jackmarchandbooks.bsky.social
Author of political spy thrillers. Exploring espionage, power, and deception in Canada. My debut novel is in the works—follow for deep dives into intelligence history & writing updates.
https://linktr.ee/jmarchbooks
209 posts
66 followers
64 following
Getting Started
Active Commenter
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7/7 Canada stepping up as a middle‑power global player.
“Middle powers … if they are not at the table, they will be on the menu.”
Carney frames this a strategic moment for autonomy and international influence and takes a jab straight to the heart of the Trump administrations foreign policy outlook.
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6/7 Prioritizing national security over NATO scoreboards.
“Our goal is to protect Canadians, not to satisfy NATO accountants.” 
That line lands heavy and rightly so. Carney consistent in standing for Canada's position in the world.
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5/7 Arctic sovereignty gets a boost.
Billions allocated for submarines, drones, radar, and sensors to monitor the sea floor and the Arctic.
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4/7 Diversifying procurement beyond U.S. dependency.
“We should no longer send three‑quarters of our defense capital spending to America.”
Shifting toward European suppliers, including a review of the F‑35 deal.
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3/7 Military readiness is lagging.
Only one of four submarines is seaworthy, “less than half of our maritime fleet and land vehicles are operational.” ... stating the obvious decline in military preparedness
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2/7 Canada will hit NATO’s 2% defence‑spending target this fiscal year, five years ahead of the original plan.
A bold pivot, not just accounting: this is about real preparedness.
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On policy front, after scrapping consumer carbon tax, aims to build 500K homes/year, and shifts focus from U.S. to allies like the U.K. and France. A bold start for Canada’s new PM. #ClimatePolicy #HousingCrisis #cdnpoli 3/3
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Parliament returns May 26 with King Charles III delivering the throne speech on May 27. Carney’s agenda: housing, sovereignty, and economic resilience. #cdnpoli #NewEra 2/3
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PM Carney not walking into this blind. His time navigating global financial crises and negotiating at the highest levels means he should know how to sidestep traps. Being well prepared is a warning to the Trump side
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Correct! And it’s not just “China growing more receptive”. Both sides stumbled into this trade war through faulty assumptions and missteps. The Trump team wrongly bet on Xi folding quickly, while Beijing “proved better at signaling defiance than shaping outcomes.”
As Foreign Affairs put it:
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The nonhegemonic Indo-Pacific order Acharya and Paul outline feels less predictive than descriptive at this point. Given that, how sustainable is the U.S. Navy’s forward presence in maritime zones China increasingly sees as its sphere of influence? Will the U.S. adapt, or double down?
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Beijing’s latest statement in response to President Lai’s March 13th address reflects ongoing tensions, but mischaracterizes Taiwan’s efforts to safeguard its democratic institutions. The “17 strategies” are aimed at national security and regional stability. A path to lasting peace is narrow indeed.
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The broader EU package being prepared: €800B in defense investment, surpasses Russia’s annual military budget.
Europe’s response isn’t just symbolic. It’s structural, financial, and fast-moving (by EU standards).
#EuropeanSecurity #Ukraine #DefenseSpending
www.defensenews.com/global/europ...
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Thanks for the thread. The so-called ‘debt brake’ had been introduced by his own party… now he has led his party through a rapid 180-degree turn.”
From fiscal hawks to defense hawks. #Germany #debtbrake #Bundeswehr
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100%! Canadian sovereignty means charting our own course. It’s not the time to sync with a collapsing, autocratic America. We need leaders who defend our democracy, not ones echoing foreign agendas. 🇨🇦 #CanadaSky
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Absolutely. Dems need to step up and fight. Too many weak members of Congress refuse to challenge loose donor rules, afraid to ruffle the golden goose.”
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1. Publicly funded campaigns to reduce reliance on wealthy donors.
2. Real-time transparency on all political donations & spending.
3. Enforceable limits on contributions to curb billionaire influence.
These reforms would help restore democracy’s integrity. (2/2)
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Many top democracies, like Norway, Sweden, Germany, Canada, and France, cap campaign donations & spending to curb oligarchic influence. The US, post-Citizens United, allows virtually unlimited money in politics, eroding democracy. What can be done? (1/2)
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Great list!
