Didn't thousands of brave Canadians die in World War Two just so we could avoid exactly this kind of creeping militarism and fascist-style soldier worship? It really is just a matter of time before Stephen Harper appears in a fancy uniform with lots of gold braid and a big sash, isn't it?
Watch for the big parade of military vehicles and the air force flyover on Parliament Hill next year.
Mandatory pledges of allegiance in school and participation in "young pioneers" youth programs are probably not far behind.
Oh, and on a slightly different theme, Bill Blair can once again bite me. The media should not apologize to the police for publishing the tragic story of Constable Styles and his last words to the police dispatcher, at least not until Bill Blair and far too many of his officers go around and personally apologize to the thousand or so people they arrested or otherwise brutalized for no good reason during the G20.
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“What we want to impress upon [the new citizens], much in the same way as the RCMP officer, is that we’re here to serve them. We’re not here to beat them down. We’re not here to cause them fear,”
No Major you should not go there. The RCMP and our police forces are already associated with beating folk down and kidnapping and illegally detaining them. The police are already Harper's toys, if you want folk to continue to trust and honour you, stay the fuck away from these arseholes. Their leaders have no honour and need to resort to PR shit like this to try and improve their image. The Canadian military does not need to do that, your image is intact and can only be reduced by this association.
Get a blinking grip. Where are all the Harper Youth in their uniforms? Heck, we don't even have "…Soldiers with guns. In our cities. In Canada..." Some militarization.
If you want a "big parade of military vehicles" and lots more on a national day, go to Paris (3:40).
Is that "creeping militarism and fascist-style soldier worship?".
Mark
Ottawa
I have always thought it was kind of neat that Canada, unlike most countries, does not occasionally disappear into paroxysms of patriotism.
There was a strong opposition to mandating of the singing the national anthem at sporting events (that I agreed with then and still do.)Yet in the great republic to the south, I am surprised you can take a shit without having to sing "America the Wonderful" to make the flush work. (At least in England a quiet God Save the Queen, works).
I am a legion member, have been for 30 years, and those genuine heros I have met in the halls do NOT want attention nor care for medals, ribbons or accolades. Most are of the 'okay, I did it. Now let's get back to the important things, like hockey.' thinking.
Any uniforms and honours and all that etc reminds me the humorous list of stages of a corporate project. The final stage is "congratulations to the uninvolved."
Thanks, Rev - that needed to be said.
Mark,
If having a member of the CF at citizenship ceremonies were the beginning and end of it, you might have a point (although I would probably still question the need to have both CF member and the RCMP there). However, this is yet another item in Con militarist propaganda.
Canada is not France. We do not have a tradition of major military parades, nor do we have a past of [post]colonial deployments and wars. Nor do we have a political culture of military independence that necessitates a large armed forces able to defend the country independent of allies. So when some of us see things that start to suggest a shift in a more militarised direct for NO GOOD REASON other than a partisan political fetish, it rubs some of us the wrong way.
Also, Mark,
It is no secret that the Cons want the CF as more central element in Canada's foreign policy, likely to a degree unseen in peacetime Canadian history. A policy shift like this requires a propaganda effort that ties Canadian identity to the armed forces and places the armed forces more prominently in Canadian society, making it easier to garner firmer domestic support for international deployments and increases in defence expenditure.
It is possible to grow too fond of ones armed forces.
I had three brothers, two brothers-in-law and a sister, in the armed services, during WW11. Our young Canadian boys were blown to bits, so we wouldn't have a Canada, like we do today. Back then we didn't want fascism or dictatorship, we still don't. However, that's exactly what we are living in today.
Our Constitution is dead and gone. Our Civil Rights and Liberties, have been taken away from us. Democracy and Freedom, is no more in Canada. Harper is much like, Uncle Joe Stalin, Hitler and Mussolini, all of them evil dictators. Harper has his henchmen, and Brown Shirts too.
At the G-20 Harper was flexing his muscles. The police behaved the way they did, because Harper ordered them to. Break bones, take a man's prosthetic leg, beat the people with saps. It was a totally disgusting, fascist behavior. Harper even had, his gulags prepared ahead of time.
Herr Harper intends to spend billions, on more prisons.
Our young Canadian boys, who fought in WW11, died for absolutely nothing. You would have to work very hard, to make me believe, Harper is worth dying for.
Boris,
I hardly see the Conservatives using the CF any more than the Liberals for foreign policy purposes.
Think, just for example, from 1995 to 2006 of Haiti, the NATO mission in Bosnia, the NATO air war in Kosovo/Serbia, the NATO deployment (with tanks) to Kosovo, the East Timor and Ethiopia/Eritrea missions, the deployment of the Navy to the Persian Gulf/Arabian Sea right after 9/11, and the 2002, 2003-5, and 2006 Afghan missions (first and third being combat).
So far the Conservatives have sent the CF to deal with Somalian piracy, to Haiti, against Libya and to the new Afghan training mission.
Hardly a lot of military initiatives on their part.
Mark
Ottawa
Mark they also deployed the good name of the CF to shield them from investigation during the Afghan detainee issue.
Remember not all deployment involves boots on the ground.
Just wanna say again, Kettleing is the smoking gun, who trained them, who ordered it, fire him.
I hardly see the Conservatives using the CF any more than the Liberals for foreign policy purposes.
You don't?
Well, jeez, Mark, I'm in it. Right now. And I see it.
I see training standards swirling around the drain because we don't have enough people to do all that Harper expects to support his elementary school view of what the military is all about.
But then... I'm in it. And you never have been.
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