Helping Ukraine and Canada #BankruptPutin

It seems there is nothing left to loot in Russia and its occupied regions so the kleptocrats are expanding into the rest of Ukraine. The assault on Ukraine threatens democracy and liberty everywhere. I’ve dealt with bullies my entire life and they cannot be appeased nor reasoned with. Only showing strength and standing up to them will work. Vladimir Putin is a coward, he needs to see all democracies aligning against him in support of Ukraine.

Canada should immediately assist with Ukraine’s defence by providing weapons, support equipment, humanitarian aid, and settlement of displaced people. Canadians should avoid buying, supporting and investing with Russian companies and any company that has connections with Putin or Russia’s kleptocrats. Everything from cancelling World of Warships accounts to seizing assets of Russian businesses should be on the table. This should include pro-Putin media outlets open to lawsuits for spreading misinformation and lies.

Canada’s anti-corruption measures are weak and can be used by Putin and others against our best interests. The Financial Tracking Intelligence Service or FINTRAC needs a massive budget increase so it can be weaponized against corruption at home and abroad. It is time to hunt down and retrieve Russia’s stolen money and put in a trust for the victims of Putin at home and abroad. The criminalization of any political donation made by someone not on the voters list should also help reduce vulnerability to political corruption.

The alt-right and other supremacist extremist groups are used by Russia to spread lies and division in democratic societies. There needs to be a Royal Commission into alt-right infiltration of our police and military with implementation of zero tolerance. A few neo-Nazis were enough to disband the Airborne Regiment and it should be enough to disband police services with similar problems. We can use extremists in the Royal Ulster Constabulary as precedent to dissolve a police service and start over with tougher standards and screening.

Ukraine is one of the world’s breadbaskets. With the invasion it is unlikely crops will be planted this spring and crops that are in the ground now will be harvested or exported. Canada leaves agriculture to provinces so let’s demand provinces ban the destruction of farmland for development. With Ukraine’s grain supplies being denied to the global market other sources will be needed. Prices will be rising and starvation already appearing in Afghanistan and parts of Ethiopia the loss of Ukraine’s production could see hunger rise globally. Destroying the world’s finest farmland for Canadian developers should violate the criminal code as it puts Canada’s and the world’s food security at risk.

Canada and Canadians should support pro-democracy and anti-corruption groups around the world but especially in Russia. Russians are the first victims of Putin and his regime. A democratic Russia with human rights and the rule of law should be an objective of our policies and actions. It is comforting to see anti-war protests in Russian cities.

With Putin’s criminal aggression of Ukraine likely the opening move in a broader strategy – Twitter is mentioning Chinese aircraft over Taiwan – it is time to cement the democratic alliances. Canada should back Sweden, Finland and Moldava if they vote to join NATO. Canada should also recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty and independence.

Rearming Canada or at very least developing competitive industries that can be converted in emergencies should be our economic priority. The last decades in the western world have seen arms manufacturing concentrated in the hands of a few companies. This has reduced competition, innovation and resilience. If cyber attacks, strikes, supply disruption hit Lockheed Martin or General Dynamics how much damage would that cause? Let’s start with ordering 100-150 Gripens for our air defence, especially in the Arctic.

More Canadian cities need to upgrade and expand the public transit systems including creating more subways. Subways aren’t just for moving people but sheltering in times of crises. Such critical infrastructure can also evacuate people in larger numbers than single family cars.

My Version of the Royal Canadian Navy

Yesterday I watched a video on the Royal Navy if Dr Alexander Clarke was Prime Minister. I was inspired to follow this thought exercise for the Royal Canadian Navy. I’ll use similar rules as in the video but I haven’t limited myself to the RCN as the Canadian Armed Forces are more integrated than most countries. I’m working on the assumption the defence budget is going to defence not regional development and vote buying.

Canada has the world’s longest coastline and most of the Northwest Passage is within Canada’s claimed territory. Canada also has commitments in Europe, the Pacific, and the Caribbean. There will never be enough ships to cover everything so the Royal Canadian Air Force will be needed.

