Mixed messages confusing

Re Africa mission to take ‘layered approach,’ Nov. 4 Canada’s recent vote against the UN motion to begin talks on nuclear disarmament is alarming. Thousands of nuclear weapons are still held by nations — many in a constant state of launch readiness. If governments won’t even commit to discussing nuclear disarmament, how will the people ever have any hope of living in a nuclear-free world? Have our present federal leaders forgotten the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

On the one hand, our government is to be praised for increasing the Canadian contingent of peacemakers and peacekeepers to be deployed by the United Nations. On the other, they recently sanctioned $15.2 billion of light-armoured combat vehicles to be sold to Saudi Arabia, a country with a long history of human rights abuses.

Canada has now become the second largest supplier of military goods to the Middle East, as confirmed by Ceasefire.ca.

Canadians are definitely being given very mixed messages by our federal leadership. Some clarity and congruity on Canada’s position on peacekeeping and its role in adding to the militarism of the world would be most welcome. Jim Hollingworth, Goderich, Ont. The other day, I watched a very disturbing TV program on the deplorable housing conditions on our First Nations reserves. The next morning, I pick up the newspaper to learn that Canada is talking about sending 600 troops and 150 police to Africa to help them resolve their problems.

Surely, the money would be better spent helping our own people. Can you imagine the difference 750 people working on aboriginal housing would make — especially if they were dedicated to the project for the same length of time as their African deployment? Mark Fitzpatrick, Scarborough