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Cold War
That's why we recommend that this matter be taken to the United Nations and urge them to pass a resolution modeled on the Second Amendment as in: "The national right to keep and bear weapons of any kind shall not be infringed." Once we're all armed to the teeth, peace can reign throughout the world. At least that's the plan.
I do understand that we have to honour our commitment and we have to take part in global security, but engaging hundreds troops in a Cold War-esque scenario instead of focusing on Canada's main threat, terrorism, is a clear sign of the government foreign policy's alignment with our American ally.
Today known as Ozersk, City 40 is considered the founding place of the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons program, where the first Soviet plutonium-based bomb, known as "First Lightning," was made. Since its founding, the city has been surrounded with double barbed-wire fences and monitored by armed guards.
Fixating on Russia is not going to solve the various human rights crises facing the West. Russia does have several of its own human rights abuses, several of its own problems that harm the society there. But let's not pretend for a second like the West is somehow incredibly different. By doing so, we forego the responsibility to address the problems that we have right here at home, and prove to the world that we are still holding onto simplistic "scary Russia" sentiments that were just as misguided and ignorant during the Cold War as they are now.
Henry Kissinger flew into Toronto this week for a conference, and at 91 years of age, demonstrated the mental acuity that earned a front-row seat in foreign policy circles for decades.
Have you ever heard of Leon Theremin? If you don't know him but you like electronic music or have ever used a toll road transponder, or even if you've noticed the square tag on the side of a peanut butter jar at the grocery store, you have Leon Theremin to thank. The early 20th century Russian-born inventor developed technologies that have and will continue to change our world.
For some time, Olga had been talking in riddles, dropping hints, making provocative comments. Once when I had remarked on her relatively good life in Moscow, she replied: "It is better to be a free sparrow than a caged canary." I had ignored all hints, aware they might be a trap.
Crimea is a pity, and likely victimized by Moscow pressure, but the reality is that Ukraine is a failed state without a government, a constitution that can be enforced, an army that can be called upon to defend its people or an economy. If I lived in Crimea I'd vote for the devil I know (Moscow) rather than the devils to come (Kiev).
You can argue -- as I do -- that Canada's too immigrant-friendly and too multicultural, but the reality remains that ethnic diversity is now a basic Canadian fact of life. Upholding this nation's territorial and political integrity therefore requires a staunch commitment to the principle that national governments have a right to govern multicultural populations, and even stauncher opposition to any notion that foreign nation-states possess a right to infringe the sovereignty of others in order to protect "their" people living abroad. Canada is a country that worries about foreigners. But it's also a country that has a right to worry about itself.
Facts are that the new cold war is like the old one but is about conquering markets and resources. Canadians and Americans must join this economic weapon race and creating a trade sales force through embassies is a decent beginning. But much more needs to be done in concert with the Americans.
