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Larry Kazdan's avatar

Cutting non-defence expenditures to pay for increased military spending is discretionary, and not an economic necessity. Canada currently has 1.5 million people actively seeking work who, if employed through targeted spending, could increase production of goods and services that reduce inflationary pressures.

In contrast, reducing government services and transfers would increase joblessness and decrease the service supports that the unemployed and their families depend on.

Hiking expenditures in the defence industries could take up some of the employment slack, but avoids the bigger picture. Doubling NATO spending will likely spark an arms race with non-NATO countries, and the increased greenhouse emissions from military activities will undermine our efforts to address climate change.

We can afford to protect our services, keep employment high, and bolster our security but it must be done in a thoughtful way that does not turn the world into a volatile tinderbox of countries armed to the teeth.

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Tom Parkin's avatar

Informative post, thank you

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