[Sundaycommunity] Fwd: Can I submiet this OP Ed from the Nov 20 Hamilton Observer by Mark Hager as my contribution for public awareness?

[Dwyer Sullivan]

Hello all,

 A few people keep asking me how am I doing and what am I doing to stay out
of trouble. So I will be cheering on my granddaughters in hockey for 3
games on Sunday and then visiting 3 MP's on Monday. Best wishes to all of
you in whatever you are doing. Work to stay healthy and enjoy the beauty of
our world and all people
Peace and blessings,
Dad/Dwyer

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Dwyer Sullivan <edwyersullivan at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Nov 20, 2021 at 9:18 PM
Subject: Can I submiet this OP Ed from the Nov 20 Hamilton Observer by Mark
Hager as my contribution for public awareness?
To: <letters at therecord.com>, <jpoling at therecord.com>


Hello Jim and whoever is in charge of the Letters to the Editor, or who
controls opinion pieces,

My name is Dwyer Sullivan and a number of us who belong to the coalition No
Fighter Jets will be participating in a National Campaign this Monday, Nov
22. We will be meeting at 11:30 at MP Bryan May's office Cambridge, at MP
Mike Morrice's office at 1, and at MP Bardish Chagger's office at 4 to drop
off letters and information pertaining to the proposed government
spending of $100 billion for new fighter jets and warships. More details
are listed below in the OP Ed from the Hamilton Observer of Nov 20, 2021. I
am convinced the Canadian public can think of much better uses for this
large amount of money which is not being propagated publicly by the
government.

During the recent election campaign, there was little discussion about
spending on military aggression. Surprise. The federal government is on the
cusp of spending approximately $100 billion for new fighter jets and
warships. Over the life of these killing machines the combined capital and
operating costs will be approximately $350 billion. This will be Canada’s
largest military purchase, ever. It far exceeds spending on the climate,
health care, Indigenous rights, affordable housing and any of the social
justice issues that got more air time in the campaign.

The jets proposed are the CF-35 jets from U.S. company Lockheed Martin.
They are not defensive weapons. The CF-35s will have a purchase price of
$19 billion with an estimated project life cost of $77 billion. The
warships proposed have a purchase price of $80 billion with a lifetime cost
of $285 billion. They are not for peacekeeping or even defending Canada.

Not only will these machines displace more productive spending on climate
justice, they also cause climate destruction and since they are military,
their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not counted in Canada’s GHG
tallies. The U.S. demanded these exemptions at the Kyoto summit and Canada
did not object. The F-35 is reported to burn 5,600 litres of fuel an hour,
with a service lifetime of 8,000 hours. For the 88 jets Canada plans to
buy, that is 4 trillion litres of burned, and unaccounted for, fuel.

This double injustice is not lost on the young Toronto film maker Kasha
Sequoia Slavner in her upcoming film entitled “1.5 Degrees of Peace.” The
title is brilliant, concise and thought-provoking. (The trailer for it is
on the website https://www.1point5degreesofpeace.com/ and it is well worth
viewing.)

Canada has a track record of destructive bombing in Libya, Syria and Iraq.
There were no weapons of mass destruction, at least not from Iraq. We
continue to sell armoured vehicles to the Saudis, knowing full well they
are used against Yemen contributing to what the UN calls the worst
humanitarian crisis in the world today. The argument that the armoured
vehicles provide jobs is repulsive. The CF-35 manufacturer in one of its
advertisements tries to promote the same perverse benefit, only to be
called out in a satirical graphic on the NoFighterJets.ca website.

If jobs are the objective, there are far better choices for our government
funds. The Green Economy Network in Canada, comprised of labour,
environmental and social justice organizations, estimates that a public
spend of $80 billion, would create over 1,000,000 jobs with an annual
reduction of 90 to 250 million tonnes of GHG. The four areas of investment
promoted by the Network are clean renewable energy, energy efficient
buildings, public transit and higher speed rail.

Back to the financial cost. If Trump was refreshing in any way, it was his
blunt and clear choice of words. He avoided flowery double speak. He made
it clear that his demand of Canada to increase NATO spending was exactly
what it is, extortion. It is no different than a schoolyard bully demanding
lunch money from a starving child so they can stay in the cool (NATO)
group. These weapons of war are not to defend Canada’s sovereign territory;
they are for NATO military interventions abroad.

It’s one of many national events the week of Nov. 22 co-ordinated by the No
Fighter Jets Coalition, a coalition of peace, environmental and social
justice groups. Please consider writing to your Member of Parliament not to
purchase these weapons.

Submitted by Dwyer Sullivan, 688 Rockway Dr, Kitchener, N2G 3B4 in
Kitchener-Center


If needed I can be reached by phone at 519-570-1323 and it will take a
voice message so I can return the call if I am not in.
-- 
Act Justly, Love Tenderly, Walk Humbly With Your God
    - Micah 6:8


-- 
Act Justly, Love Tenderly, Walk Humbly With Your God
    - Micah 6:8
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