Let’s do the math

The CBC interviewed an official from an aid agency in Afghanistan who confirmed that drought in the region puts the lives of two million Afghan children at risk. The additional aid required to deal with this urgent crisis is about $140 million and wealthy countries are dragging their feet.

The cost of a new stealth fighter jet is about $70 million, according to the Canadian government and Lockheed Martin lobbyists. According to Winston Wheeler, a longtime official in the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the cost will be at least twice that.

No matter how we do the math, Canada has a choice. We can buy two stealth fighter jets, according to Canadian estimates (or one according to U.S. estimates) or we can save the lives of two million Afghan children, now. Will Canada be a modern, just, compassionate society or an old warmonger?