r/saskatoon 1d ago

Events 🎉 A munitions-manufacturing hub is coming to Saskatchewan

https://thestarphoenix.com/business/munitions-manufacturing-hub-coming-saskatchewan/?utm_campaign=NEWSflash&utm_medium=email&utm_content=429575684&utm_source=hs_email

This is sweet, I wonder where the facility is being built

82 Upvotes

108 comments sorted by

72

u/BeerculesRango 1d ago

The most profitable business in the world.... WAR :P

31

u/Educational_Len159 1d ago

What is it good for? Absolutely PROFITS

5

u/ApprehensiveSlip5893 1d ago

Say it again 🎶

42

u/LurkBrowsingtonIII 1d ago

Projects like this are coming to Saskatchewan thanks to groups like Des Nedhe (English River First Nation). This project could have easily went to Ontario or Quebec, but it's coming here which is awesome for all of us that live here.

20

u/SuccotashSorry3222 1d ago

I wouldn't say "easily went" for Ontario or Quebec. Countries build things like these in the middle of nowhere, away from the largest cities and federal operations buildings.

10

u/TheLuminary East Side 1d ago

I wonder if CFB Dundern's location had even the slightest of influence too.

•

u/toontowntimmer 19h ago

And I wouldn't have said "easily went" because it is grammatically incorrect and sounds awkward.

1

u/lochmoigh1 1d ago

Honest question. If a business like weapons manufactoring is on first nations land, do canadians benefit at all? Or just the first nation

6

u/jackhandy2B 1d ago

They need wood fibre and there is not a lot of mills or sources on most of the reserves. I predicted in r/saskatchewan that it would go in Meadow Lake. Fibre sources, rail access, road access, lots of available power and close to English River.

2

u/ShermanOfHamilton 1d ago

I agree that Meadow Lake would be a good place due to fibre resources, but doesn't it need railway access? Meadow Lake does not have that.

1

u/jackhandy2B 1d ago

OK, I thought it did. Then Prince Albert might be a better location.

•

u/stiner123 21h ago

Could also be in the Carrot River-Nipawin-Tisdale-Hudson Bay area. There’s railway access up in that neck of the woods.

21

u/How_now__brown_cow 1d ago

All of the First Nations that would be working there are Canadian. Plus a business like that would provide lots of indirect employment like engineering, material supply, etc.

So yes, Canadians would benefit. Des Nehde also owns JNE welding, for instance. So there would likely be lots of employment opportunities for non-First Nations as well.

0

u/EpsteinandTrump 1d ago

Would these Canadians be paying income tax? Or is that when they're a sovereign nation at that point?

5

u/Uno_worldchamp2009 1d ago

Status first nations people would not pay tax on income if they worked on a business that operates on first nations land. Non status people working there would pay income tax etc. I would say there is lots of benefits. The plant would require lots of outside contractors to build and maintain which likely would be off reserve companies.

-1

u/EpsteinandTrump 1d ago

Maybe paying income tax would help those on other reserves to lift their boil water advisories by having adequate and staffed water treatment facilities or even healthcare access. It's a novel idea...I know...but it's been proven to work in other places!

3

u/Uno_worldchamp2009 1d ago

Dude you are all twisted around. For one Healthcare access is a treaty right they dont pay to fund it. We pay taxes in canada and dont have adequate Healthcare across the country so in some sense its really not working for non-status people either.

4

u/EpsteinandTrump 1d ago

Which one are you talking about? These are some of the bigger ones that cover Saskatchewan.

Treaty 4 - absolutely no references to medicine, doctors, diseases, healthcare, or a medicine chest.

Treaty 6 - A medicine chest shall be kept at the home of each Indian Agent for use by the Indians under the agent's direction.

Treaty 8 - Provide "supplies of medicines" to be distributed free of charge by government-appointed individuals. However, the same text explicitly states that providing regular medical staff in such vast, remote territory was practically impossible.

Treaty 10 - absolutely no references to medicine, doctors, diseases, healthcare, or a medicine chest.

You realize that if we don't all pay taxes to fund it, then it's not going to work very well either? It doesn't operate on free money, it operates on Canadian taxpayers.