Aircraft:

The CP-140 Aurora is in need of replacement by a four engine turboprop capable of operating in the Canadian Arctic. Four squadrons should be procured with a fifth squadron for training and maintenance. One squadron for each coast made up of regulars and reservists will give better coverage of Canada’s coastline. Eighteen hours response time to Arctic contacts is unacceptable. The fourth squadron would be for international commitments and the fifth would be based in Thunder Bay.

The CH-148 Cyclone had its issues that need to be sorted out and once that is achieved more should be purchased. A mixed Anti-Submarine/Search And Rescue Helicopter Squadron should be deployed to the Arctic. Again assets coming from the south take to long.

To augment the maritime patrol and search and rescue roles I’d add three squadrons of Viking Canadair CL-515 and modernize the Twin Otter squadron based in the Arctic. One CL-515 squadron for the Atlantic, one for the Pacific, and one wandering the world helping allies.

Two squadrons of either Rafale Ms or Super Hornets should be acquired and trained to fly off allied carriers. Most of Canada’s fighters should be the Gripen E which is more capable and deployable in Canada. Super Hornets will require extension of Arctic airfields and F-35s would require a few billion in major airfield upgrades.

Surface Combatants:

Currently Canada only has twelve Halifax Class Patrol Frigates. With the current upgrade programs and proper maintenance they should last another twenty years. With the Type 26C (C is my designation as it will be fitted differently than UK versions) coming, eventually, the Halifax Class ships should be the main training ships of the fleet and be crewed mostly by reservists.

The Kingston Class should be rearmed, why the 40mm Bofors were removed is a mystery to me. If possible the Kingstons should be upgraded with Enhanced Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) capability and if that’s not possible sell them off immediately. The same goes for the Harry DeWolf Class, why a ship was designed without air defence capability is another of those mysteries.

To replace the Kingston Class, twelve fast, agile missile boats capable of carrying Harpoons and anything other anti-shipping missile. They should have some air defence capability and easily have their missiles reloaded without facilities. These vessels will train to come out of fjords, inlets etc and swarm enemy vessels from multiple directions with intention to overwhelm their missile defences. These vessels should be capable of coordinating such attacks with strike fighters.

For the escort and sub hunting roles the Halifax Class and Type 26C will be the main assets. A Type 26C replacement program should be started immediately after the first ship is delivered. A permanent upgrade and development program should be started to integrate lessons learnt and integrate new technologies as they prove themselves.

Submarines:

The Victoria Class should be augmented with six Arctic capable submarines using the best off the shelf design. When the Victoria Class retires they should be replaced with a more advanced design, also Arctic capable. Eventually Canada should have twelve submarines in two classes of six for constant development.

Auxiliaries:

Let’s start with doubling the Joint Support Ships to four and augmenting them with a couple of converted oil tankers operated by reservists. With the current global economy it might be worth buying some newish ships for training and the support; a container ship converted as seaplane tender, a Roll-on-roll-off ship to move the army’s vehicles around, and a small cruise ship converted to a hospital ship. Throw on some advanced naval systems and point defences to protect them and train crew in their use.

Forward Basing:

I would augment the current basing with forward bases in Spain or Portugal, Philippines, and Haiti. Each forward base would have a frigate, stockpiles of spares, supplies, support personnel, and equipment needed to support DART (Disaster Assistance Relief Team). The Haitian base would need to be built and helping the economic development of Haiti. The southern coast of Haiti gives access to the Panama Canal, helps anti-trafficking operations, and help training with local allies.

As resources permit a fourth base along the East coast of Africa should be established in cooperation with allies. Allies have bases around the world which are helpful but having our own bases gives us independence of action and can host allies should their bases be unusable.

