http://torontosun.canoe.ca/News/Columnists/Worthington_Peter/2005/09/04/pf-1201360.html
Museum flaunts brutality
By PETER WORTHINGTON
Last week the National Post ran an article that seemed a rebuke at the Sun and respected native leader, Claude Petit, who felt torture paintings displayed at the new Canadian War Museum were a slight against soldiers of aboriginal blood.
The article's author, curiously, was Len Kruzenga, editor of two aboriginal monthlies, First Perspectives and The Drum, both based in Winnipeg.
As I wrote recently, The National Aboriginal Veterans Associaton (NAVA) and Congress of Aboriginal Peoples(CAP) want the paintings of two Metis soldiers -- Clayton Matchee and Kyle Brown -- removed from the museum because they imply aboriginal soldiers indulge in torture.
Matchee tortured to death a young Somali thief during a 1993 peacekeeping mission and irreparably damaged his brain when he tried to kill himself. As a result, he was unfit to stand trial, but Brown got five years for his role in the same incident.
Kruzenga's article argued the paintings do not reflect badly on aboriginal soldiers as "both men were, first and foremost, Canadian soldiers who dishonoured the reputation of the nation they served, the uniforms they wore and their brothers-in-arms."
As justification for purchasing and displaying the Brown portrait and the painting (copied from a photo Brown took of Matchee choking the Somali with a baton) the article says, "History must be true."
Kruzenga's view is an echo of museum director Joe Geurts' comment that the paintings could be of anyone. But they aren't "anyone." They are aboriginals -- and the museum's only example of Canadian soldiers doing disgraceful acts going back to the Boer war, WWI, WWII and Korea.
That upsets veterans, as well as Petit, president of NAVA, a Korean veteran and holder of the Order of Canada.
Kruzenga was never available when I phoned him this week. Petit, who knows just about everyone of consequence in aboriginal circles, says he doesn't know him or the publications he edits. He notes that Kruzenga referred in his piece to Matchee as a "corporal" when he was a master corporal -- a mistake no former soldier would be likely to make.
Petit (who is a friend of mine, going back to Korea) says he's even received e-mails from Australia supporting his objections to the paintings, as well as support from most aboriginal groups. "If (Kruzenga) is going to knock what I say, you'd think he'd at least call me," he complains.
Anyone who has served in the army has respect for our Indian soldiers. Personally, I believe when the heat dies down, the museum will quietly take down these paintings.
In the meantime, it should consider setting up a native-Canadian corner in the museum based around Tommy Prince's WWII medals, where others of aborignal blood can also be honoured.
For instance, there is Francis "Peggy" Pegahmagabow, with three Military Medals for valour, some 378 sniper kills and 300 German soldiers taken prisoner in WWI; and Alberta rodeo rider turned sniper Henry Norwest, who won two MMs and knocked off 115 Germans. From the Six Nations Cayuga band, brothers Alex and Charles Smith each won the Military Cross.
Some 12,000 aboriginals have worn their country's uniform and served in all Canada's wars. The museum made a mistake (one of several) in spending $10,000 on these paintings, which have nothing to do with "truth" but reflect poorly on every soldier, and imply that aboriginals are prone to torture.
If this isn't the intent, get rid of the damn things.
