People watch as a ship transits the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea on Jan. 10, 2024 in Ismailia, Egypt. In the wake of Israel's war on Gaza after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Houthi rebels in Yemen pledged disruption on all ships destined for Israel through the Red Sea's Suez Canal.Photo by Sayed Hassan/Getty Images

Jamie Sarkonak: Canada chooses irrelevance as Houthis attack Red Sea ships

Once relied upon by western nations to broker peace in the critical seaway, Canada is now a passive onlooker of terrorist attacks

by · National Post

Somewhere in the Middle East huddles a crew of 25 prisoners kidnapped from an Israeli commercial ship who are likely wondering if they’ll ever see their families again. Before their abduction by Islamist radicals on Nov. 19, they were part of the global network that brings anywhere from 400,000 to 500,000 containers to Canadian ports, delivering conveniences of modern life such as food, electronics and car parts.

Michel Maisonneuve: Canada doesn't matter to the rest of the world — and it's our own faultThe relative peace we have enjoyed since the end of the Cold War has never been as challenged as it is today, and Canada, once a reasonably formidable player on the international stage, has no role in shaping the world’s uncertain future. Our military and diplomatic capabilities have been permitted to diminish, and major voices in both defence and business have taken to warning the rest of us of the consequences.Michel Maisonneuve, Special to National Post, 06 Jan 2024John Ivison: Canada can’t defend democracy when our military’s out of service half the timeWhen Justin Trudeau spoke at the NATO summit in Lithuania in July, he trumpeted Canada’s future defence investments, from the $38.6 billion earmarked to upgrade NORAD to the $19-billion purchase of 88 F35 fighter jets.John Ivison, 21 Nov 2023