Setting The Record Straight

 I'm still in a bit of a writing slump, so I'll let others do the talking for me.

H/t Moudakis

A  Globe and Mail letter-writer weighs in on the F-35 versus Gripen question.

Canada should adopt a fighter jet which best meets the need for one that is cost-efficient, works well in our northern climate and falls within our control for easy maintenance and software.

I appreciate that some military officials favour the F-35 and believe while the U.S. administration is antagonistic to Canada, close co-operation with the U.S. military is possible. I think that trust is misplaced.

There is concern over a mixed fleet, but many of our allies have such arrangements. The air force currently operates more than 20 varieties of aircraft, so objections to adding Gripens to this fleet seem puzzling.

The Saab proposal to manufacture them in Canada sounds like a win-win that would allow us to rebuild our aeronautical capability. The F-35 does have better stealth capabilities, so buying the number already committed to may have merit.

Beyond that, I think the Gripen better suits Canada’s overall interests.

Carey Johannesson Victoria

 And a Star reader reflects on the hypocrisy of Pete hoekstra

Why the U.S. ambassador is wrong about his criticism of the Ronald Reagan tariff ads, Nov. 24

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra was not merely hypocritical for blaming Canada for “political interference” because of American propaganda seeking to influence politics abroad, as Éric Blais points out. The U.S. has, through use of military — either covertly or overtly, with or without allies — tried to force political change in other countries. In this century, America has exercised at least some level of political persuasion in Afghanistan (2001-2021), Iraq (2003-2011), Libya (2011), Syria (2014 to present), Pakistan (2000s to 2010), Yemen (2002 to present), Somalia (2007 to present) and the Philippines (2001 to present), not to mention Venezuela. There are dozens more examples if we go back through the previous century, including covertly supporting or waging actual violence against democratically elected regimes (Iran in 1953, Guatemala in 1954, Chile in 1973).

And let’s not forget the gratuitous insults against our head of state when U.S. President Donald Trump referred to Justin Trudeau as very dishonest and weak, two-faced, and “governor” while challenging Canadian sovereignty.

Hoekstra has opposed reproductive rights, gay adoption rights and gay marriage, parental leave for federal employees and expanding health care for kids. He has an A rating from the NRA for opposing gun control. He’s a true Trumpian, including the staggering hypocrisy he shows in his criticism of an ad that was simply truthful.

Barry Kent MacKay, Markham, ON

No doubt the questions will rage for some time, but the bottom line has to be that we can only retain our sovereignty by making assessments and needs that reflect our country, not the whims, passions and prejudices of foreign entities.

Thanks For Your Input

My previous post centred around that loud-mouthed 'diplomat', Pete Hoekstra, and his incessant nattering which, I guess, is supposed to put us in our place. When Uncle Sam's emissaries speak, we are supposed to listen and click our heels, no matter how much threatening, bellicose nonsense they may spew.

Well, many take issue with both the content and the tone of Hoekstra's delivery when talking to Canada. Here is a measure of their displeasure.

Future of trade talks depends on Canada’s purchase of American fighter jets,” Nov. 19

It’s time to stop giving U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra a platform and a voice to malign and threaten his host country. He is not living up to his post as Ambassador which includes promoting his nation’s interests through diplomacy, trade, and cultural exchange. Not “f-bombs” and schoolyard bullying.

In any other circumstances and from any other country, this man would be declared “persona-non-grata” and thrown out for his egregious behaviour. But of course, since we’re walking on the eggshells that U.S. President Donald Trump has strewn before us, our politicians have to be the adults in the room and behave with tact and clearer heads.

The only thing we can do, and should do, is shut him up by ignoring him completely and not inviting him to ever address another audience in Canada again.

Bonnie Beaudry, Burlington, ON

U.S. wants us to buy American arms, not defend ourselves

Ambassador Pete Hoekstra’s insistence on Canada buying U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets confirms a suspicion I’ve had for some time. U.S. President Donald Trump wants us to massively increase our military budget, not so we can defend ourselves, but so that we’ll spend lots of money on American arms.

Elizabeth Block, Toronto 

Let’s renew CUSMA before we buy any jets

Here’s the deal Ambassador Hoekstra: No decision regarding further purchases of your F-35 fighter jets until AFTER the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement is renewed.

Robert Woodcock, North York

Canadians traditionally have been a very reasonable, accommodating people. Clearly, Mr. Hoekstra and the mad king he works for have misinterpreted that national characteristic as a weakness inviting rampant abuse. One hopes the unfolding of events ultimately convinces them otherwise.

Time To Rip Off The Band-aid

 

I don't know about you, but I am growing tired of seeing an obese bully kicking sand in our collective faces. My national pride demands a real response. To mix the metaphor, it is time to rip off the Band-aid.

The obese bully, of course, is that vulgarian who 'leads' the U.S., Donald Trump, along with all of his enablers, chief among them his ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra. Said 'diplomat' delivers his master's message with relish, his contempt for our country obvious to anyone who can stomach listening to him. In my view, he personifies "the ugly American".

In his latest broadside against Canada, Hoekstra issues a warning that if we don't play nice with his country, there will be no trade deal. And playing nice means not even thinking about buying a competitor's military jets.

... we’re actually waiting to see exactly where the Canadian government is going to come out on this,” he said, pointing directly to the F-35 purchase review, and questioning what it means that Canada is shopping elsewhere for its fighter jets, and seeking to make its defence industrial base less reliant on the U.S.

Clearly, Hoekstra was not pleased to learn that Canada is thinking for itself when it comes to military procurements.

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly told reporters the current F-35 contract doesn’t provide adequate jobs or other economic benefits to Canada.

“We believe that we didn’t get enough when it comes to the F-35,” Joly said Tuesday.