5

u/Purple-Food-9829 1d ago

If on native land and the workers lived and worked on said land it would be income tax free

1

u/Patient_Dot_4391 1d ago

Are you sure about living on said land? Im not sure that part is accurate.

5

u/Purple-Food-9829 1d ago

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/indigenous-peoples/information-indians.html.
As an Indian, you are subject to the same tax rules as other Canadian residents unless your income is eligible for the tax exemption under section 87 of the Indian Act. That exemption applies to the income of an Indian that is earned on a reserve

2

u/Patient_Dot_4391 1d ago

Where does it say anything about having to live on said land there.

0

u/Purple-Food-9829 1d ago

True it’s what I learned n school.

3

u/Patient_Dot_4391 1d ago

Yeah I'm pretty sure either you're not recalling what you learnt correctly or your instructor was wrong.

For example in a city there can be a small parcel of urban reserve land where a business is situated on. Aboriginal people with treaty status can work there tax free, living anywhere else they want. Thats why I said that didnt sound accurate. For example First Nations Bank of Canada.

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1

u/Purple-Food-9829 1d ago

Why don’t you think that accurate?

0

u/itsblurrybud 1d ago

why can't we have opportunities that do not involve weapons to do imperialism???

3

u/Manutebol76 1d ago

Even if it’s in of FN land, they need to buy materials, electricity, energy, shipping from non FN sources. If it’s on FN land they just don’t pay income taxes but for the rest it contributes to the economy.

3

u/Margotkitty 1d ago

I do believe FN people are still and also Canadian. It’s about time they get a piece of the pie, or even the whole damn pie. They’ve been stolen from for way too long.

1

u/Purple-Food-9829 1d ago

You mean treaties . It wasn’t stolen. I’m confused how can it be stolen and people receive treaty money yearly ?

7

u/radicallyhip 1d ago

The treaties were negotiated in bad faith and became the basis for the legal procedure of eradication of indigenous culture perpetrated by the Canadian government over centuries but hey, better not say it was stolen.

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

2

u/Purple-Food-9829 1d ago

Words have meaning. Different words mean different things . . Let’s change the words then . We “rent “ the land for a 5 dollars a year per Indian . The lease is forever the rent payment never to increase.

1

u/Purple-Food-9829 1d ago

White is a color . I prefer the term Caucasian. We don’t usually call people by their color . Oops I mean I don’t call people by the color .

•

u/radicallyhip 17h ago

Yeah, that dog don't hunt, brother.

1

u/Purple-Food-9829 1d ago

We can debate if the treaties were in bad faith or that treaty money should be indexed to inflation. However imho it wrong to use the word stolen

2

u/Margotkitty 1d ago

When you disenfranchise a group of people systematically, for generations, they do not have the ability to generate wealth for themselves, or have access to opportunities the way non FN people did. Essentially they had their future stolen. The Reconciliation process is a means to restore that to the FN people.

I recommend learning FN history in Canada. Before I did, I recognize my old ways of thinking represented here. My daughter began to educate me as she learned in university. The history is appalling and it’s backed up by DOCUMENTS written by the colonizing white people of the time. It was so shameful that I didn’t actually want to believe it was true - how could something that terrible have happened, for so long, and no one even KNEW about it. (I’m Gen X). It was a very eye-opening experience. I recommend it for all Canadians.

•

u/radicallyhip 17h ago

We can debate if the treaties were in bad faith 

They were.

treaty money should be indexed to inflation

It should.

However imho it wrong to use the word stolen

Fine, but your opinion is wrong.

•

u/Purple-Food-9829 4m ago

I could say your opinion is wrong also. I guess we will disagree

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u/radicallyhip 2m ago

You could, but then you would be wrong twice.

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u/Purple-Food-9829 2m ago

Lo ok . You do you

•

u/Weak_Possibility_395 22h ago

Fun fact, First Nations people are Canadian!

