The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Sovereignty And Other Issues Canadian sovereignty was brought up this summer when Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a promise to move on asserting Canada's authority over the Northwest Passage. He promised billions over 25 years for new vessels and a deep water port. There is interest by many countries who are betting that global warming will make the passage passable and also provide opportunities for mineral and oil exploration. Russia is claiming sovereignty under the ice no less, as is the United States, so Harper figured he better move quickly. The potential conflict with other countries will certainly mean we have to increase and strengthen our armed forces even more than the Prime Minister has promised, and will end the so-called peacekeeping role that the Liberals and NDP long for our armed forces. Some are even trying to perpetuate the myth that this has been Canada's traditional role, which is totally untrue - remember the two World Wars and Korea? A potential conflict with the United States over the northern territories could prove interesting but probably will be diplomatically worked out. As Harper said in a July speech to South Americans in Chile, Canada is totally independent and sovereign, and their countries should be like Canada and not allowed themselves to be bullied by either the U.S. or the Communist regimes in Cuba and Venezuela. It was an amazing speech and makes a lot of sense, but whether the SA countries will pay attention given the amount of poverty, corruption and drug problems they face is another story. The Afghanistan issue is continually played up by the press and pollsters who contend that a strong minority - a strong majority in Quebec - want us to get out of the conflict. The pacifist approach is still prominent among some groups. This is the idea that Canada should be at peace with all countries of the world, reach out to terrorists and try to correct the reasons why terrorism exists instead of killing those who want to kill us. One writer advocates increasing foreign aid and concentrate on non-violent resolution of conflict. The problem with this approach is that it simply does not work and has never worked in history. The appeasement of Hitler by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in the late '30s did nothing for peace but merely encouraged the Nazi dictator to carry out his war plans. A pacifist approach by Israel toward its enemies would see the Jewish state wiped off the map. And don't think that North Korea was persuaded by only negotiations to cashier its nuclear bomb plans. Even the lunatics running that poor and impoverished nation realize that one atomic attack on anyone would mean total annihilation by American power. One further example is why the Nazis did not attack Switzerland. They knew that the Swiss had compulsory military service and a fierce and dedicated army. They decided that they neither wanted the casualties or the country, using the excuse that it was better to keep it neutral. As a wise man once said: "Those who ignore the lessons of history are bound to repeat them." Roger's Right Corner runs Wednesdays.