Arctic Sovereignty:

As mentioned above I would discard the Harry DeWolf class if it can’t be upgraded to have air defences. There is no point getting a ship stuck in the ice to be an easy target for a missile or bomb strike. Submarines and aircraft are be needed to defend the region. With China and Russia looking at resource exploitation Canada needs to have assets in the Arctic, even if it means sacrificing ability elsewhere in the world.

The first priority to deploy surveillance system to Canada’s portion Northwest Passage with sonar, radar, and Ranger Patrols reporting to an Artic Defence Force Headquarters. Contacts should see armed Canadian aircraft monitoring their activities. Maybe start with the yellow and red SAR aircraft and escalate as needed but certainly waiting 18 hours for something with teeth to show up is unacceptable.

Final Thoughts:

This has been an interesting thought exercise and I know things like two carrier strike squadrons is highly unlikely. The current, mostly unarmed, fleet is wasting resources and damaging recruiting. My forces are designed for Canada to do it alone in domestic security and contribute where we can globally.

As for the Danes and Hans Island, let’s make it two bottles of whiskey and create an international protected area overseen by a joint commission.

Lessons From the Lockdown

So I thought of this post months ago and never got around to it. The year so far has shown some flaws in society and the economy is a giant Ponzi scheme. It is difficult to remember everything that’s happened so far in 2020. There are lesson to be learnt from this year, if humans are capable of learning.

Imagine the pandemic’s economic consequences and lockdowns without the internet. The trickle of money from web ads and online sales are helping people avoid disaster. Being able to order online has helped buy necessities and things to kill time. Some areas have overpriced and/or insufficient internet access and a limited number of companies decide where the infrastructure is set the prices. Internet has become too important to leave in the hands of corporations. It is time we made internet a utility like water, electricity and roads.

The social safety net needs to be replaced by Universal Basic Income. The current hodgepodge of systems almost guarantees people falling through the cracks. I’m not sure what is meant to be achieved with overlapping bureaucracies and suspicion of those in need. UBI could save money in overhead while circulating more money through the economy. It might hurt some toxic employers but they deserve bankruptcy. It always amazes me when business owners call for their customers to get a wage cut.

Economic disruptions cause people to drop out of university and college — people we need trained for the next disaster/pandemic/whatever. The current tuition system punishes poorer people with higher costs. If we invest in free education and UBI it will mean talented people will not have to drop out when the next pandemic comes. Investing 10% of GDP in education and science give a higher return than pouring asphalt and make the economy more resilient.

The forest fires in January and possibly SARS 2 Covid 19 (worst.sequel.ever) are the result of environmental destruction and a complete disconnect between capitalism and reality. Capitalism is increasingly looking like feudalism with a new skin. A hierarchical system based on endless exploitation of people and resources is incapable of sustainability. The recovery needs start with a complete ban on environmental destruction. Focus quarterly profit is not a sustainable economic model and the path to a dystopian nightmare.

These thoughts were more coherent in my head three months ago. Remember with 2020 the worst is yet to come.

Good Cops? Hello? Are you out there?

A Facebook rant by a Toronto police officer showed up in my feed last night, one of those 1% “Bad Apples” arguments. It might be my math disability but 1% “Bad Apples” in Toronto would mean 52 officers on a force of about 5200. To avoid a migraine I’ll simplify it, bad officers are, allegedly, outnumbered 99 to 1.

This argument must be bullshit, otherwise “Bad Apples” would be scared to do anything. If there are 99 “Good Apples” willing to arrest and charge the “Bad Apple” then very quickly there will be no bad cops left. We’d have bad cops on trial more often, with testimony from good cops. We’d have good cops shooting bad cops to protect the public. And I only remember one incident of a cop shooting another cop.

Way I see it in North America right now, badges are just another gang symbol. Instead of police coming out with “Bad Apple” arguments, maybe every officer should get a mirror. All officers need to take Mr George Floyd’s death as a moment of reflection. Ask yourself, if my colleague was doing that, how would I react? Would you risk your career, your pension, your freedom, or your life to prevent a colleague killing someone? Would you report, arrest, testify, or double tap?

