A small group of protesters gathered outside of Cambridge MP Bryan May’s office Friday in opposition of the federal government’s proposal to update the RCAF.
In the proposal, the Canadian government would update their fighter jets replacing 16 current CF-18s with the United States made F-35 at a price tag of $7 billion.
The group is associated with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Canada and are calling on the government to stop the purchase of the new fighter jets. They want to see the money be put towards other programs here in Canada.
“We should be funding climate action, social programs and helping those in need,” said protest organizer Tamara Lorincz. “We have a climate crisis on our hands and we could be spending our money in better places.”
Outside of May’s office, about five protesters braved the cold to send their message to the Cambridge MP. Some of the protesters held signs by the road for a short time until the management company kicked the protesters off the property.
“We are out here in this cold to send a message to the government,” said protester, Stu Ross.
Ross would like to see Canadians have more of an input on decisions like these and claims that “no person, given the choice, would buy these planes instead of putting that money back into the community.”
Dan Maitlend was another sign-wielding protester who called the federal government’s acquisition of the fighter planes, “another cog in the military industrial complex.”
Bryan May was in his office but did not want comment on the protest.
The Cambridge protesters joined other groups hosting protests at Waterloo Square to continue spreading their message.
