There are no upcoming events right now.
Why not post one?
Recent Articles
- Justice for Indigenous Peoples is Long Overdueby Ryan McGreal, published June 30, 2021 in Commentary
(0 comments)
- Third-Party Election Advertising Ban About Silencing Workersby Chantal Mancini, published June 29, 2021 in Politics
(0 comments)
- Did Doug Ford Test the 'Great Barrington Declaration' on Ontarians?by Ryan McGreal, published June 29, 2021 in Special Report: COVID-19
(1 comment)
- An Update on Raise the Hammerby Ryan McGreal, published June 28, 2021 in Site Notes
(0 comments)
- Nestlé Selling North American Water Bottling to an Private Equity Firmby Doreen Nicoll, published February 23, 2021 in Healing Gaia
(0 comments)
- Jolley Old Sam Lawrenceby Sean Burak, published February 19, 2021 in Special Report: Cycling
(0 comments)
- Right-Wing Extremism is a Driving Force in Modern Conservatismby Ryan McGreal, published February 18, 2021 in Special Report: Extremism
(0 comments)
- Municipalities Need to Unite against Ford's Firehose of Land Use Changesby Michelle Silverton, published February 16, 2021 in Special Report
(0 comments)
- Challenging Doug Ford's Pandemic Narrativeby Ryan McGreal, published January 25, 2021 in Special Report: COVID-19
(1 comment)
- The Year 2020 Has Been a Wakeup Callby Michael Nabert, published December 31, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- The COVID-19 Marshmallow Experimentby Ryan McGreal, published December 22, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- All I Want for Christmas, 2020by Kevin Somers, published December 21, 2020 in Entertainment and Sports
(1 comment)
- Hamilton Shelters Remarkably COVID-19 Free Thanks to Innovative Testing Programby Jason Allen, published December 21, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
- Province Rams Through Glass Factory in Stratfordby Doreen Nicoll, published December 21, 2020 in Healing Gaia
(0 comments)
- We Can Prevent Traffic Deaths if We Make Safety a Real Priorityby Ryan McGreal, published December 08, 2020 in Special Report: Walkable Streets
(5 comments)
- These Aren't 'Accidents', These Are Resultsby Tom Flood, published December 04, 2020 in Special Report: Walkable Streets
(1 comment)
- Conservation Conundrumby Paul Weinberg, published December 04, 2020 in Special Report
(0 comments)
- Defund Police Protest Threatens Fragile Ruling Classby Cameron Kroetsch, published December 03, 2020 in Special Report: Anti-Racism
(2 comments)
- Measuring the Potential of Biogas to Reduce GHG Emissionsby John Loukidelis and Thomas Cassidy, published November 23, 2020 in Special Report: Climate Change
(0 comments)
- Ontario Squanders Early Pandemic Sacrificeby Ryan McGreal, published November 18, 2020 in Special Report: COVID-19
(0 comments)
Article Archives
Blog Archives
Site Tools
Feeds
By UrbanRenaissance (registered) | Posted April 27, 2009 at 08:54:00
"You don't think it's wrong to profit from war and imperialism? In broad terms you don't see a problem with the military-industrial complex? "
Seriously?
As someone who works in the Canadian aerospace industry let me tell you, if there is a "military industrial complex" in this country, Canadian aircraft manufacturers aren't allowed in. Nearly all of our current military aircraft have been purchased from other countries (i.e. the United States). This nation hasn't created an offencive military aircraft since the Arrow. Even the Canadian branches of American aerospace companies don't provide critical military parts. (Pratt and Whitney's plant in Mississauga makes engines for examples, except they don't make the crucial turbine or fan blades because the production of those are deemed too sensitive by the US government to be made outside the US.)
As for Bombardier, their military division was sold off 6 years ago to Spar Aerospace (now MDA Aerospace) as part of its recapitalization plan. Currently their only military services are converting their civilian planes to unarmed transports, trainers, and patrol craft, as well as providing flight training services to new pilots. I for one would love to see Bombardier trains through this city, the new ones the TTC ordered are light-years better than the old trains.
Now here comes a somewhat off topic rant, feel free to skip if you'd like...
Yes the aerospace industry has its dark side, but its also done a lot of good, (water bombers for forest fires, air mail, satellite communication, GPS, and also a huge boost to the environmental movement once regular people saw how small and fragile the planet looks from space), and unlike the auto industry, every generation of aircraft is more efficient than the last, even the largest modern planes practically sip fuel (on a per passenger basis) compared to the earliest models.
Bayer made poison gas for the Nazis, IBM sold them computers (or at least what passed for a computer at that time), does that mean we shouldn't use Aspirin or IBM products? Not to mention the fact that almost every modern car maker was making military products of some sort during the two world wars. I'm no war monger but I absolutely take exception to the statement that this nation profited from "war and imperialism", and the idea that we should pass on supporting a strong Canadian business for a product this city needs because they accept military contracts, especially when those contracts are limited to non-combatant roles.
Okay rant's done...
Raising the Hammer and user name character limits since '09
Permalink | Context