If good cops outnumber bad cops 99 to 1, then there should be 99 muzzles aimed at the bad cop’s head when he’s kneeling on a man’s throat. We didn’t see that, we never see that, we want to see that. We might believe good cops outnumber bad cops if we saw more arrests and interventions.

Even 1% “Bad Apples” means thousands of police officers in North America who shouldn’t have badges. Those officers see silence from their colleagues as permission to continue their atrocities. The reality must be there are only 1% good police in North America, and they live in fear.

If you wish to prove you’re a good police officer than go arrest a colleague. You know who the drug dealer is, the pimp is, the wife beater is, who drops charges for a blowjob, is paid to look away, or who likes taking people for a “ride”. Some of your cars say “Deeds not Words” but all we’re getting are words.

Thanksgiving Rant

Yesterday was Canadian Thanksgiving, I’m having leftover blueberry pie for breakfast. Could we stop equating this harvest festival with pilgrims, harvest festivals are as old as humans harvesting things and thanking the gods. They predate Christianity by at least 2,000 years and can be found globally under different names. There were usually tied to each crop harvested, which in Canada means we would have dozens from March’s maple sap harvest to November’s harvests. Hence the arbitrary date in early October.

In the US Thanksgiving wasn’t a set holiday until Abraham Lincoln declared it one after the American Civil War, other civil wars are available, as a means to heal and remind everyone of Manifest Destiny. According to a Maclean’s article Lincoln was convinced by racist religious zealots.

All farming societies have harvest festivals, North America pre-European contact was no different. Saying Thanksgiving was invented by pilgrims is caving into puritan co opting of ancient traditions. Allowing the Plymouth Rock myth to be part of Thanksgiving, even recognizing the negativity, is to give the racist and cultural supremacists more power than they deserve. The article suggests embracing some of the Indigenous traditions, maybe we could combine traditions from around the world.

Let’s drop the term Thanksgiving with the negative origins and instead have National Harvest Festival. Anyone who wants to bring puritanism or pilgrims into it get sacrificed to some ancient god.

BRT Debate #ldnont

The debate surrounding the proposed Bus Rapid Transit system is becoming toxic. On both sides entrenching and playing fast and loose with facts. With the looming election  the debate is in overdrive. We’ve descended into binary politics, either you’re a tax and spender building a white elephant or a anti-progressive nimbyist. There is no longer room for real debate and those of us who feel abandoned by both camps.

Despite blowhard rhetoric BRT is not going to raise property taxes, nor is it going to make your drive worse. Road widening, ride sharing companies, lack of car alternatives are making your drive worse. More road supply equals more room for new cars, the industry has known this since the 1930s hence why they encourage more road construction. Better cycle and pedestrian infrastructure, congestion taxes, and road reduction will reduce traffic faster than all the road widening schemes.

Regardless of what BRT advocates say the SHIFT plan is not a panacea for transit users in London. It will mean lost access to transit, more needless transfers, and doubles down on a convoluted system that has needed an overhaul since the 1980s. The current plan, as found in the most recent document I could find, abandons around 50% of London’s area.

What is currently a single bus, along a single street, will soon be two buses along that same street. White Oaks Mall to Masonville is currently one bus but BRT will make us transfer downtown. The Dundas buses will also stop at Highbury making people transfer in order to continue along Dundas. Transfers should only occur when switching between East/West routes and North/South routes. Has anyone at LTC or city hall read the basics of transit planning?

It occurs to me that neither side of the BRT debate actually understands London. Both sides seem to work with the assumption that London is a small town around the forks of the Thames and a century of urban sprawl never happened. Read any job ad in London and the line – “Must own car, no public transit”- will likely be present. There are a lot of job sites not covered by the LTC including almost all of London’s blue collar jobs.

