# Time to remember the Mac-Paps?



## The Bread Guy (24 May 2012)

It is according to this _Toronto Star_ op-ed writer.... 





> "Quick, identify the Canadian battalion that celebrates its 75th anniversary this month.
> 
> If you didn’t guess the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion you’re not alone. Few would.
> 
> ...


Technically, the anniversary would be 1 July, when the Battalion was officially stood up in Spain.

I've also attached then-Governor General Adrienne Clarkson's speech at the dedication of the Mac-Pap monument in Ottawa in October 2001 - links to the speech on the GG's web site don't seem to work anymore.


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## Colin Parkinson (24 May 2012)

The problem with celebrating this event is it shows how shallow the "new left" is when it comes to hardcore commitment to the cause.


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## Danjanou (24 May 2012)

Colin P said:
			
		

> The problem with celebrating this event is it shows how shallow the "new left" is when it comes to hardcore commitment to the cause.



Colin remember they were all (white) men and used guns and violence and stuff, not very "progressive"  now were they  :


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## The Bread Guy (24 May 2012)

Danjanou said:
			
		

> Colin P said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good points - milpoints inbound to both of you.....


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## Colin Parkinson (24 May 2012)

Danjanou said:
			
		

> Colin remember they were all (white) men and used guns and violence and stuff, not very "progressive"  now were they  :



So can we stand up a battalion of diverse Canadians of leftist persuasion to carry their beliefs into the Congo/Afghanistan/Syria/Somalia/Sudan? 

We can equip them with rainbow coloured helmets and orange coveralls.  8)


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## Danjanou (24 May 2012)

Colin P said:
			
		

> So can we stand up a battalion of diverse Canadians of leftist persuasion to carry their beliefs into the Congo/Afghanistan/Syria/Somalia/Sudan?
> 
> We can equip them with rainbow coloured helmets and orange coveralls.  8)



works for me, perhaps we could recruit from this lot?  >

http://www.google.ca/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=822&q=ndp+caucus&gbv=2&oq=NDP+ca&aq=3&aqi=g5g-S5&aql=&gs_l=img.1.3.0l5j0i24l5.1731.3447.0.6489.6.6.0.0.0.0.78.390.6.6.0...0.0.Ss6txlhCI60#hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=ndp+MPs&oq=ndp+MPs&aq=f&aqi=g1g-S3g-mS6&aql=&gs_l=img.12..0j0i24l3j0i5i24l6.19531.21637.0.25584.5.5.0.0.0.0.78.328.5.5.0...0.0.7P9NEuiJs6o&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=696d0eac5feaaad1&biw=1280&bih=822


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## The Bread Guy (24 Jun 2015)

Bumped with a bit of the latest from the "wet coast"....


> A Mac-Pap Memorial Stone was unveiled at a joint Cumberland Museum and Canadian Veterans Memorial Ceremony at the Cumberland Cemetery, Saturday, June 20. The cost of the stone was covered by B.C. supporters of the Mac-Paps, as well as the national charity organization “Friends of the Mackenzie Papineau Battalion”.
> 
> The Spanish Civil War is often seen as a prelude to World War II. The civil war began on July 18, 1936, as army officers attempted to overthrow the democratically-elected Republican government.
> 
> ...


And how many of those highlighted in yellow died in political purges?


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## Bird_Gunner45 (24 Jun 2015)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> Bumped with a bit of the latest from the "wet coast"....And how many of those highlighted in yellow died in political purges?



It's weird how people who are non-interventionalist would support the memorial of the Mac-Paps, who were essentially mercenaries (I dont believe that they were ever officially authorized by Canada) fighting a war of intervention in Spain. I guess armed intervention is ok in some cases then?


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## Colin Parkinson (24 Jun 2015)

Most of them are dead and can't say embarrassing stuff now.


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## The Bread Guy (24 Jun 2015)

Bird_Gunner45 said:
			
		

> I guess armed intervention is ok in some cases then?


It's the same with any group - armed intervention is OK as long as it's for "_OUR_ side".


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## Bird_Gunner45 (24 Jun 2015)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> It's the same with any group - armed intervention is OK as long as it's for "_OUR_ side".



True.. that's why we dont have memorials for Canadians who went and fought for the Republican side. Or a mention that the Republican side was, essentially, communists (Mac-Pap was led by a trade union organizer). That wouldn't fit our narative.


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## daftandbarmy (28 Jun 2015)

Bird_Gunner45 said:
			
		

> True.. that's why we dont have memorials for Canadians who went and fought for the Republican side. Or a mention that the Republican side was, essentially, communists (Mac-Pap was led by a trade union organizer). That wouldn't fit our narative.



It will be if the NDP get voted in


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## Sigs Pig (29 Jun 2015)

I've also attached then-Governor General Adrienne Clarkson's speech at the dedication of the Mac-Pap monument in Ottawa in October 2001 - links to the speech on the GG's web site don't seem to work anymore.
[/quote]

Under _some_ of the GGs pages, they have Archived speeches and messages:
http://archive.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=1331

ME


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