We often talk about the financial and technical aspects of rearming Canada. Those aspects are essential and cannot be ignored.
However, it’s also important to look at a deeper aspect of rearmament, namely, what it says about our belief in the preservation of Canada.
At the most fundamental level, deciding whether or not to rearm Canada is a decision between ensuring Canada’s long-term sovereignty or putting that sovereignty at risk.
As the world becomes more dangerous, and as threats to Canada multiply at a disturbing rate, failing to rearm would represent a tacit surrender to those who want to erase Canada’s status as a sovereign nation.
Failing to rearm would mean giving up. Giving up on Canada playing a prominent role in the world, giving up on defending our citizens, and potentially giving up on Canada itself.
I don’t say that to be dramatic.
As Canadians, we are blessed to control a massive landmass brimming with nearly all the natural resources the world needs. That brings tremendous benefits and opportunities, but it also brings unwanted attention. As history shows, no country is magically guaranteed ongoing existence. Credible military strength, combined with strong alliances, is essential to national survival, particularly for a country like Canada that is a juicy target for potential aggressors.
We can ignore this if we want, but we can’t avoid the consequences of ignoring it.
Turning fear into resilience
When faced with the question of rearmament, many people understandably feel afraid. Considering rearmament means considering war, and considering war means considering death. The key is not to try to avoid the fear. After all, there are real threats to be afraid of in the world, including Russian aggression, China’s massive military buildup, and U.S. annexationist rhetoric. Rather, the key is to turn the fear into action that generates national resilience.
Resilience is what rearmament provides. A nation that is capable of fielding a strong army, air force, and navy, that can produce much of its equipment domestically, can produce its own ammunition at a rapid pace, and can count on a patriotic and motivated citizenry is a nation that commands respect from others – allies and enemies alike.
And that is the nation Canada must become if we wish to survive in an increasingly unstable and hostile world.
Protecting what we’ve built
Canadians have built a nation we can be proud of. Throughout history, we have stood up for freedom when it matters most, and despite our present challenges and errors in the past, we are still a beacon for people around the world when it comes to opportunity, human rights, and personal freedom.
We are a unique nation, built on the foundation of British, French, and Indigenous culture, while adding new cultural ideas to that foundation and continuing to evolve into a nation that is distinctly Canadian.
Many Canadians fought, struggled, and died so we could be the country we are today. Thus, we owe it to them, to ourselves, and to future generations to preserve our country and make the most of our potential.
And right now, preserving Canada means making substantial investments in our military. We must be able to defend ourselves and contribute meaningfully to our alliances. We must increase the pace of recruitment, increase the pace of domestic military production, and increase the pace of technological innovation in the defence sector, not because we believe in aggression toward others, but because we believe that what we’ve built as Canadians is worth protecting.
Spencer Fernando
Image – YouTube
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