When Ya Get Drafted ft. Ian Barclay (The North State Podcast)
Two different approaches to the same age-old problem
This week on The North State, I was joined by Ian Barclay editor-in-chief of Avant-Garde Press, journalist and veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces. We discussed two articles published by two wildly different outlets that shared the same message: mandatory service in the military is good. At a time when militarism is so easy to foster, it's important to dive into the concept with more detail.
Description
Facing worrying rhetoric by US President Donald Trump, news has turned its attention to Canada's military, with a notable trend of pointing towards the positives of conscription. Two of these articles, published from both sides of the political spectrum, suggest mandatory service as a partial solution. But even the best version of this argument plays into jingoist nationalism. Not only does it not address the situation at hand, it directs the popular will to strengthen sovereignty into misplaced nationalist militarism. Ian Barclay, editor-in-chief of Avant-Garde Press, journalist and veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, joins Scott to discuss the historical context of conscription in Canada, the faults in these arguments and how they miss the mark.
Follow Ian on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ianagp.bsky.social
Further Reading
News Media Manufactures Push for Military Draft - The Catch
The Blood Tax: Prime Minister Robert Borden and the Conscription Crisis of the First World War - Canada and the Challenges of Leadership
Canada Needs a New Civil Defence Corps - The Tyee
Why some young Swedes are uneasy about joining NATO - DW News
Vietnam Militia and Self-Defence Force - Socialist Republic of Vietnam Ministry of National Defence
Trump’s plan for ‘hemispheric control’: Steve Bannon on why tariffs may only be the start - Global News
Canada has far too few soldiers. Here's a radical fix — mandatory service - PNI Atlantic News (Saltwire)
Military involvement in racist, extremist activity ‘growing at an alarming rate’: report - APTN
Far-right infiltration of Canada's military poses a serious threat, says Winnipeg reporter - Radio Canada
Article recommended at the end of the above:
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