Canadians must rethink priorities

Dear Editor:

Sometimes you must wonder where the brains of our country’s leadership are.

I have no doubt that if a poll were taken of Canadians, more than 60% of our adult population would vote against the purchase of the latest (but immediately obsolete) fighter jets for a cost of $19 billion which is intended to add to our prestige among the world’s war mongers.

Really, is the Canadian government no longer responsible to its voters?

$19 billion on machines meant to kill, maim, destroy cities, industries, and infrastructure; pollute air, water, and soil, and most dastardly, kill innocent men, women, and children.

Machines that are useless for dealing with attacks inside Canada; useless for dealing with natural disasters; or providing international humanitarian relief; or in peacekeeping operations.

Simply a grandiose gesture to maintain a vision of Canada’s military as a peacekeeping force but which is really a military contrivance that will necessarily include fighting in future U.S. and NATO wars.

Fighter jets that will be useless against the more innovative artificially-controlled drones that will out-think, out-maneuver any piloted jets.

We need to re-think our priorities. What we need are planes and people to fight the forest, grass, and urban wildfires that are here now and destroying our own country summer after summer.

Really, where are their brains?

Frank Martens

Summerland