By Jason Foster
So - war has been declared. The USA has possibly bitten off more than they can chew, and they refuse to back down. Iran is not going to back down, either. They've been insulted, they've been bombed, and the forces attacking them are eager for their oil. Their leader was killed in a joint US-Israeli strike, a girl's school was bombed out, black rain is falling from the sky after their oil facilities have been bombed out, as well… so, what does this mean for the near future? Is Canada going to be getting involved?
No, we are not. I can safely say this, as of March 11th, 2026 - thankfully, Canadian MP's (Members of Parliament) and the Minister of Defence have pushed Mark Carney into clearly stating his position regarding the conflict. First, it was "we will not be getting involved.” Then it was "we cannot rule it out,” likely said to avoid creating open conflict with Donald Trump. And now, it is “never." We "will never" be getting involved in the joint Israeli-USA military strikes on Iran. There is something to be said here about Mark Carney's admittedly poor handling of this issue, especially relating to public communication - many people, me included, have been frustrated and even a bit fearful since "we cannot rule out involvement" was declared to be the Prime Minister's position, but I suppose we have bigger problems at the moment. For now, we can all breathe a sigh of relief; no, Canada is not getting involved.
So, now that we may safely analyze things from afar, what exactly is going on?
The three major players in this war are Iran, Israel, and the United States. Iran is supported by North Korea, China (tentatively), Lebanon, Russia, and Venezuela. The United States is a NATO country - in theory, this means if they are to be attacked, all other NATO countries must join in their war, and come to their aid. However, since the United States is the clear aggressor, they cannot invoke this, nor will it be likely for them to bully their way into claiming that they are the victims in this scenario.
The claim is that Iran is close to developing nuclear weapons, and that they pose an imminent threat to the United States. Glossing over the fact that the USA also bombed Iran in June of 2025, this claim can be substantiated only if you squint. Yes, the Iranian regime was oppressive and many people involved held anti-western sentiments. An imminent threat, however? Trump's quoted explanation of a ‘fact-based feeling' that Iran was going to attack first would not exactly hold up as an explanation of an 'imminent threat' in a court of law. The more plausible explanation is that Israel has been wanting to strike against Iran for a long time now - in fact, from June 13th to 24th, in 2025, there was a twelve day conflict between Israel and Iran, which is also where the USA helped bomb them, as previously mentioned. This operation is more serious, and will likely last longer than just twelve days.
So, then, how is this going to affect not only us as Canadian citizens, but the rest of the world as well? Starting with the most obvious point, gas prices will go up. They have already. Iran has currently seized control of the Strait of Hormuz, an important point for ships carrying valuable goods to pass through. The US government, as well, is spending money at an alarming rate, millions of dollars a day. This war will likely weaken their economy and the strength of their dollar even more than it already is, as well, leaving the billionaire class untouched but severely impacting those worse off. Unfortunately, since Canada still gets a great deal of its products from American producers, the price of your groceries may go up as well. The world will start to panic - though, even if you are approached by a crier announcing the end of the world, try to keep calm. We Canadians are not in imminent danger.
However, if living through COVID-19 has taught a thing or two to the general population, it's to be prepared for whatever you might face.
If you hear a bomb or missile whistling towards you or a strike of some kind imminent on your home city, take shelter immediately, away from doors and windows - even if you are outside of the radius to be burnt or vaporized, the shockwaves from such an incident will spread across the area, and glass will be shattered out of its windowpanes. In fact, in 2013, a meteorite exploded in Earth’s atmosphere, its blastwave radiating across Chelyabinsk, Russia, much like the shockwave of a high-impact explosive. Most injuries were from people who went to the window to investigate the sound of the large blast which rung out following the meteorite explosion.
If you cannot get into a building, duck and cover immediately against anything solid. A car, a building, the curb of a street - it doesn’t matter. Curl up into a ball and cover your head, keeping your eyes closed to avoid looking into the blinding flash of light which will arise from detonation. Avoid wooden buildings, as the temperature of the blast can easily make them catch on fire, and if you are caught out in the open, get inside immediately. If the bomb was a nuclear weapon, like a hydrogen bomb or atomic bomb, take a shower and discard your clothing, as these will be contaminated with radiation. Then, the best thing to do is sit tight, attempt to get connected to a local radio station, and follow any instructions you are given. A stockpile of food and water is imperative, as well.
Now this, of course, is the worst case scenario to have to prepare for - for Canadians, that is. In Tehran, as of now, or Ukraine, as of the last four years, this is likely common knowledge.
The purpose of my writing this is not to alarm or push an agenda, it is simply to inform. Many people may be pushing away the news, as of late, and knowledge of bomb safety has become less and less common (thankfully) since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. However, as the USA's federal communications commission used to say, ‘civil defence is common sense. Learn and live - be prepared in the event of a national emergency.’