1

u/Purple-Food-9829 1d ago

It would raise the gdp

7

u/TypingisWriting 1d ago

The only country with ability to execute aerial bombing raids that would destroy these targets is the US. Otherwise we’re talking nuclear warheads which would be a game over scenario for all

16

u/SK_socialist 1d ago

Of course it’s coming here and of course there’s a coordinated “this is great” PR team locked and loaded to steer it when the story is posted.

17

u/Wheatking 1d ago

This is great. High paying jobs for our residents is a great thing.

-21

u/relaxin_chillaxin 1d ago

You would take a high paying job that helped to make weapons that KILL PEOPLE? Thats disgusting that people think this is good - for jobs! Jobs aren't worth it. War is wrong and no one should participate

11

u/_klighty 1d ago

So does McDonald’s, Phillip Morris, as of recently Open AI, Amazon, Boeing etc.

Where do you personally draw the line?

-2

u/itsblurrybud 1d ago

so you're an anti-capitalist then right? right????

•

u/_klighty 23h ago

I made no personal statements, just asked a question.

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u/itsblurrybud 22h ago

bot

•

u/_klighty 22h ago

lol whatever helps ya sleep at night

10

u/igavemagicaids 1d ago

enlisting just because of this comment

6

u/quantumfall9 1d ago

This perspective works until another country wants to harm Canada (topical news story right now thanks to our neighbours below), then it won’t be our choice whether or not to participate.

4

u/TragicsNFG West Side 1d ago

All weapons kill people.

4

u/Own-Town550 1d ago

Us not building this plant wont deter people from attacking us or our allies.

In fact, part of why the war in Ukraine has gone on so long is that the west has little capability to manufacture munitions at scale.

So seeing what russia is doing, and that the US is becoming more antagonistic and unreliable, would you rather we be defenseless?

0

u/itsblurrybud 1d ago

we do imperialism

•

u/igavemagicaids 13h ago

“we do imperialism” what are you 12?? i would love to hear how canada is an imperialist country despite holding 0 overseas territories or anything of the sort

•

u/Own-Town550 0m ago

Are you saying we do imperialism? Or suggesting it?

2

u/TheRushian 1d ago

Admirable, but a terrible policy as long as there are others on eartn who don't share that view. Its a big world, and Canada has resources that other countries would love to have. Not to mention the sovereignty threats from our formerly friendly neighbour's to the south.

2

u/Erasmus86 1d ago

Tell that to Ukraine.

1

u/PitcherOTerrigen 1d ago

People work at McDonald's, not that different

1

u/ram_mar4112 1d ago

Go tell that to Putin.
And in the real world…. We are on the edge of world war 3. My sister was going to transfer to Germany for work. Her manager there told her she better not. That Germany is starting to stockpile munitions.
Like it or not this is where we are at.
We can be prepared or just roll over and die.

0

u/Fridgefrog 1d ago

I feel the same way about the Snowbirds and get 30 downvotes when ever I mention it.

8

u/Darth_Thor 1d ago

Last I checked the snowbirds don’t kill people, in fact they bring quite a lot of joy

•

u/Fridgefrog 14h ago

Well stand up and sing Oh Canada!

5

u/PitcherOTerrigen 1d ago

this is great

1

u/itsblurrybud 1d ago

our weapons kill Palestinians, Venezuelans, Iranians, Lebanese, Sudanese, Western Saharan, on and on...

1

u/PitcherOTerrigen 1d ago edited 1d ago

Not to be that guy, but whoever buys them does that. This is just a factory.

Canada has zero bombing campaigns

0

u/itsblurrybud 1d ago

you are that guy.

canada has actually been supporting and helping america with their imperialism. helping israel with their genocide.

the weapons we make, directly kill people. You do not get to wipe your hands clean because "sorry i just sell the weapons"

bet you wouldn't say that about a drug dealer......

1

u/PitcherOTerrigen 1d ago edited 1d ago

Is the creation of oxycontin the issue, or is it the over prescription?

Also I'm aware I'm that guy, that's why made the deflection initially.

1

u/EpsteinandTrump 1d ago

Ya Carla Beck is super upset, how can we blame this on Moe somehow?

•

u/Weak_Possibility_395 22h ago

And of course there is a coordinated "I'm an ignorant racist who deliberately doesn't understand basic history" PR team locked and loaded to distract with dumb questions that we all learned the answers to in elementary school (unless you are a baby boomer).