Ask the LTC about why areas haven’t got a bus route and the answer will be there is no demand. Seriously? In transportation service governs demand, you can’t demand what doesn’t exist. LTC has a terrible record of addressing needs or communicating why/how they come to their conclusions. Blunt statements with zero evidence such as: “London isn’t suited for a grid system”, “There is no demand”, or “Service is adequate” are arrogant and dismissive. It is time the LTC and the City of London’s transit department to show us the evidence and why it lead to current conclusions or assumptions.

Rapid transit is a good thing and the next council should start planning for some while pressuring the province to get High Speed Rail built. Unfortunately BRT as London is designing it won’t be rapid and will not prepare London to feed a high speed rail stop. But then current plans mean the airport isn’t connected so why would a rail station.

Both sides of the BRT fight are coming at it from positions of privilege and affluence. As the centre of London gentrifies the poorest people will be pushed beyond the arbitrary main transit zone. This means the poorest in London needing cars to get around and that will consume most of a household budget. If the BRT is for all Londoners where is the plan to keep poor people within the transit zone? Here is an Australian study demonstrating how transit options can affect the health of poor people.

One of the anti-BRT battle cries is “We aren’t Toronto!” but maybe we should be. Being Toronto Lite is far better than becoming Detroit Junior. Of course that would mean investing heavily in suburban public transit, not just the downtown and the chosen few. Those waiting for demand to justify it will wait until the sun goes supernova. Here’s a good article about how demand is a reaction to supply.

London needs to get transit right and more car infrastructure is not a solution. Fixing transit, along with better pedestrian and cycle infrastructure, are essential for London to survive the 21st Century. It will take more innovation and creativity than a L 7 BRT system is providing to keep London from becoming a quaint little Luddite colony.

How will London function in a world where burning fossil fuels is taboo? This election is the time to decide and entrenched transit options aren’t helping.

Elections are Coming

Elections are coming later this year. In June is the Provincial election and October is the local elections. I’ve become increasingly anti-partisan and disillusioned with politics. Mainly the total lack of progress on important files and the focus on policy proven to have failed repeatedly. Any party/individual wanting my vote had better check most of my policy requirements.

Provincial:

• Ban on new combustion engine sales starting January 1st 2030 with total ban on using combustion engines by 2040
• A complete ban on corporate welfare and subsidies
•   A Royal Commission into the construction industry, its ties to politics, and to organized crime
• Pressure the Federal Government to criminalize corporate and union donations
• A single, flexible transit pass used on all public transit in the province
• A public education system funded from cradle to grave and no public funding to religious or private schools
• High speed rail province wide
• Legislation allowing cities to tax parking lots higher than surrounding properties
• Plastic bags, straws, and bottles ban – disposable packaging ban
• Tax healthcare profits at 90%
• Ban automotive advertising

Municipal:

• BRT improvements to include Argyle and the airport
• End enforced car usage by having transit, cycling, and pedestrian infrastructure for the entire city not just the downtown
• Ten dollars per empty seat congestion tax for the downtown
• Transit passes that work throughout Ontario and eventually Canada
• Complete ban on noisey gardening equipment
• Explore hiring the OPP or RCMP to save policing costs and maybe have traffic enforcement
• Explore putting electricity generators into the water system
• Build the city up and not out
• Ban any new road widening schemes
• Actually shovel snow off sidewalks or make property owners liable
• Publish automobile related deaths within the city every month or quarter
• Merge police and fire administrations and where possible facilities
• Public spaces designed by children

Pedestrians are losing the war

Yesterday van attack in Toronto is horrifying but shouldn’t surprise anyone. Canadian cities do a terrible job protecting pedestrians from vehicles. So when someone chooses to use a vehicle as a weapon our bad urban design becomes an accessory to the carnage. Toronto’s, like previous attacks, will become another footnote of history.

Canadian pedestrians are second class citizens at best. Most cities and towns are designed to make people drive cars. No barrier between busy roads and narrow poorly kept sidewalk is the norm. Stretches of urban landscape have a gravel shoulder for pedestrians. Other areas are so congested with people waiting for irregular transit that moving through is near impossible. The lack of cycle infrastructure puts bicycles on the sidewalk which is a danger to pedestrians.

