[R-G] Canadian Workers Demand Immediate End to War in Afghanistan

[Anthony Fenton]

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A Socialist Project e-bulletin .... No. 113 .... June 14, 2008
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Canadian Workers Demand Immediate End to War in Afghanistan
Michael Skinner

On 29 May 2009, the delegates at the national convention of the  
Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), representing more than three million  
workers from every region of Canada and Quebec, voted overwhelmingly  
to demand that the Government of Canada immediately end its  
participation in the illegal war in Afghanistan.

This CLC demand represents a significant consolidation of labour  
power. Several national unions, notably the Canadian Union of Postal  
Workers (CUPW) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) had  
already adopted policies to oppose Canada's participation in the war  
in Afghanistan. However, some powerful unions whose members work in  
the rapidly expanding Canadian military and development industries  
could profit from continuing the war. The women and men of these  
unions made the difficult decision to stand in solidarity with the  
working people of Afghanistan rather than act on self-interest.

The Afghan War and the Canadian Military
The ongoing war in Afghanistan continues to kill uncounted thousands  
of Afghan civilians and cause immeasurable suffering due to horrendous  
injuries, the displacement of people from their homes and livelihoods,  
home invasions, arbitrary arrests and torture, sexual abuse, and the  
general humiliation of Afghans. This is an illegal war that cannot be  
justified by a few extra jobs for Canadian workers.

Since the war in Afghanistan began, Canada has become the sixth  
largest military exporter in the world, according to data collected by  
the U.S. Congressional Research Service. Canada is now behind only the  
USA, Russia, the UK, Germany, and China in export volume. The U.S.  
manufactures more than all other military manufacturers combined, so  
comparing Canada's military industrial complex to the American mega- 
industry is ridiculous. But, Canada trails China -- number five on the  
list -- by only a hundred million dollars worth of exports in an  
industry that brings billions of dollars into Canada. No one knows  
exactly how many billions of dollars military exports bring into  
Canada though. Why not? Because, for the past four years, the Canadian  
government, citing security concerns, has refused to release much of  
the data regarding the export of military products to the U.S. -- our  
biggest customer.

Canada's own military spending has risen considerably. Since the war  
began in 2001, Canada rose from the position of 16th to 13th biggest  
military spender in the world, and from 7th to 6th within NATO,  
according to a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report.  
Canada's defence budget projects a 37 percent increase in spending  
from 2001 to 2010.

The Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI)  
represents more than five hundred companies. In an interview with a  
CBC journalist, the CADSI president, Tim Page, claimed his industry  
represents about 70,000 jobs in over 177 federal ridings. This may not  
seem like a large number of workers, but it represents significant  
political power. Many of these high-tech jobs are among the best in  
the country.

However, the workers who build the weapons and everything else needed  
for warfare, as well as the service workers who make the Canadian  
state function, recognise that it is the shareholders who profit most  
from the rising fortunes of the companies in Canada's military  
industrial complex. Corporations such as GM Canada, Bombardier, Bell  
Helicopter, SNC-Lavalin, CAE Electronics, Pratt & Whitney Canada,  
Canadian Marconi, and Colt Canada are only a few of the Canadian based  
military suppliers profiting from the war in Afghanistan.

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