Yesterday I received an email that I’ve received permission to share. I’ve edited the identifying details, as the writer would like to preserve her privacy;
Hi Kate,
I have enjoyed your blog since discovered it during the election.
I trust if you share any of my email that you would keep me anonymous please. I am still having *issues* to say the least with regards to my husbands death.
[The investigation into the circumstances of his death during a training exercise] is still ongoing, at least I think it is. I have never EVER been officially updated on it. That said, the only thing that has been confirmed is there was no pilot error (important for me and my husbands memory to bring that up).
The reason I am emailing you is the issue of banning the media from the base when the soldiers’ remains are returned to their families. While my husband was not overseas, I will share with you my personal experience with the media and a very public death.
Thankfully the media had yet to discover my house when I had to go see my husband for the first time. They found me by 6 AM the following morning. My parents had driven up immediately after my frantic phone call. My father stepped outside to get the papers and he was besieged (to say it lightly) with media camped out in my driveway! They were knocking at my door, putting the cameras on us as we opened it. There was always their cars there, with them sitting in them, waiting for someone to come or go. Phone call after phone call to the house when the lines were needed for more important issues. Our grief was made very public. I was asked if I wanted media at the funeral and I agreed to have them there. I wanted the people of Canada to know that even when Canada’s sons and daughters do not go overseas, lives are put on the lone on a daily basis for the safety and security of every Canadian. To show them how the phrase “military cut backs’ translates into real life in the forces. I had insisted that there not be a close up on any family member. I was sure Joe Blow watching the news did not need to see my tears, or those of my children to know we were distraught. Yet this rule was broken.
The media also pushed for the release of the names of those killed ASAP. Why?? Does it matter to Joe Blow? Shouldn’t it matter more that ALL family (not just immediate) and close friends are informed personally even by phone than to hear it on the news? Families of victims killed in auto accidents can request that the names not be released and Joe Blow doesn’t complain.
About the Peace tower and the flag flap, if anyone understand tradition it is a military member and his family. Did I expect the flag at the Peace tower to be flown at 1/2 mast for my husband?? oh hell no! But I did expect a phone call or something from our Prime Minister? Just the letter with his stamped signature would have to be good enough. He was in Europe and there is no way that letter was written there and sent to me to receive so quickly. It is also noticeable the signature is from a stamp and not hand signed. I did get a touching phone call and a lovely letter from the Governor General, HE Clarkson.
I will end this letter now. I could go on but I am sure you don’t want to hear all the sordid details of how a military widow is really treated.
Except to add, that if I were to walk into funerals of people I didn’t know stating it is my right to know who they are etc I’d be frowned on or even thrown out.
Think of this email when you see the tape replays shot by CTV news yesterday from over the fence at CFB Trenton.
If you’ve never forwarded a post from SDA to family and friends before – consider doing it with this one. The media has been screaming for tranparency. Well, let’s give it to them. Turn the “camera” back on the microphone holders for a change, and let ordinary Canadians see the mob for the self-absorbed ratings vultures that they are.
Standfast, Prime Minister Harper.
John Buchan : Mr. Standfast
Mr. Standfast. by John Buchan. Part I. Chapter One. The Wicket-Gate � Chapter Two. ‘The Village Named Morality’ � Chapter Three. The Reflections of a Cured …
http://www.classicreader.com/booktoc.php/sid.1/bookid.1355/ – 10k –
Buchan, John, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, author, governor general of Canada 1935-40 (b at Perth, … including historical biographies, such as Lord Minto (1924), …
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001071 – 11k
We standfast with you. +
Harper not backing down from military controversy
Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Jennifer Ditchburn, Canadian Press
Published: Wednesday, April 26, 2006
OTTAWA –Conservative MPs gave Stephen Harper a standing ovation during a closed-door meeting Wednesday when he told them he will not yield to criticism of the way the government commemorates military deaths. +
http://www.paulding.net/bin/url.cgi/13265.4
agitfact – your assumption that the MSM is not partisan in favour of the left, seems to rest on whether/not the MSM has informed the public about all issues. I don’t think that informing the public about issues means that they are not partisan about those issues.
Gagliano – and his posting to Denmark. So- the MSM informed us; it didn’t mount any protest.
