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This is a draft letter I am submitting to some local papers. Feel free to copy and sign your own name and submit it to your local paper. It was drafted in a moment of frustration.
Dear Editor and fellow Canadians,
I would first like to extend my families deepest condolences to the family and friends of Lt. Chris Saunders. An outstanding Canadian who volunteered to serve his country and protect the values we hold dear. There is no greater love than a man who lays down his life for his friends.
In the coming days the media will try and determine blame, politicians will justify their ineptness and the public will offer their sympathies and go on with their lives and continue to be blissfully ignorant until the next tragedy happens.
Canadians are living a self righteous myth. The quintessential Canadian anecdote is that of the maple-leaf wearing backpacker traveling the world and receiving accolades just because they are peace keeping Canucks. Let me quickly dispense this myth. The respect and admiration the world had for Canadians was founded on the courage, professionalism and strength of our military. We are cashing checks on a reputation founded on the sacrifice and duty of a few heroic men and women. Our standing in the world is diminishing as a result of not being able to meet our global commitments, or even patrol our own boarders. The Liberal government want us to think we are great peace keeping contributor, however we rank in the bottom third of troop suppliers in the United Nations- behind countries like Bangladesh and Nigeria. There are more police and fire fighters in the city of Toronto than there are active duty personal in the Canadian Forces.
The Buffalo, Hercules, Sea King, are over forty years old. Our premier fighter aircraft the CF-18 is currently under going a â Å“modernization programâ ? that when completed will still leave it a generation behind our allies and potential enemies. During the past fifteen years our military has been asked to â Å“do more with lessâ ? as the rest of Canada reaped the benefits of the â Å“Peace dividendâ ?. Unfortunately, now they are being asked to â Å“do it all with nothingâ ?.
Most disturbing is the fact that we Newfoundlanders do not realize that this is Newfoundland issue. Seven percent of the military is composed of Newfoundlander's even though we only have less than two percent of the nation's population. Our brothers, sisters are serving our country to the best of their ability. Don't we have a moral obligation to ensure that they are given the tools to do their job? Ask Corporal Murphy's family if they think the equipment provided was the best tool for the job.
We have let our own interests consume the national debate- homosexual marriage, legalization of marijuana, national day care and EI reform while neglecting those that ensure we are able to debate. We are unaware that Provincial Airlines is providing coastal and fisheries patrol; a job the Air Force performed. Our Navy is unable to conduct sovereignty patrols and now the Danish are beginning to state claim to the Arctic.
Who is responsible for this? We are. We voted for people like Jerry Byrne and Bill Mathews primarily on the hope that they could provide the most hand outs and peddle influence. All while our soldiers overextend, airmen fly geriatric machines and sailors bob helplessly in the Atlantic. It is a shame on all of us.
Chris Bowers
Stephenville
Dear Editor and fellow Canadians,
I would first like to extend my families deepest condolences to the family and friends of Lt. Chris Saunders. An outstanding Canadian who volunteered to serve his country and protect the values we hold dear. There is no greater love than a man who lays down his life for his friends.
In the coming days the media will try and determine blame, politicians will justify their ineptness and the public will offer their sympathies and go on with their lives and continue to be blissfully ignorant until the next tragedy happens.
Canadians are living a self righteous myth. The quintessential Canadian anecdote is that of the maple-leaf wearing backpacker traveling the world and receiving accolades just because they are peace keeping Canucks. Let me quickly dispense this myth. The respect and admiration the world had for Canadians was founded on the courage, professionalism and strength of our military. We are cashing checks on a reputation founded on the sacrifice and duty of a few heroic men and women. Our standing in the world is diminishing as a result of not being able to meet our global commitments, or even patrol our own boarders. The Liberal government want us to think we are great peace keeping contributor, however we rank in the bottom third of troop suppliers in the United Nations- behind countries like Bangladesh and Nigeria. There are more police and fire fighters in the city of Toronto than there are active duty personal in the Canadian Forces.
The Buffalo, Hercules, Sea King, are over forty years old. Our premier fighter aircraft the CF-18 is currently under going a â Å“modernization programâ ? that when completed will still leave it a generation behind our allies and potential enemies. During the past fifteen years our military has been asked to â Å“do more with lessâ ? as the rest of Canada reaped the benefits of the â Å“Peace dividendâ ?. Unfortunately, now they are being asked to â Å“do it all with nothingâ ?.
Most disturbing is the fact that we Newfoundlanders do not realize that this is Newfoundland issue. Seven percent of the military is composed of Newfoundlander's even though we only have less than two percent of the nation's population. Our brothers, sisters are serving our country to the best of their ability. Don't we have a moral obligation to ensure that they are given the tools to do their job? Ask Corporal Murphy's family if they think the equipment provided was the best tool for the job.
We have let our own interests consume the national debate- homosexual marriage, legalization of marijuana, national day care and EI reform while neglecting those that ensure we are able to debate. We are unaware that Provincial Airlines is providing coastal and fisheries patrol; a job the Air Force performed. Our Navy is unable to conduct sovereignty patrols and now the Danish are beginning to state claim to the Arctic.
Who is responsible for this? We are. We voted for people like Jerry Byrne and Bill Mathews primarily on the hope that they could provide the most hand outs and peddle influence. All while our soldiers overextend, airmen fly geriatric machines and sailors bob helplessly in the Atlantic. It is a shame on all of us.
Chris Bowers
Stephenville
