Is Canada a peaceful country?

[CBC News]

Canada has slipped from the top 10 in a global list of most peaceful countries, according to Britain's Economist Intelligence Unit, which considered external and internal factors in the ranking. Of the 140 countries on the list, Canada ranked 11th. (Last year it came in 8th)
Canada's participation in Afghanistan was a factor in the drop, said the report's authors.
Iceland topped the list, followed by Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, Japan, Ireland, Portugal, Finland, Luxembourg and Austria. The bottom five countries were Israel, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia and Iraq.
The United States was listed at 97, while Britain was in 49th spot.
Is Canada a peaceful nation? Where do you think it should rank on the list?


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[Zzarchov]

Iceland has no military and Japan is forbidden from using military force.

I don't see the appeal in being pacifist myself. If you wouldn't react with pacifism to a domestic murderer, why would you react differently to a foreign one.

 

[karrie]

11th... that's pretty decent for a country off fighting a war.

 

[Nuggler]

Yup, we're fulla peace.

8O

 

[dancing-loon]

I would like to ask, are we Canadians satisfied, even happy, not to be # 3? It should be our aim and ambition to be in the top five!!

 

[karrie]

I guess in my mind that all depends on what qualifies a country for the top five. Would it take a completely pacifist view, devoid of any military capability to get us into that ranking?

I think it's great to walk a peaceful path. But I also think it's helpful to carry a big stick while you do so, so that if something unexpected jumps from the underbrush to attack a fellow traveler, you have an option to aid them.

 

[dancing-loon]

Aahh... you are not saying to defend himself, but his fellow traveller!! Meaning Afghanistan, US, Israel..???

I am not against having a military force and be able to defend ourselves. But to go elsewhere for no reason other than to assist an empirical force to kill, is not my Canada.

 

[karrie]

Aahh... you are not saying to defend himself, but his fellow traveller!! Meaning Afghanistan, US, Israel..???

I am not against having a military force and be able to defend ourselves. But to go elsewhere for no reason other than to assist an empirical force to kill, is not my Canada.

Things like WWII come more readily to mind. I think self defense is always a given. I don't know anyone who won't fight for themselves. But, yes, to be able to be there for the odd instance where someone is being set upon by an outside force. Instances where there is a clear need for protection and defense. I think it's important to be available for those. And I personally think a reputation of making the correct decisions in that respect should be part of what helps a nation earn a higher standing on that list.

 

[Lester]

IMO we should have a small but very well equipped cutting edge military, that is trained for defence and engineering and return to our peacekeeping roots, which once was a source of pride for Canada.

 

[Lester]

Aahh... you are not saying to defend himself, but his fellow traveller!! Meaning Afghanistan, US, Israel..???

I am not against having a military force and be able to defend ourselves. But to go elsewhere for no reason other than to assist an empirical force to kill, is not my Canada.

I don't have to help my fellow traveller....Just out run him:lol:

 

[Zzarchov]

Aahh... you are not saying to defend himself, but his fellow traveller!! Meaning Afghanistan, US, Israel..???

I am not against having a military force and be able to defend ourselves. But to go elsewhere for no reason other than to assist an empirical force to kill, is not my Canada.

Like how if someone attacks you then self defense is ok, but the rest of canadian society is to stand back and not get involved, passing popcorn with the police hoping you can take down that 220 lb crackfiend yourself

We live as a society with the belief that you are supposed to get involved in other peoples fights. Why this magically stops at our borders boggles me.

If its actually wrong to get involved in someone elses fight then its wrong inside our country too.

 

[einmensch]

Zzarchoff--Japan and Germany remain USA occupied countries--Their status is UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER --- Eh!
Note all the other countries signed peace treaties but Iraq has a constitution LOLLLL

 

[Colpy]

Zzarchoff--Japan and Germany remain USA occupied countries--Their status is UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER --- Eh!
Note all the other countries signed peace treaties but Iraq has a constitution LOLLLL

What are you talking about?

Japan and Germany have had completely independent, freely elected gov'ts for DECADES!

 

[EagleSmack]

Aahh... you are not saying to defend himself, but his fellow traveller!! Meaning Afghanistan, US, Israel..???

I am not against having a military force and be able to defend ourselves. But to go elsewhere for no reason other than to assist an empirical force to kill, is not my Canada.

So much for Canadian Peace Keepers

 

[Colpy]

Aahh... you are not saying to defend himself, but his fellow traveller!! Meaning Afghanistan, US, Israel..???

I am not against having a military force and be able to defend ourselves. But to go elsewhere for no reason other than to assist an empirical force to kill, is not my Canada.

So I guess we should have let the Germans dominate Europe, the North conquer South Korea, the USSR run into western Europe, and now we should ignore mutual defense treaties, even when the attack kills a couple of dozen Canadians......

