also Judy Rebick’s article Bolivia re-invents democratic socialism with Indigenous people in the lead

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