Some radio hosts and populist politicians bellow “War on cars” when ever we try to accommodate anyone who doesn’t want a car. Yet enforced car usage is official policy throughout Canada. For over a century the auto cartel has had its way with us. Billions, maybe trillions, have been spent on making communities car friendly. Transit has been nerfed and made more inefficient to drive people to car dealers. Sidewalks have been cluttered with “furniture” making a metre wide strip of concrete even more difficult to navigate.

Even the current trend of giving people more options the car still dominates. Transit hubs have people dodging cars to run and catch their connection. Crosswalks still make people wait for a car to trigger the lights. Pedestrians are forced to walk on roads or lawns to get around parked cars. Most sidewalks are where to put the snow removed from the roads. The parking lot must be navigated to get into a store.

The Toronto attack, the attack in Quebec a few years ago, and others in Europe and the USA are all reminders urban design policies have consequences. A car centric community is a community happy to have vehicle attacks, pedestrian deaths, cyclist deaths, transit deaths, and higher healthcare costs from the inactive lifestyle the car brings.

Terrorist groups are encouraging to use our pedestrian hostile policies against us. So that gives us pedestrians ammunition in the debate. Next time people complain about policies protecting pedestrians counter with them supporting terrorism friendly options. Here’s the history of pedestrians losing the war in a simple graphic. Maybe we should take a page from Ghent and reverse the pedestrian hostile trend.

It is likely we will watch more deaths before anything seriously changes in our urban design. Thine car gods demand sacrifices of human blood so expect crocodile tears, had wringing, and inertia from those in positions to do something. Maybe Monday’s victims should sue the city of Toronto for not doing enough to protect them.

Failed State of America

It is February 15th 2018 and the United States has had 30 mass shootings since January 1st. The usual battle lines are being drawn on why it happens despite ignoring data such as this in the New York Times last year. As an outsider it appears that the right to life and security of the person have been completely abandoned in the United States. Is gun violence a symptom of America’s failure?

The first set of factors to determine a failed state are:

• loss of monopoly on the legitimate use of force
• erosion of authority to make collective decesions
• inability to provide reasonable public services
• inability to interact internationally

The first of the above factors I’m taking as a given in the United States. The second is also evident in the hyper partisan, winner take all politics. Flint Michigan is a prime example of a nation not being able to provide basic public services. There are various reports a US diplomatic service in chaos and shortages of key diplomatic staff. Also, the contradictions coming from the current administration of foreign and trade policy make relations difficult.

More comprehensive checklists are available in the above article. The US hasn’t many of the social indicators until the economic inequality factors. The US has one of the highest infant mortality rates in advanced economies, poor education results, and certain groups suffer more deprivation than others based on ethnicity, orientation, or gender. The recent shutdowns of the US government is an example a state failure to fulfill obligations.

The first political indicator is criminalization and/or delegitimization of the state. This has been happening for decades in the US. Corruption disguised as campaign contributions, diversion of public resources to private companies, and defunding regulators all contribute to this. Much American media adds to the attack on government legitimacy with anti-government heroes promoted as pundits or in fiction. Holding government to account is difficult because of gerrymandering and the vast amounts of money required to run in politics.

The US public service is deteriorating, I mentioned Flint and the 30 mass shootings this year. There are many more examples where essential services for Americans are suffering a lack of services or terribly funded services. The wealthier an American is the more services are made available for them. When school teachers in poorer areas have to pay for supplies out of pocket it is a sign of failure.

Every country has a human rights problem at some level and the US is no exception. In my life we’ve gone from having to remind people Black is Beautiful back to Black Lives Matter. The militarisation of US law enforcement, the under siege mentality of US law enforcement, and the prison industrial complex are other factors pointing to America’s failure. Political violence against the state isn’t as common but does take place such as the Oklahoma City bombing.

