No to NATO!

Anti-NATO protests across Canada this weekend

There was a NATO meeting in Montreal this weekend, which has spurred anti-NATO protests all across Canada, most notably in Montreal where the protests turned violent.

Fifty years ago, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s father Pierre tried very hard to push for a foreign policy for Canada that was independent of the United States. Most famously, he visited Cuba, and declared “Vive Cuba Libre” at a time when Cuba was at the top of America’s naughty list.

Trudeau felt that the best strategy for a small (in population) country like Canada, was to use its military in ways that made friends for Canada around the world. Accordingly, the Canadian military was frequently deployed in peace-keeping roles at the request of both sides in a conflict. The Canadian military was also available for disaster relief work in Canada, and around the world.

The elder Prime Minister Trudeau’s strategy was so successful that even American travellers often put Canadian flags on their backpacks, knowing that Canadians would be welcome in a great many countries where Americans were not.

Remnants of that strategy continued until Stephen Harper became Prime Minister. He very clearly turned Canada into America’s fawning little brother, little more than the 51st US State.

I would argue that there are now very good reasons to resurrect an ‘independent’ Canada.

If, this time next year, the BRICS++ alliance again embraces an additional dozen or so new “partners”, it could easily represent two-thirds of the world’s population, and fully half of global PPP GDP in a single trading bloc.

I’ve looked at how BRICS++ sells itself to the rest of the world. Yes, in the most public venues they make all the right noises about not being against anyone, of wanting to create a ‘multi-polar’ world.

But it’s also clear that some BRICS++ members are arguing that European ‘imperialists’ exploited and dominated much of the rest of the world for centuries. Furthermore that the United States has become a latter-day imperialist, using sanctions and other forms of bullying to similarly exploit and dominate. BRICS++ is then portrayed as a way to get out from under the thumb of the American and European ‘imperialists.’

We can argue about how accurately or not this describes the current reality of the world. What is abundantly clear is that large parts of the ‘under-developed’ world are ready to embrace it as gospel. It would be foolish to under-estimate how much resentment large parts of the world feel over past European and American behaviour.

More immediately, America and Europe supplying Israel with weapons that are killing Palestinian children daily, is definitely stoking strong anti-American and anti-European sentiments all across the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Though Donald Trump clearly recognizes the wisdom of ending current wars and avoiding future ones, the man is an unrepentant bluster bully. He has threatened to sanction any nation that de-dollarizes. He constantly waves the threat of tariffs around like a club. BRICS++ is going to have a field day portraying Mr. Trump as an imperialist bully. And, they will argue, only under the BRICS++ umbrella can the developing world find safety and shelter. And the only way for the BRICS++ nations to be truly safe is if they ditch both the dollar and the Euro.

I would argue that NATO membership for Canada is all risk and no benefit. It’s not as though NATO will ever be called upon to defend Canada from foreign attack. But it is well within the realm of possibility that Canada could be dragged into a future war in Ukraine or Poland or Latvia if some of the crazies in Eastern Europe get their way. The only way to avoid Canada being drawn into someone else’s war is to leave NATO as soon as possible.

It is not required that Canada cozy up to the BRICS++ alliance. There is no also no reason for Canada to be anti-American, or anti-European. It is sufficient to say Canada is an independent nation that seeks peace with all nations of the world. Using our military for good purposes, as Pierre Trudeau did, would support that goal. So would occasionally distancing Canada from US and/or European policies and actions. The fact that Canada is so multi-cultural also creates a great number of very personal links between Canada and pretty much all of the BRICS++ nations.

Let’s face it, America is broke and in decline. Europe is de-industrializing. Both are growing way more slowly that the BRICS++ nations. Tying Canada too closely to these slowly sinking ships is not in our national interest.

I do believe the BRICS++ nations are sincere in wanting a multi-polar world. I strongly suspect they would be much more open to closer economic ties with a clearly independent Canada, than they will be if we remain America’s obedient little brother.

If there’s a fly in the ointment here, I see no immediate political path for Canada to leave NATO.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre clearly wants to stay in NATO.

Poilievre also apparently sees nothing wrong with Israel’s behaviour in Gaza and Lebanon, which would otherwise be the obvious place to put some distance between a ‘peace-loving independent Canada’ and the US/Europe.

Though it’s clear that most Canadians have come to despise Justin Trudeau, and would dearly love to turf the man from office, I suspect the honeymoon with Poilievre may be very short.

I’m reminded of how thrilled the British were to dump the Conservatives, only to find themselves saddled with Keir Starmer. Talk about buyer’s regret! I suspect something similar may happen in Canada with Poilievre.

If I feel any cause for optimism, it is that Poilievre does seem much more open to hearing what Canadians want, than Justin Trudeau has proven himself to be. Which brings us back to the No to NATO protests. If enough people go to enough protests, I do have some hope that Poilievre might at least listen to the arguments for leaving NATO.

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PS: Though I’m making the argument here that leaving NATO would be in Canada’s best interests, similar arguments would apply for the United States as well. If any readers want to argue that issue, feel free to do so in the comments section.