Bill Shatner: Captain Kirk in the Canadian Navy(from the Ottawa Citizen)

[Ex-Dragoon]

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Life/Somnia/1940510/story.html

Captain Canada? Group wants Bill Shatner to be honorary naval chief


By Chris Lackner, Canwest News ServiceAugust 28, 2009 5:02 PM

He was captain of the Enterprise, but is Captain Kirk fit to be a captain in the Canadian navy?

A recently formed Facebook group is campaigning for William Shatner — the Canadian actor who played the iconic Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek — to become an honorary captain in the Canadian navy.

To be eligible, a candidate must be a former officer or a distinguished Canadian citizen.

The Canadian navy says honorary captains are quite visible and attend — in uniform — many prominent naval, Canadian Armed Forces and public events and ceremonies.

Current members include former prime minister Brian Mulroney's chief-of-staff Hugh Segal and Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion.

"I feel his nomination as an honourary captain will benefit the Canadian navy and the Armed Forces in general," the Facebook group's creator, Sean De L'Eveille of Detroit, writes on the page.

Attempts to reach L'Eveille were unsuccessful.

"Nominate Mr. William (Bill) Shatner as an honourary captain (Canadian Navy)" currently has 200 Facebook members.

One member writes Shatner deserves the nod because he "has been boldly going for some time now."

There's no telling what kind of honorary captain Shatner would be, but his character was known for being a rebel and going against his superior's orders.

"One of the advantages of being a captain is being able to ask for advice without necessarily having to take it," Captain Kirk says in one classic episode of the original series.

According to the navy, Shatner fits at least one of the criteria.

"He's certainly a distinguished Canadian," said Lt. Stefan Campbell of navy public affairs, admitting he's a fan. "He's just awesome. . . . I'm not going to lie to you."

Campbell said the Facebook group was an ideal way to get the attention of those with the power to bestow Shatner with the honour.

"A lot of people have (now) heard about it here in the navy," he said. "But I'm not sure where it will go."

Campbell said honorary captains act as bridges between military and civilian communities, representing diverse areas of influence such as politics, business, journalism and the arts, Campbell.

"They bring with them unique skills and connections that help to strengthen the navy's ties to Canadian communities and to promote a better understanding of maritime defence issues," he wrote in an e-mail.

Honorary captains are appointed by the minister of defence after receiving recommendations from the chief of the defence staff and the commander maritime command.

The appointments are for three years, but can be extended.

Shatner's supporters are excited at the prospect. As one member of the site writes in a post, "Scotty, beam me up to Ottawa."

The move is not without precedent. Both comedian Rick Mercer and musician Loreena McKennitt have been made honourary colonel's in the Canadian air force.

Famous Captain Kirk pearls of wisdom that could help the Canadian navy:

- "Leave bigotry in your quarters; there's no room for it on the bridge."

- "I'm a soldier, not a diplomat. I can only tell the truth."

- "There's only one kind of woman . . . or man, for that matter. You either believe in yourself or you don't."

- "Don't let them promote you. Don't let them transfer you. Don't let them do anything that takes you off the bridge of that ship. Because as long as you're there, you can make a difference."

- "We've got to risk implosion. We may explode into the biggest fireball this part of the galaxy has seen, but we've got to take that one-in-a-million chance."

- "Peace or . . . utter destruction . . . it's up to you."
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

 

[TcDohl]

Yes. Double yes. I hope this'll raise awareness among us geeks of the role that the Navy plays.

For the occasion, they should change the name of one of our ships to HCMS Enterprise for the day. That'd be awesome.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

I believe you mean "HMCS" vice "HCMS" and as a sailor we are pretty attached to the names we already have.

 

[gaspasser]

I think that's a good idea!      :nod:
Bill's a Canadian, a Shakesperean actor and iconic to boot.  He'd "fit"the role just right.





{tongue in cheek}|  he's overwieght and old...

 

[gwp]

I think that's a good idea!      :nod:
Bill's a Canadian, a Shakesperean actor and iconic to boot.  He'd "fit"the role just right.
{tongue in cheek}|  he's overwieght and old...

Perhaps the Legal Branch would consider him an honourary AJAG  (Boston Legal) or the Security Branch an Honourary MP (TJ Hooker)

 

[dapaterson]

No, look at the ego.  Definite MARS material...

 

[Cloud Cover]

No, look at the ego.  Definite MARS material...

Are you talking of Shatner or Balsillie?  The thought of Jim Balsillie, (who but for a 78 million dollar payoff to Dalton McGuinty should otherwise be in the brig), hoodwinking enough people in the right places with enough BS to convince them he is worthy of an honourary rank and a Canadian forces uniform simply sickens me.  If there were naval officers complicit in that appointment, they failed to properly assess the man for what he really is.     

 

[MARS]

No, look at the ego.  Definite MARS material...