The state within a state indicator is also met by the United States. Private security and intelligence services have been given access to state resources without the same stringent oversight. The weaponization of US politics hasn’t begun quite yet but threats of violence and radicalization of violent people has. There are plenty of armed groups eager for the next civil war to break out.

The American Revolution replaced a distant aristocracy with one down the dirt road. American bipolar, partisan politics still has elites and aristocrats controlling politics. Democrats fund one institution and Republicans are obligated to destroy that institution once back in power and vice versa. Both populi and optimi hide behind national symbols and patriotic rhetoric. Such extremism denies debate, progress, compromise and America’s existence.

There is currently an investigation into Russian involvement in the last presidential election. Any foreign government to pay for access to US policy makers. There alleged Russian connections to the National Rifle Association, which controls much of Congress. The above article mentions military/paramilitary not mere financial influence peddling but the money is destabilizing Americans ability to control their representatives.

Both KGB by Christopher Andrew and Oleg Gordievsky, and The Mitrokhin Archive by Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin mentions KGB plots to destabilize the United States from within. Conspiracy theories, false information, financing armed groups, and feuling paranoia were tactics to weaken the Western Democracies. America may wish to look deeper into ties of extreme right wing groups and their Russian counterparts, it may lead to Russian security services involvement.

The United States is not a failed state, but it is not a stable and functional state either. Maybe fragile state is the best description right now. Blaming Russia, Mexico, the other faction, or whatever for America’s situation as every American is to blame and responsible for reversing these trends. Maybe Americans are happy living in a state that fails so many and are comfortable watching neighbours die for lack of care or security. Maybe Americans are waiting for United Nations intervention.

Boeing’s Hypocrisy #Cdnpoli

Boeing has succeeded in adding another 79.82% duties on C-Series aircraft from Bombardier claiming they’re being dumped into the United States and subsidised by Canada and Quebec. Boeing does not have a product that competes with the Bombardier C-Series, but has convinced US regulators that a much smaller Canadian company is going to destroy the US giant.

Boeing has claimed they’re preventing another Airbus rising up to destroy what was once a monopoly, and is now a duopoly. Maybe it was wrong for Canada to help Bombardier, maybe it was wrong for countless Canadian governments to allow our other aerospace companies to be destroyed. This is the Avro Arrow situation all over again, we cave in to Boeing’s pressure we become little more than a colony. We become the lesser partner in the Mercantile system, giving away resources and a nice captive market for inefficient industry.

Canada should cancel all contracts currently held by Boeing, ban all US manufacturers from bidding on the CF-188 Hornet replacement, and make the US put all its subsidies on the table in NAFTA talks. Boeing should be afraid of Bombardier, the Chinese, and the others coming for market share. Because Boeing is likely uncompetitive without the direct and indirect subsidies it receives in the United States. Add to the subsidies that Boeing is the second largest contractor to the US government, mainly because they’ve destroyed the competition.

Many of Boeing’s contracts don’t pass the smell test, as a search at the Project on Government Oversight finds. One example is in 2016 Boeing paid $18 million to settle claims it overcharged the US government. My search found ten pages of Boeing overcharging, receiving questionable contracts, and being paid for research the US government conducted. Boeing isn’t upset about subsidies to Bombardier, its upset they didn’t get any too.

The World Trade Organisation has ruled that some of Boeing’s subsidies are illegal. Maybe Canada should join those challenging America to play by the rules it helped create. There another ten pages of search results on the WTO site mentioning the Boeing Airbus dispute, both companies receive tax dollars so why shouldn’t Bombardier? The European Union arguments make Canadians look like amateurs when it comes to corporate welfare.

Boeing has a history of consuming competitors, the tariffs could be part of a strategy to buy Bombardier cheap. Boeing doesn’t have any products in that market, buy Bombardier and all that Canadian subsidised research is Boeings to exploit. Maybe if we provide tax rebates, grants, guaranteed purchases, interest free loans, and government employees to help with sales, Canada could keep one of the parts plants.