--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "shempmcgurk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > In the United States it's known as Veterans' Day; in Canada and the > rest of the Commonwealth, Remembrance Day. > > And what should Canadians remember? > > Canada has had a free ride vis a vis defense for decades because our > neighbour to the south pretty much foots the bill and looks after us. > Despite having some of the most enviable natural resources on Earth > and a huges size in relation to our population that would make it > very difficult to defend against a strong military force intent upon > doing us harm, no nation thinks of touching us because we're the > closest ally of the most powerful nation on Earth. So we don't spend > anywhere near what the U.S. does and we are in the enviable position > that we can get away with it. > > I'm not knocking it; hey, if we can get away with not spending oodles > of money for defense then the money can be used for other valuable > things, such as building bridges or health care. > > Here's my suggestion for who we, as Canadians, should remember on > Remembrance Day: not only those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for > Canada during wartime but, equally importantly, let us also remember, > acknowledge and praise Mother United States, the entity most > responsible for Canada enjoying its status today as the "Peaceable > Kingdom." > > Thank you, America. >
****** Canuck defense spending is not insignificant: "As of 2007, Canada's total spending on defence was, in current U.S. dollars, $18.5–billion, good enough for sixth highest among NATO's 26 members. http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/2/10/3516472.html
