MAKICHUK: How Trudeau blew up Canada's defence alliance

In the classic western film, Unforgiven, William Munny, played by Clint Eastwood, holds the advantage on corrupt sheriff Little Bill Daggett, played by Gene Hackman.Munny busts into Greeley's saloon, seeking revenge for the killing of his friend Ned, played by Morgan Freeman. Long story short, Munny outdraws Little Bill and his deputies, and has him in his shotgun sights.Little Bill remarks: "I don't deserve this... to die like this. I was building a house."To which Eastwood delivers the famous line : "Deserve's got nothin' to do with it."He then lets Little Bill have it square.Well folks, Breaking Defense, one of the best military websites going, recently published a piece by two respected journalists, that implies that Canada deserves to be in AUKUS Pillar II. In fact, the nuclear submarine group (which includes Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and possibly Japan) is missing out by not having us in the house.To this I say, "Deserve's got nothin' to do with." And I shall explain why, point by point.AUKUS Pillar I, is the centrepiece of the agreement equipping Australia with the highly sensitive technologies it needs to build nuclear submarines.The SSN-AUKUS is a planned class of nuclear-powered fleet submarine intended to enter service with the Royal Navy in the late 2030s and Royal Australian Navy in the early 2040s.AUKUS Pillar II focuses on an array of advanced capabilities and is quickly emerging as the Indo-Pacific alliance-of-choice for managing technology cooperation in the region and preventing Chinese overmatch.We're talking about strategic areas such as AI, quantum, hypersonics, and critical minerals. All extremely important, as the group goes forward. As such, authors Mohammed Soliman and Elliot Silverberg argue:"Participation in a mature technology alliance such as Pillar II could help quell anxiety about Canada’s future ability to meaningfully support its security partners."If this is the crux of the argument, I have reason to believe that this is nothing more than day-dreaming.I mean, seriously. Look at the facts. The Trudeau government's laughable commitment to raising defence expenditures to 1.76 percent of GDP by 2030 has drawn sharp criticism. The authors even admit that Ottawa is now facing international pressure to spend more and to pay our fair share, particularly over the shaky path to cross the NATO target of 2 percent GDP on defence spending — a number it exceeded through the early 1970s.The latter criticism has caused some politicos in the US to openly label us a bunch of laggards, taking advantage of America's military umbrella.U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, even accused Canada of “riding on America’s coattails” at a recent security forum.“They have the safety and security of being on our border and not having to worry about that. I think that’s shameful. I think if you’re going to be a member nation and participant, you need to do your part,” Johnson said.Yes, being part of Pillar II could lift Canada's defence spending, but frankly my dear, we don't deserve it.." ... while Australia and the United Kingdom slowly inch toward new submarines, AUKUS must necessarily focus on the full-spectrum integrated deterrence toolkit of economic and technology cooperation that is instantiated in Pillar II in order to be relevant. With careful scoping, this aspect to AUKUS strategic positioning could align with Canada’s own priorities.What priorities? For the last decade, Canada has been run by a Green-loving snowflake prime minister, who has decimated our military. The latter reality draws gasps from our American friends. They simply don't understand why we keep a prime minister like this in power — it's beyond their comprehension. And ours as well...And why should we benefit from Pillar II economic cooperation when our stance with China remains highly questionable?This is a prime minister who once proposed PLA troops practise alongside Canadian troops in Arctic exercises! He also went ballistic when it was quickly shut down by a phone call from the Pentagon to Armed Forces brass. Canada's priorities have absolutely nothing to do with that of AUKUS ... not even close.While the US defends us night and day, our priorities are carbon save-the-world fantasies."Canberra and London should also consider the potential for Canada’s Pillar II candidacy to drive political momentum across the United States for meaningful technology transfers."I hate to be the skunk at the fair, but why should the US risk technological transfers to a country that could leak it all to the Chinese in a fortnight?We are not, and have never been, on a war footing with China. We might even represent a Sino-Trojan horse.AUKUS members have seen the light, they know that China is the true enemy. Not Crazy Ivan in the Kremlin. That's another story entirely."Canada’s proactive efforts to build resilient critical minerals production, evident by recent amendments to its Investment Canada Act and 2022 Critical Minerals Strategy, align well with AUKUS objectives to secure these essential inputs for defense industrial production."That much is true, but talk about too little too late. And quite frankly, Canada should help the US and its allies with critical minerals universally. We do not deserve a big birthday party for this, folks. We should be doing this anyway.And by the way, China is trying to buy the new lithium discovery in Manitoba — CSIS is trying to stop them."For Washington, Canadian participation in Pillar II offers a chance at forging a truly robust and active technology free-trade zone with its closest allies."Riggghhhhhht. I could just see US officials rolling their eyes at this Wizard of Oz logic. Like this could ever happen in our lifetime. For starters, the word itself, "robust" does not exist in Ottawa. Not under Trudeau and his Gang of Green thugs.I mean, even if Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives get in, the chances of this happening, well ... we'll sooner see the Toronto Maple Leafs, win the Stanley Cup, sad to say. (No offence to the mighty Leafs, of course.)"Canada should be an obvious and easy choice for any potential expansion of AUKUS. Yet its omission thus far from these discussions presents real questions about both Ottawa’s seriousness and the pact’s ability to rapidly expand beyond its existing contingent."AUKUS doesn't need to expand beyond its existing contingent, especially if they seek to keep these new technologies secret. What could AUKUS possibly gain by risking the inclusion of Canada?Trudeau & Co. have done such a great job of chasing away investment, that this is not even a credible issue. And no, we are not an obvious and easy choice for potential expansion. We simply don't deserve it, in any way, shape or form.As House Speaker Johnson said, our track record is "shameful." How is that supposed to get us into this exclusive military club?If Canada were a movie with a guaranteed happy ending, Mr. Poilievre would right the wrong and fix Canada's military — making our Five Eyes allies take notice. But Mr. Poilievre — should he gain a foothold of power in Parliament, will have many other priorities to deal with before AUKUS Pillar II.Setting a short-term deadline for extending Pillar II participation to Canada would represent a significant accomplishment for AUKUS as it nears its third birthday.Give your heads a shake! A significant accomplishment for AUKUS? How so? If anything, they shouldn't touch Canada's involvement with a barge pole. This is a ridiculous statement.Deserve's got nothin' to do with it.