YOUR Canada doesn't exist, it never did (except in the head of Lloyd Axworthy, where it is sometimes sadly mistaken for a brain).......MY Canada lives up to international obligations......

 

[dancing-loon]

Things like WWII come more readily to mind. I think self defense is always a given. I don't know anyone who won't fight for themselves. But, yes, to be able to be there for the odd instance where someone is being set upon by an outside force. Instances where there is a clear need for protection and defense. I think it's important to be available for those. And I personally think a reputation of making the correct decisions in that respect should be part of what helps a nation earn a higher standing on that list.

Yes, Karrie, in some instances that might be reason to step forward and come to the aid of an ally.

In the Second WW we assisted, of course, our so called "Motherland", England. BUT, England was not attacked and was not even under threat from Germany. England wanted to fight! Therefore, Canada was under no moral obligation to get involved at all. But we did, and for any losses and pains we have ourselves to thank for! We were fools but chose to call ourselves heroes.

Right now, we are again fools, but call ourselves humanitarian heroes in Afghanistan. We feel it is the right thing to do! This time it is not the Nazis, but the Terrorists, albeit they don't have a beef with us and are not threatening us, but we got to go to the other side of the globe and fight!! Our boys and girls who come back in body bags are looked upon as a necessary sacrifice, to earn a higher standing on that list.

Sorry, Karrie, I had to disturb your view of Canada. I rather agree with Lester's point of view... let's be proud peace keepers!

 

[Blackleaf]

I think some people are a bit confused.

When it means "most peaceful country" it doesn't mean which country is the least likely to wage war.

It means things such as murder rate per 100,000 people, crime rate, violent crime, prison population and military expenditure.

The US ranks low becuse of its high rate of violent crime, its high murder rate that is much higher than Britain's (England & Wales has the second-lowest murder rate in Europe although Scotland has the second-highest) and its huge prison population.

 

[Blackleaf]

Yes, Karrie, in some instances that might be reason to step forward and come to the aid of an ally.

In the Second WW we assisted, of course, our so called "Motherland", England. BUT, England was not attacked and was not even under threat from Germany. England wanted to fight!

Britain, not England, wanted to fight. And with good reason. Why should Britain, a European country, stand by to watch its fellow European countries being helplessly overrun by an evil force? It's lucky Britain, and France, decided to do something about it otherwise millions of Europeans would not be living under a NAZI Empire.

And, don't forget, if the Germans managed to invade Britain then Canada would have therefore fallen, too.

 

[Blackleaf]

This time it is not the Nazis, but the Terrorists, albeit they don't have a beef with us and are not threatening us,

Growing Islamist Terror Threat in Canada

http://counterterrorismblog.org/2006/06/growing_islamist_terror_threat.php

As shown in the arrest of 17 individuals in the Greater Toronto Area - who police sources define as "Muslims, but not Arabs" there is a growing terrorist threat in Canada. Canada continues to struggle with not just foreign terrorists, but an increasing growth of "homegrown terrorists". These arrests are reported to have links to other terror suspects worldwide and in the United States.

The RCMP indicates the recent arrests averted a massive attack, potentially three times larger than the Oklahoma City bombing, finding three tons of 3 tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer explosives - perhaps targeting a nuclear facility.

A CSIS report was recently reported to have anticipated terrorist attacks on Canada as "now probable". However, once this was reported, on May 10, CSIS spokespeople quickly minimized the potential concern to the public.

In April, the FBI announced arrest of two Georgia men who had met with three "like-minded Islamic extremists" in Toronto. The US State Department has frequently stated its concerns about the lack of terrorist controls in Canada stating that Canada is a "terror haven", and recently a Canadian senator has echoed those concerns on terror financing laws.

Canada's govt has been inconsistent in handling terrorism, and on May 23, a Canadian federal judge released on bail Al Qaeda suspect Harkat even though he lied about his Al Qaeda links.

Still, for many Canadians, the threat of Jihad is a distant concern. As former RCMP jihadism expert Tom Quiggin has stated: "A clear sense of denial exists in Canada about the degree to which terrorism activity occurs. Political correctness is wielded as a weapon against anyone who dares to speak out. Yet some of the world's most infamous terrorists have operated in Canada almost unhindered for years."

 

[lone wolf]

Britain, not England, wanted to fight. And with good reason. Why should Britain, a European country, stand by to watch its fellow European countries being helplessly overrun by an evil force? It's lucky Britain, and France, decided to do something about it otherwise millions of Europeans would not be living under a NAZI Empire.

And, don't forget, if the Germans managed to invade Britain then Canada would have therefore fallen, too.

um.... How would Canada have fallen? There's a big moat between us and U-boats weren't built with wheels.

Just an observation....