What we want
- Canada’s role as a respected peacekeeping nation restored and revitalized.
- Canada to resist being involved in United States’ self-serving wars and invasions.
- Soldiers to earn better wages, have better working conditions, housing, child care and health care.
How the Liberals have failed
- The 2005 Liberal budget set aside $13 billion for the military. A majority of the cash will go toward aircraft, support ships and other big-ticket items but not to improving the welfare of soldiers and their families.
- It inflicted deep cuts on the military that was already struggling with low salaries, poor housing and aging equipment.
- Canada spends less than 1 per cent of its defense budget on United Nations-led missions, down from 93 per cent when the Liberals took power.
Why the Conservatives are worse
- Support for increased military spending without directly addressing soldiers’ needs means the Conservatives have no desire to improve working conditions.
- The Tories stress a combat role rather than a peacekeeping one.
- Harper has pledged cooperation with the U.S. on the missile defence program.
What the New Democrats say
- The NDP calls for fair salaries, decent housing, training and safe equipment for Canadian soldiers.
- Let’s get back to our role as outstanding peacekeepers.
- Reverse the stand on the costly and misguided missile defence program.
