Peter Mackay wants more praise for Canadian troops

[The Gues-|-]

http://server09.densan.ca/archivenews/060222/npt/060222br.htm


MacKay wants more praise for Canadian troops

OTTAWA and WASHINGTON - Canada is not getting enough recognition or appreciation for the work it is doing in Afghanistan, something Peter MacKay says he hopes to remedy.

As the new Foreign Affairs Minister leaves on his first trip overseas, he plans to push for kudos from Britain, NATO and European Union allies, some of whom have soldiers operating under Canadian command in Afghanistan.

"Our role ... is one that we should be very, very proud of and I know that it's sometimes appreciated, but it's not often expressed in a way that Canadians here at home and in the larger global community recognize just how significant that contribution has been," he said in an interview with CanWest News Service this week.

"I hope to reiterate this during my time in England that Canada's role be recognized and that there be value expressed ... for the increased role that we are playing."

Despite Mr. MacKay's words, Canada's contribution has not gone unnoticed.

With the last of 2,200 Canadian troops recently landing in Afghanistan and Canada taking command of Operation Enduring Freedom in southern Af-ghanistan next month, the deputy director of U.S. Central Command has praised the Canadians.

"We remain enormously grateful to Canada for the lead role it has taken in being the first commander of the multinational brigade that is coming into the south -- taking over from U.S. troops so that the U.S. troops can focus primarily on the enemy in the east," Brigadier-General Mark Kimmitt said at a briefing in Washington yesterday.

 

[George Wallace]

Perhaps he ought to start at home with Governor General Michaelle Jean.  I am sure he wouldn't need to spend any money on air fare.  Maybe not.  ;D

 

[GO!!!]

Perhaps he ought to start at home with Governor General Michaelle Jean.  I am sure he wouldn't need to spend any money on air fare.  Maybe not.   ;D

There are no 5 star hotels or luxury tpt available for the trip to Kandahar. Mme Jean and her entourage will not be able to attend.

Of course, the other way of looking at it is that every time a person of influence shows up to "honor" the troops, they are forced to stand in the hot sun for at least an hour - I for one could do with a general/minister just walking up to my tent/iso trailer with a timmies and phone card!

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Last time a person of influence went oversea's ie Roto 0 wasn't the danger pay increase or hardship pay increase expedited?

edited for spelling and flow joe

 

[Fishbone Jones]

CFL,

Last time a person of influence Roto 0 wasn't the danger pay increase or hardship pay increase expitited?

You hitting the bottle early?

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

whatever do you mean

 

[Armymedic]

Good job troops, you make Canada proud. We won't call you Peacekeepers any more as a sign of respect for your efforts in the War against Terrorism.

There, I did my part....politicians and media people, please follow my lead.

 

[Slim]

I like the Timmies and the phone card bit.

Why is Peter McKay grandstanding about this...I thought that the mark of pros was to quietly do the job and go on home without allot of hoopla?

What does he want exactly?

If its attention at home then ship a bunch of Canadian journalists over there and give them a taste of what the 'boys' go though on a daily basis...Provided that you could find enough journalists to actually go over in the first place...After all isn't it easier to stay home and call the troops all kinds of dirty names when the troops are deployed and you're safe in your newspaper office in Toronto?!

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Where are my slippers anyway?

 

[Devlin]

Hey Peter:

Ummm your time could be better spent, someone should sign these guys up for Army.ca accounts where the account is set to read only for the first 6 months, after which time they can begin posting.

I am fairly certain that "more praise" is not right at the top of every troops list who is or has been deployed to Afghanistan or any where for that matter.

Recognition and being thanked for a job well done is always nice, but please someone tell me that these guys understand there are bigger issues to be dealt with first.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

I believe Dorian Hawk (sp) is a person of interest in regards to the Conservative Party and Army.ca

 

[geo]

Slim....

He probably still wants Belinda :+

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Who wouldn't.  She's a rich MILF.

 

[Eland]

Maybe we're not getting the recognition we deserve because:

- We've cut and cut and neglected our military to the point where we're barely able to muster more than a token contribution
- On the missions that we do participate in, we're constantly leeching rides from our allies because we have no appreciable organic
  transport assets of our own
- We spend only the bare minimum on our military while our allies spend more, or we overspend and get too little for our money
- To top it all off, we bash our allies, but expect them to defend us
- Past governments keep subscribing to worthless ideologies like 'soft power' when the harsh realities of the world should dictate otherwise

Am I right?

 

[Slim]

Maybe we're not getting the recognition we deserve because:

- We've cut and cut and neglected our military to the point where we're barely able to muster more than a token contribution
- On the missions that we do participate in, we're constantly leeching rides from our allies because we have no appreciable organic
  transport assets of our own
- We spend only the bare minimum on our military while our allies spend more, or we overspend and get too little for our money
- To top it all off, we bash our allies, but expect them to defend us
- Past governments keep subscribing to worthless ideologies like 'soft power' when the harsh realities of the world should dictate otherwise

Am I right?

Don't forget all the silly, psudo-scocialist, Birkenstock-wearing ex-hippies that have all become teachers and tell all of their students that the military is BAD!

