At the height of the Cold War, a statement like Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warning to the West that his country is militarily and technically ready to deploy its nuclear arsenal would have shaken the world to its core.
Now, says a Canadian expert, his words are telling of the deeply antagonistic relationship between Russia and the West, but for now, not a clear sign a nuclear attack is any closer than it was when the war in Ukraine broke out more than two years ago.
“It brought us up a notch, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But at the moment, we are still at a place where we have not gone up a notch again,” says Jane Boulden. She is a professor at the Royal Military College of Canada, as well as fellow at the Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen’s University.
Boulden says Putin’s aim is likely to be a message both domestically and abroad as Russia’s presidential election, one he is all but certain to win, is about to get underway on March 15. He is likely to get another six-year term, adding to his already 24-year-long rule over the country.
“He is trying to signal domestically that Russia is strong and powerful, but also stable. The message to the rest of the world is ‘Remember we are a nuclear power,'” she says.
Putin has made similar remarks before, but what experts are closely watching is whether there is any change on the ground. Boulden says the United States is closely monitoring the troop and equipment movements in Ukraine that would hint at a nuclear deployment.
Still, Dr. Ira Helfant, of the International Steering group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), believes the threats should be taken seriously, saying they underline the extraordinarily dangerous situation the world in which the world finds itself.
“Nuclear weapons should not be available to any country to be used in this way,” he says, adding that nuclear powers have to begin negotiations on joining the treaty on prohibitions of nuclear weapons and eliminating their nuclear arsenals. He says while this may seem counter-intuitive, this may be the right moment to start this process, while tensions are high between the U.S. and Russia.
“We need to remember there was a similar period of tension in 1962 after the Cuban missile crisis, in 1983 at the height of the Cold War, and both of those moments were followed by rapid progress towards controlling the arms race,” explains Helfant. He suggests it is time for nations to try and reach an agreement.
Canada, as a non-nuclear country, is likely to have a limited role in striking any such deal.
“It is not that we shouldn’t try, but it is unlikely that if Canada took initiative and brought both sides together that would somehow make a change,” says Boulden.
But, if there was a deal, Canada could carve itself a niche role.
“Canada, traditionally, when it has had a role to play in these areas, it has been in areas where we have expertise. For instance, how do you verify a treaty, how to make sure both sides are compliant,” she says. “We don’t have nuclear weapons, but we have a lot of nuclear technical expertise.”
Any agreement would be up to nuclear powers and their willingness to negotiate, she says, and for now, Putin’s warnings indicate no movement on that front.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
