‘Military diplomacy’ isn’t Canada’s style

After Donald Trump barked that NATO allies must bolster their military, Canada’s government, like a lapdog, announced a 70-per-cent increase in military spending despite a federal debt racing toward $700 billion.

Canada’s military is in desperate need of modernization, but this proposal is a drastic departure from Canada’s foreign policy and our military’s proud history as a peacekeeper. The hawkish rhetoric of Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is shocking. She suggests Canadian diplomacy requires “the backing of hard power” and “the principled use of force” provided by new jet fighters (more than even Stephen Harper proposed), warships, armed drones, and special ops fighters.

American-style “military diplomacy” has destabilized the Middle East, giving rise to conflict, casualties, terrorism, and a refugee crisis. Now our Liberal government wants to “carry a bigger stick” in its foreign relations. Canada can do better. D.P. Dufresne, Edmonton