“The industrial benefits are not enough. There needs to be more jobs created out of the F-35 contract. That’s clear to me and clear to this government.” She added the government believes it can “use military procurement to get more.”

Joly was speaking as the  Carney government engages in talks to possibly buy Swedish Gripen E fighter jets as part of his quest to wean Canada off its overreliance on the U.S. for economic and national security. 

While we have committed to buying 18 of the F-35s, with an option to buy more, the Grippen offers several advantages to Canada. It was, for example, made for rigorous northern patrol, and it promises an economic boost to our country.

Joly underscored that Sweden-based Saab is promising to create 10,000 jobs. “We’ll see how concrete (that is), and at the same time, we’re looking at (whether) Lockheed Martin can do more,” she added.

Hoekstra pushed back, saying Canadian suppliers have benefited for years from helping to build parts for the F-35, a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.

His 'solution' to all of this?  Essentially, it is to give up any pretense of sovereignty and align policies with Uncle Sam.

He said Canada and the U.S. should deepen co-operation, and Ottawa should align its trade policies with Trump’s in order to shut out cheaper Chinese-made products, such as steel, that he said are dumped into North American markets.

“You can put in place the same barriers that we have in place. And you know, the primary target is probably China, OK, because they’re dumping steel, but you can put in place the same kind of protections that we have. And part of what we were looking at was harmonizing the barriers to unfair competition on key materials and products so that it would be fortress North America.”

Fortress America may have a nice ring to it for American acolytes of Trump and his thugs. However, I suspect the majority of Canadians would see that not as a protective shield as much as a prison which, once entered, would be hard to escape from. We must never forget while it may be about military procurements today, tomorrow it will be about something else. A bully can never be appeased.

Snowflakes In Amerika

The term snowflake has traditionally been used by the right to denigrate progressives; it is a pejorative suggesting that the left is too easily offended by things the right represents. However, during the tenure of Herr Trump's second presidency, it seems to be a more apt description of the right.

We now know how easily offended they have become; for example, anything less than a full-throated endorsement of the late Charlie Kirk sends them into paroxysms of indignation and rage. Indeed, that inability to tolerate any criticism or alternative view led to the removal of Jimmy Kimmel (now reinstated), threats of retaliation, firing of professors, etc. And, of course, Trump's thin skin is legendary, prompting him to go after those he feels have wronged him, i.e. criticized him in any manner.

The entire regime sings from the same hymn book. One of the more recent examples is to be found in the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, clutching his pearls over what he feels is an insufficient deference to and adulation of his benighted country by Canadians.

“I’m disappointed that I came to Canada, a Canada (where) it is very, very difficult to find Canadians who are passionate about the American-Canadian relationship,” said Hoekstra during a luncheon with the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.

While we undoubtedly grieve over Hoekstra's hurt feelings, we are not about to embrace him and his values.

 "When you kick the dog, you can't blame it for snarling back," said Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association and member of the prime minister's Canada-U.S. relations council.

"It's gaslighting 101," Volpe added. "You probably should get someone to tell him a little bit more about how to properly do Canada-U.S. diplomacy, but I'm not sure he'd listen." 

In an interview on Rosemary Barton Live that airs Sunday morning, Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer said any time a foreign country slaps tariffs or raises the idea of annexation, "of course Canadians are going to react negatively to that."

One would think that would be obvious to everyone, but perhaps the American hubris and arrogance is so great they cannot conceive of anyone thinking ill of them.

Perhaps, too, the delicate Mr. Hoekstra should be shielded from this fact: Canadians are continuing to shun travel to the U.S.

That big reduction amounted to a 32.4 per cent drop in the number of Canadian-resident return trips from the United States in July. About 2.6 million trips meeting that criteria were made, Statistics Canada said. 

The animus toward the U.S. is widespread and deeply felt by Canadians. Consider these two letters from The Star:

Canadians are passionate, just not about the tire fire south of the border

U.S. ambassador to Canada disappointed by ‘anti-American’ rhetoric, ‘elbows up,’ Sept. 18

Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, is disappointed we are not passionate about the American-Canadian relationship.

Is he not paying attention?

I believe Canadians are passionate about peace, order and good governance. And good governance means good for all citizens, not just those who agree with you. The majority of us still aspire to a more just, equitable and inclusive society. “Elbows up” is not just about tariffs. It’s also about values. We are not passionate about our relationship with Russia or China. Those countries and the U.S. can govern themselves however they see fit. That is their prerogative. But we don’t have to agree or like it.

I am passionate about our relationship with the U.S. and am very concerned. I am sure many other Canadians are as well. I am concerned their democracy is in trouble.

It disappoints me ambassador Hoekstra doesn’t seem to understand that.

Stan Spicker, Midland, Ont.

Ambassador not thrilled with Canada’s ‘elbows up’ attitude. Too bad

U.S. ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra doesn’t like the idea the Canadian elbow is in the eye of their economic interest . Tough!

Canada is not your 51st state and freedom of speech and ‘elbows up’ is a Canadian democratic right.

The U.S. ambassador may believe the unjust tariffs imposed on Canada are a goodwill gesture, and the fascist state of mind of the United States is something to which Canadians should acquiesce. But Canadians would be wise to remind him he is a guest here in this country and we don’t appreciate being lectured to by a foreign government who turns a blind eye to the genocide that is taking place in Gaza.

We as Canadians want a good relationship with our neighbour from the south, but we are well-educated adults and we are quite capable of conducting our affairs without joining United States or accepting their propaganda.

Elbows up is a slogan of importance and Mr. Ambassador should feel lucky it’s not the middle finger. 

Cran Campbell, Langley, B.C.

The sun is rapidly setting on the American empire, leaving its citizens in a darkness that seems to be both impenetrable and irreversible.