Yes, of course he is MARS material - see below

http://forums.navy.ca/forums/threads/81866/post-786191.html#msg786191

 

[CougarKing]

Speaking of William Shatner, he has been vlogging from youtube:

The Shatner project

;D

 

[gcclarke]

There is of course one small hitch. While yes, Rick Mercer and Loreena McKennitt were made honourary LCols, they do have one distinct advantage over Mr. Shatner. They actually live in Canada. For some reason, I don't think that he would be all that willing to move back up here just for this position. Whether or not the duties would entail excess travel, well, that would probably need to be decided by him at the time, but I certainly wouldn't expect the crown to foot the bill for getting him into the country every time.

 

[George Wallace]

There is of course one small hitch. While yes, Rick Mercer and Loreena McKennitt were made honourary LCols, they do have one distinct advantage over Mr. Shatner. They actually live in Canada. For some reason, I don't think that he would be all that willing to move back up here just for this position. Whether or not the duties would entail excess travel, well, that would probably need to be decided by him at the time, but I certainly wouldn't expect the crown to foot the bill for getting him into the country every time.

Prince Charles is our "Colonel-In-Chief".  He doesn't reside in Canada.

 

[ltmaverick25]

I say lets do it.  If Shatner imerses himself in this kind of role, he will certainly be getting the Navy out in the spotlight.

 

[kratz]

The facebook group has received national and local news coverage across Canada after a week now. I checked between yesterday and today and 130 additional people have joined the group, bringing the total to 349 people who like the suggestion.

I agree with ltmaverick25, if Shatner can get himself into the role he would definitely bring exposure to the Canadian Navy. This could work well in conjunction with the current PR drive and the upcoming 100th year celebration.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Prince Charles is our "Colonel-In-Chief".  He doesn't reside in Canada.

I think most ships and units have somewhat greater expectations of activity from Colonels-of-the-Regiment, Honourary Captains, Honourary Lieutenant Colonels, and so on, than they have for Colonels-in-Chief (like HRH) whose visits are, usually mercifully, few and far between.

 

[Rifleman62]

You judge if you want to make him a Honourary. He will help to make the Navy "regular" and steam into great vacation savings.

William Shatner interviewed by Glenn Beck

http://www.bloggingcanadians.ca/NonPartisan/William_Shatner_interviewed_by_Glenn_Beck/
 
In case you missed the interesting interview of William Shatner on Glenn Beck's show the other week, here's a transcript of the show. What I found truly refreshing was Shatner's admission that he had always eyed America as something special and wonderful from across the US-Canadian border. Beck's own reference to Canada was pretty accurate too: Canada is just kind of like a crappy state. I call it "dysfunctional", but he is not that far off either. But later in the interview, Shatner got into the depths of democracy and politics and revealed himself to be a common-senser (like yours truly) and a post-partisan (like yours truly). He doesn't care about political parties and ideologies; he only believes in common sense, what is reasonable and what is right. Shatner also feels we have too many (stupid) people in this world – I agree (as does Beck).


Another source of the same interview: http://chicagoathensjerusalem.com/2009/01/17/william-shatner-on-politics/

William Shatner Makes Palin's speech in to Poetry; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/28/william-shatner-makes-pal_n_246034.html

 

[Larkvall]

Here is part 1 of the interview with Glenn Beck....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJayjQZP5Rw

 

[Neill McKay]

Prince Charles is our "Colonel-In-Chief".  He doesn't reside in Canada.

But a Colonel-in-Chief isn't the same thing as an HCol/HCapt(N).  The latter are supposed to be prominent members of the community who will maintain a certain public profile and build bridges between the military and civilian communities.  It's much more of an "oxfords on the ground" job than a Colonel-in-Chief.

 

[Sailorwest]

But a Colonel-in-Chief isn't the same thing as an HCol/HCapt(N).  The latter are supposed to be prominent members of the community who will maintain a certain public profile and build bridges between the military and civilian communities.  It's much more of an "oxfords on the ground" job than a Colonel-in-Chief.

In spite of my fondness for Star Trek and Shatner, and I would agree that he is pretty passionate about being a Canadian, the important part of being an Honourary Captain would be exposure within Canada to Canadians. I really can't see that this would be a good idea.

 

[RhumRunner]

Well I just found out that there are 16 Honourary Captains/Colonels with MARPAC. http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/marpac/10/10-w_eng.asp?category=78

Not sure if that is for both coasts as Mrs Freeman and a couple more are in the Maritimes. Then again, Mr Mercer is not listed so the list is more than likely not complete or up-to-date.

Seems to me that the "chosen ones" have been selected from the "political or financial elite" in the majority of the cases.

[[Paragraph removed because I commented without fully researching my material. I apologize for possibly mis-leading the board.]]

So if Mr Shatner gets in, why do we hold him up to a higher standard of attendance?

Really, who would you readily recognize and possibly associate with the Navy? Someone who has been in the international limelight for most of his life, or a political/financial figure that has done good deeds for his community?

Never mind Captain, I think he should be made Honourary Admiral. I will be joining the Facebook group tonight.

 

[dapaterson]

Rick Mercer's absence means nothing, as he is not a Naval Honorary, but an Air Force Honorary.

Remember, just because they travel on ships doesn't make Sea Kings naval assets...