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

[MARS]

WRT HCapt(N) Bata,

The local news was incorrect and the footage probably misleading - or not, given that the woman is 82 years old.  HCapt(N) Bata is based out of Toronto - she has been to sea many times - on a variety of classes of ships - even the KINGSTON Class ships which Honouraries tend to overlook far to often in my opinion.

If she is not seen as much on the east coast doing day sails and being fodder for the local news, it is simply because she is so busy going to AFG and the like, in addition to her myriad of other non-military affairs.  She is a whole lot busier than I will be at 82.

http://www.batashoemuseum.ca/media/background/bio_founding_chairman.shtml

http://www.cflc.forces.gc.ca/new-sp/all/doc/2009-04-eng.pdf

http://www.bata.com/about_us/orphanage_in_afghanistan.php

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vJkFJSqSoPU/SkPK_BPa0fI/AAAAAAAAAWk/24GwPVAdYZM/s400/Darcy%2Band%2BCapt%2B(N)%2BSonja%2BBata,%2BQuebec%2BCity%2B2004.jpg&imgrefurl=http://rezac.blogspot.com/2009/06/sonja-bata-doesnt-believe-in-ghost.html&h=400&w=383&sz=27&tbnid=3C1kD_aZdqo5EM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=119&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsonja%2Bbata&hl=en&usg=__JXPmGGTxc98ntiv5pW_NEB2XbvU=&ei=QCqcSuyvOMud8Qa73oTGAQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=5&ct=image

 

[ltmaverick25]

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.

Honestly, beside Mrs Freeman, I knew of only one H/Capt and that was Mrs Bata. I only knew about her because her and retinue went on a Day Sail and it made the local news. She had been a H/Capt for two decades and according to the news, that was her first public appointment as H/Capt on this coast. Judging by the footage, it looks like it awas her first trip out to sea.

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.

Captain Kirk would never again accept a promotion to Admiral.  He would insist on Captain!

But seriously, the idea has alot of hitting power.  If he wraps himself up in this, and you pair him up with a good PR guy, were bound to have too many recruits and start having to turn guys away.  Serving members may be rather ambivalent to it, but the public at large, and the media would eat it up.  And the way I see it, we as sailors, need to give them something to eat right now.  Thats not to say that were not doing great work, because we certainly are, but its not getting us that exposure.

 

[RhumRunner]

I apologise for writing comments about Mrs Bata without fully researching her. That'll teach me to base my commnents on a single source. Comment removed from my orignal post.

But really, how cool would it be to get order from H/Capt(N) William "Kirk" Shatner?

"Navigator, plot a course out of the harbour."
"EOOW, gimme all you got"
"Helmsman...engage."

 

[FDO]

Too bad James Doohan "Scotty" died. At least he served in the Canadian Military. William Shatner would better be an H/Col in the Air force. The Navy has enough problems without adding Willam Shatner. Don't get me wrong. I watched Star Trek and still do. Can't stand TNG, DS9 or Voyager. But Capt. James Tiberius Kirk as an H/Capt nope not for me.

Just my opinion

 

[dapaterson]

Kirk always had long hair.  And needs a haircut.  Therefore, Kirk needs a barbershop.

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

 

[mellian]

Too bad James Doohan "Scotty" died. At least he served in the Canadian Military. William Shatner would better be an H/Col in the Air force. The Navy has enough problems without adding Willam Shatner. Don't get me wrong. I watched Star Trek and still do. Can't stand TNG, DS9 or Voyager. But Capt. James Tiberius Kirk as an H/Capt nope not for me.

Just my opinion

Forget William Shatner, bring in Chris Pine. Rebel Kirk all the way!

 

[ltmaverick25]

Bah, some of you guys have no sence of nostalgia!!

 

[mariomike]

Too bad James Doohan "Scotty" died. At least he served in the Canadian Military.

Check out his military service!:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Doohan#Military_service

 

[FDO]

I didn't realize he had such a distinguished career. The picture in the article actually shows his missing finger in the sidewalk.