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9/ 📢 First major financial move by Canada’s new PM who’s a former central bank governor of two G7 countries. Few leaders understand economics and finance at this level. What does this signal for Canada’s ability in this David v Goliath battle? #CanadaSky #Economy #Finance #Geopolitics
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8/ 💬 Some say this is just routine borrowing. Others see it as a hedge against future instability. What do you think? #CanadaSky #Economy #DebtMarkets #Finance
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7/ 📉 FX stability
A trade war or financial shock could weaken the CAD. Holding U.S. dollar reserves helps Canada stabilize its currency when needed. #CanadaSky #Forex #Finance
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6/ 💡 Financial independence
If U.S. banks tighten lending to Canadian firms during a dispute, a stockpile of USD ensures liquidity. Canada hedging its bets? #CanadaSky #Markets #Geopolitics
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5/ U.S.-Canada trade war escalates, having U.S. dollar reserves gives Canada more tools to protect its economy. Liquidity is power. #CanadaSky #TradeWar #Economics
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Un...
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4/ 💵 Building USD reserves
Issuing bonds in U.S. dollars strengthens Canada’s foreign exchange reserves. Why does that matter? It acts as a buffer against economic shocks. #CanadaSky #Forex #Reserves
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3/ 📊 Diversifying investors
Selling U.S. dollar bonds brings in more foreign investors, reducing reliance on domestic debt markets. More buyers = more flexibility. #Finance #CanadaSky #Investing
www.google.com/url?q=https:...
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2/ 💰 Lower borrowing costs
U.S. dollar bonds tap deeper global liquidity, often with lower yields than CAD bonds. This means Canada can raise cash more cheaply. Smart move? #CanadaSky #GlobalMarkets #SovereignDebt
www.ft.com/content/84ca...
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Meanwhile, fossil fuel air pollution kills millions annually. Nuclear isn’t risk-free, but let’s keep the scale of dangers in perspective.
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Fair enough. Radiation exposure carries long-term risks, and affected workers deserve full recognition and compensation. But context matters: compared to the immediate devastation of the tsunami (nearly 20,000 dead), Fukushima’s impact on human health remains limited.
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Duterte’s brutal ‘war on drugs’ left thousands dead with no due process. Autocrats always think they’re untouchable ... until they’re not. Seeing him face justice is a rare but satisfying moment of accountability. Here'e to many more!
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100%. Weaponizing intelligence for political gain distorts policy while isolating the U.S. from allies who rely on trust and credibility. No one shares sensitive intel with a leaky, politicized operation. Short-term spin, long-term disaster.
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The true disaster was the earthquake and tsunami. The Fukushima meltdown was severe, but thanks to the heroic efforts of workers, not a single death was caused by radiation exposure. A testament to both human resilience and the safety of nuclear power.
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Background on Dark Storm:
news.sky.com/story/x-outa...
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He’s flailing and grasping at straws… ‘Dark Storm’ has nothing to do with Ukraine.
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Putinism isn’t about ‘success’. It’s a virus that hollows out institutions, weaponizes grievance, and sells corruption as ideology. Russia’s own decay proves it’s a dead-end model. But its spread? That’s on the West for underestimating how illiberal expansionism preys on weak spots in democracies.
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And when fire season starts, former allies won’t be rushing to aid a country that has made itself a global aggressor.
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Is it, dare I say, time for Canada to embrace its manifest destiny? 🇨🇦😏
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The risk isn’t just Trump but also the deeper erosion of institutions and public trust that makes these outcomes possible. If policies are enriching the few at the expense of the many, the real question is why the broader system allows it.
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Yes @melaniejoly.bsky.social has managed to thread the needle between diplomacy, pragmatism, and patriotism. Reinforcing international alliances in light of the realpolitik and sovereignty attacks from our neighbours to the south.
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Hope is a dangerous thing in MAGA world. Turns out ‘voice of reason’ is just another way of saying ‘waiting for someone to resist bowing at the feet of Trump’s will’. No takers so far
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Ah yes, the classic ‘I’m not siding with them, I just keep echoing their talking points, undermining their enemies, and making their lives easier at every turn.’ Very convincing.