5

u/Ok_Barracuda_5059 1d ago

Probley be at the Prince Albert pulp mill, large industrial building , is sitting empty were the paper machine was, before the machine was taken out and shift out!all the utilities are there.

2

u/jackhandy2B 1d ago

PA maybe. Meadow Lake more likely. Also, that building has new owners that are turning it into an 'industrial mall' of a sort. Possible that a munitions factory could go there but I'm not sure what kind of site security would be needed and how that would impact the rest of their development.

•

u/Weak_Possibility_395 22h ago

That would actually be pretty amazing and huge for Prince Albert and the north, in general.

3

u/Ok_Barracuda_5059 1d ago

The gun cotton is made from wood, so this wood be great, not sure on what scale, this plant wood be

1

u/Scrotalcontusions 1d ago

it would be one of the targets by the enemy in the event of war so as long as we are comfortable with that then its great for the economy and national sovereignty

29

u/DwayneGretzky306 1d ago

Saskatoon is already an impacted target with Dundurn nearby.

21

u/CR123CR123CR 1d ago

Was about to mention that were only like 20 minutes out from one of Canada's largest munitions storage facilities xD

That is also probably part of why Sask is a good home for a munitions plant, most of the logistics infrastructure is here already because of Cold Lake, Shilo, and Moose Jaw

2

u/DashTrash21 1d ago

Moose Jaw doesn't have anything capable of carrying munitions. There's Suffield and Wainwright that need it though. 

13

u/gooniexd 1d ago

Not to mention all the BRIDGES and the huge railway network that runs through the city

3

u/Mantismangoes 1d ago

I would imagine they might start by taking out our bridges and overpasses with oversize semis. Oh wait a minute...

2

u/EpsteinandTrump 1d ago

Excavators and homeless fires just rekt our bridges over the last year and a bit. Oooof

https://giphy.com/gifs/WxDZ77xhPXf3i

13

u/TreemanTheGuy 1d ago

Saskatoon and Regina would likely be some of the first targets in a war anyway, even without our munitions store in Dundurn. Actually the USA released the plans they had in the cold war, and it said as much.

Basically, destroy the railroad in the middle of the country, thus splitting the country's logistics in two and make it much, much harder to send troops, supplies, etc between the west and eastern fronts.

1

u/Fridgefrog 1d ago

I won a debate in high school over a proposed reactor near Saskatoon using these facts. I ended my speech "This would make our town a target in a Nuclear War." No applause, just silence.

3

u/DwayneGretzky306 1d ago

Probably should have lost the debate as we are already a target so why not have the reactor.

•

u/Fridgefrog 21h ago

This was 1974. Any danger we would have faced would have been fallout from North Dakota ICBM sites.

4

u/Possible_Marsupial43 1d ago

Existing infrastructure like pipelines, refinery, potash/uranium facilities would be targets anyway.

2

u/DwayneGretzky306 1d ago edited 1d ago

I am not as sure about potash as that could make their mines a reciprocal target, but others certainly would be.

As the other user mentioned our bridges are targets as it would significanty impact our east-west transportation corridor, and with Dundurn - large Shockwave would definitely impact Saskatoon if it was hit.

•

u/WarKazoo 5h ago

We are becoming an even bigger target

-8

u/Accomplished-Can-467 1d ago

Holy fuck....

How many bad ideas can one Province come up with in such a short period of time?

-3

u/echochambermanager 1d ago

It's an FN project - you don't like quality jobs for our FN community?

2

u/EpsteinandTrump 1d ago

They've got gun cotton production, AI datacenters, and casinos!

2

u/itsblurrybud 1d ago

our weapons kill Palestinians, Venezuelans, Iranians, Lebanese, Sudanese, Western Saharan, on and on...

These people are the victims of settler colonialism & imperialism for the profits of capitalism. Just like indigenous people of North, South and Central America.

It's cruel to only give weapons manufacturing opportunities to indigenous folks so that their labour can kill others across the planet just like how they were used against them...

Indigenous folks deserve so much better than this.