Academia strikes out

Peace research = good Defence research = bad

Personally, I think one-sided research, of which Canada has had far too much for too long, is even worse. The Security and Defence Forum provides $2.5 million in funding each year, a mere pittance compared to the massive amounts of funds distributed to other disciplines over the years.

Hawks get bucks to sell war
University centres hot on Afghan peace get left out of federal funding loop

With the the release last week of the Senate's oddly contradictory report on Canada's Kandahar mission, the country is once again awash in foreign policy polemics. But can we really have a fair Afghanistan debate when so many of the sources we rely on for info are bankrolled by the Department of National Defence (DND)?

That's the worry of peace studies experts who point out that a disproportionate number of those quoted by the media or penning op-eds on foreign affairs hail from the 14 defence, international studies and military history programs across the country receiving DND dole-outs.

Here are two organizations that I can think of off the top of my head that provide "peace" orientated funding:

Pearson Peacekeeping Centre

Trudeau Foundation - $125 million in tax dollars to found this foundation. I believe there were further funds, but haven't been able to track them yet.

Funniest quote of the article - "according a study by independent defence analyst Steven Staples."

If you know of any other related funding, feel free to drop a note in the comments.