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Question 4: SecurityIn promoting the security of Canadians, where should our priorities lie? Should
Canada give a higher priority to military combat operations? To sectors such
as intelligence gathering and analysis? Or should we focus on broader security
measures, such as combatting environmental degradation and the spread of infectious
disease? What should be our distinctive role in promoting global security? |
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| Contributor: | 1872 |
| Date: |
2003-05-01 09:26:48 |
| Answer: |
I think we forget too often that prevention is better than reaction. Why is it that we never talk about the actual causes of our so-called "security" problems (seems to me they always end up being U.S. problems more than ours)? Instead we focus on ways to control them, like the doctor who tries to cure a patient instead of telling him how NOT to get sick in the first place.
Instead of investing our tax dollars and young blood in military operations that are too often linked to economic interests of the elite, we should definitely invest in research and take a good hard look at our previous actions around the world, and those of our closest "ally" to the South, and try to avoid the mistakes that both our countries will be paying for through the next decades. Duh!
In this regard, I remind you of this excerpt from the Dialogue Paper that so makes sense to me:
"In all this, Canadians recognize that doing what is right for others is most often in our own long-term self-interest. A cleaner, safer and healthier world will contribute to a cleaner, safer and healthier Canada. An open and prosperous global community will create new opportunities for Canadians. Our future is inextricably linked to the future of others beyond our borders."
I would only add "should" after "In all this, Canadians", because it seems to me a good number of Canadians do not at all think like this, especially the ones who worry mostly about their thick wallets. I believe more efforts should be made at high levels to actually implement this statement as a government policy. |
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