Sam, Here is what my personal opinions and understandings are on the subject.
1. Most Canadians are against this system (some for economic reasons, others for environmental, sovereignty, no weapons in space, viability etc etc). Opinions of people of "Canada" should count in foremost. 2. Canada already participates in NORAD and has contributed it's fair share. 3. We have had a surplus for the several years. But this amount was at the expense of high taxes, social spending and dipping into the Unemployment fund and collecting GST (7% sales tax. on top of Provincial sales tax. We pay 15% total in Ontario). This money has already been spoken for badly needed spending on our infrastructure and health. This surplus amount would be a drop in the bucket for any military project. 4. This project is a blackhole. There is absolutely no end to spending. US$15 billion in the last 4 years alone. One test cost them USD 85 Mil. As past military projects have proven, costs escalate not by a incremental factor but by several folds over. Our entire military budget is around USD 7-9 bill. As you can see, fiscally this is not a responsible choice for us. Our population and economy cannot afford and finance these projects now or later through debt repayment. With the Arctic ice melting away and new ocean channels being formed, we will need more money to monitor our coastlines from coast to coast to coast. 5. So if we cannot afford it, then maybe Bush is looking for some kind of moral backing or token support. This would be akin to the coalition of the "willing" where countries contributed a handful of troops and no money to get favorable treatment or avoid being blacklisted down the road. 6. This money can be used better for intelligence operations / gathering and creating better goodwill in the world. 7. Paul Martin was really hoping for Bush to lose so that this problem would go away. He is in a bind and cannot say yes or no. There are too many other issues that are hanging in the balance because of this. Take the beef trade and softwood lumber. DG -----Original Message----- From: Sam Morris [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2004 6:05 PM To: CF-Community Subject: Re: Canada Goes to Hell Why not let him run the Pentagon too? We will always protect Canada and even without their help they will be protected by this system. All's we want is a little help and Martin comes up with this? It's not very neighborly. And I'm not talking about all of Canada just the PM. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Special thanks to the CF Community Suite Gold Sponsor - CFHosting.net http://www.cfhosting.net Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:140657 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