 

[Rodders]

Don't forget all the silly, psudo-scocialist, Birkenstock-wearing ex-hippies that have all become teachers and tell all of their students that the military is BAD!

How very constructive.

love people who lump everything they despise into one ridiculous generalised insult.

As a teacher and someone who on occasion wears Birkenstocks, I can tell you that I and most teachers do NOT tell our students that the military is bad. You will find that the overwhelming majority of history teachers prefer teaching military history above all else. Most of us also use it as an opportunity to advance Canadian military history as this has often been overshadowed by US military history, which many(including some here) believe to be much more interesting.

All of us on this board, military AND non-military should learn not to speak out of our depth.

Cheers

I

 

[Jaxson]

Well ill speak from my knowledge when i went to highschool, at my school we had a recruiter come One time in the 5 years i was there and no recruiter has been there since i left, or so i am told. i know personally that All of my teachers and guidance counsellors definetly did not like the millitary and did their very best to talk people away from it the best they could except for two, both of which had left the millitary, one had retired, the other was injured, he said he served in the airborne, i dont really know if its true or not but he did a damn fine job of promoting the millitary whenever he could do so.

 

[GO!!!]

How very constructive.

love people who lump everything they despise into one ridiculous generalised insult.

As a teacher and someone who on occasion wears Birkenstocks, I can tell you that I and most teachers do NOT tell our students that the military is bad. You will find that the overwhelming majority of history teachers prefer teaching military history above all else. Most of us also use it as an opportunity to advance Canadian military history as this has often been overshadowed by US military history, which many(including some here) believe to be much more interesting.

All of us on this board, military AND non-military should learn not to speak out of our depth.

Cheers

I

Congrats, you teach something that happened a half century ago, wear a poppy and say you support Canadian vets.

How about you teach something a little more current - we need your support now. WWII is long over. Teach your students why we are in Afghanistan, what we are doing, why peacekeepers don't exist here and how they can learn more.

I've spoken at two schools now, (both on remembrance day) and most students were shocked when they found out that we don't wear blue berets!!

Upon reading the post below, I need to clarify;

Canadian military history did not "end" immediately after Korea. It is still being made, but our schools teach that the World War period was immediately followed by the peacekeeping era, which Canada pioneered (true) and continues to this day (false).

The fact that Canada has often only contributed headquarters elements and logistical troops is often ignored, and many students are left with the impression that there were thousands of "Peacekeepers" all over an affected area, when in reality, they were only supervising or observing a negotiated cessation of hostilities - and were largely powerless to stop any infractions.

Pearsonian peacekeeping worked in the Suez Canal crisis, but it has failed many times since then, yet the amorphous ideal remains. How many schoolchildren would be so enamoured with the blue helmeted icon if they were aware of the multiple decade missions like Cypress or the Golan Heights?

Is the fact that by the UNs own definition, there has never been a fully successful peacekeeping mission taught?

 

[Britney Spears]

Congrats, you teach something that happened a half century ago,

Isn't that, like, well, history? As opposed to current events?

 

[Rodders]

Congrats, you teach something that happened a half century ago, wear a poppy and say you support Canadian vets.

How about you teach something a little more current - we need your support now. WWII is long over. Teach your students why we are in Afghanistan, what we are doing, why peacekeepers don't exist here and how they can learn more.

I've spoken at two schools now, (both on remembrance day) and most students were shocked when they found out that we don't wear blue berets!!

Upon reading the post below, I need to clarify;

Canadian military history did not "end" immediately after Korea. It is still being made, but our schools teach that the World War period was immediately followed by the peacekeeping era, which Canada pioneered (true) and continues to this day (false).

The fact that Canada has often only contributed headquarters elements and logistical troops is often ignored, and many students are left with the impression that there were thousands of "Peacekeepers" all over an affected area, when in reality, they were only supervising or observing a negotiated cessation of hostilities - and were largely powerless to stop any infractions.

Pearsonian peacekeeping worked in the Suez Canal crisis, but it has failed many times since then, yet the amorphous ideal remains. How many schoolchildren would be so enamoured with the blue helmeted icon if they were aware of the multiple decade missions like Cypress or the Golan Heights?

Is the fact that by the UNs own definition, there has never been a fully successful peacekeeping mission taught?

With all due respect, do you have any idea whatsoever what I teach in my class? Your acerbic statements above offer you no room to wriggle out of your erroneous presumption, so why don't you tell me what else I teach.

Actually, I'll tell you so you can inform me where I am incorrect in my claims.

I teach the minimal amount of what is set out in the curriculum with regards to the First and Second World Wars. I spend more time on Korea than is required, and much more than is set out on Canada's military history post-Korea. For example, the extensive involvement of Canadians in Vietnam. Sometimes a country's history occurs outside the framework of the nation. It is the people, not the country.
I have also designed six-week long components on the UN and NATO missions in the Balkans, and Canada's participation in these missions.. Also a component on the first Gulf War, Oka, and a major component on Canada's role in NATO during the Cold War.

To clarify sir, you have NO idea what I teach. If you think we're all doing it wrong, why don't you get your degrees, and become a history teacher. Then you can show us all how it's done.

I would never attempt to tell a member of the CF what's what with regards to most aspects of military life. Unless you are a history teacher at this time, you are out of your depth.