Same with Chretien’s funding of his friends, the bank loans to his friends. The MSM informed us; but, it didn’t mount any significant protest.
Purchasing used, decrepit subs; the press informs us, but, there’s little criticism.
The 40 plus millions still currently missing that the Liberals ‘used’ during the Sponsorships. The MSM isn’t interested in it.
The depth of patronage appointments of the Liberals. The MSM isn’t interested in it.
The fact that they report these things, doesn’t exclude that they are primarily, pro-left.
It’s incredible how the MSM is ‘all over’ Harper. From the various comments about ‘he’s cold’; he’s unemotional’; he shakes hands with his children; look at his weight; look at his clothes….
Every time I turn on the MSM – there, on Mike Duffy’s show, are several members of the MSM, and the Liberal, NDP – all, talking about Harper and ‘how bad it is’.
Same with Don Newman.
Same with Global.
They misinform us about the Peace Tower flag, telling Canadians that Harper’s decision is a ‘break with tradition’…when it is a return to tradition, and a rejection of one person’s abuse of tradition (Chretien).
The CBC, the Toronto Star, select letters from people ranting against Harper –
So- all in all, I don’t see that the MSM is either presenting facts accurately, or, providing us with unbiased opinions about those facts.
Again – the fact that we heard about these issues via the MSM, does not mean that the MSM is unbiased.
Harper has sensed, quite correctly, that the MSM has launched a campaign to turn public opinion against Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. Denying the media access to the repatriation is a shot across their bow that lets them know that he’s not going to be a willing participant in their campaign.
Canada stepped up to a more dangerous role in Afghanistan months before the election, while the Libs were still in power. Why did every MSM outlet suddenly made Afghanistan story number 1 since the Conservatives were elected, with no catalyst for the increased attention? Even before the death of any troops?
Why are we only hearing about attacks on our troops and how they are in harms way? Why are we not hearing about the contribution our troops are making in Afghanistan?
For exactly the same reason that coalition successes in Iraq are downplayed or ignored.
agitfact,
“If you can name a post-1993 Liberal scandal this consumer of MSM news hasn’t read or heard about, I will be happy to apologize.”
Are you making the “Argumentum Ad Ignorantium” as per:
http://tinyurl.com/mkfpw
or something else. I’m just a country boy … I got to learn this stuff.
Princess Patrica’s Canadian Light Infantry
Armorial Description
Within an annulus inscribed PRINCESS PATRICIA’S CANADIAN LIGHT INFANTRY, the cypher and coronet of HRH Princess Patricia, pierced (the coronet comprised of three visible crosses patte interspersed with two strawberry leaves); the whole surmounted by the St. Edward’s Crown.
Official Abbreviation: PPCLI
Motto: (None)
Battle Honours (38)
First World War
YPRES, 1915, ’17
Arleux
FREZENBERG
Hill 70
Bellewaarde
PASSCHENDAELE
MOUNT SORREL
AMIENS
Somme, 1916
SCARPE, 1918
FLERS-COURCELETTE
Hindenburg Line
Ancre Heights
Canal Du Nord
Arras, 1917-18
PURSUIT TO MONS
VIMY, 1917
FRANCE AND FLANDERS, 1914-18
Second World War
LANDING IN SICILY
RIMINI LINE
LEONFORTE
SAN FORTUNATO
Agira
Savio Brisgehead
Sicily, 1943
Naviglio Canal
THE MORO
FOSSO MUNIO
THE GULLY
Granarola
Liri Valley
Italy, 1943-1945
HITLER LINE
Appeldoorn
GOTHIC LINE
NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1945
Korea
KOREA, 1950-1953
KAPYONG
The 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry, has a unique distinction. This battalion received the Distinguished Unit Citation from the President of the United States to recognize its stand near Kapyong, Korea, in April 1951. Equating to a battle honour, the Citation is represented by a streamer four feet in length and two and three-quarter inches in width, bearing the name of the action, attached to the pike of the regimental Colour. The use of this streamer in accordance with American practice was authorized by King George VI. In addition to the streamer, the Presidential Citation is also worn on the uniform. It is a small royal blue bar with gold trim. Although battle honours are awarded on a regimental basis, and the whole of the PPCLI carries Kapyong on its colours, the distinction of bearing this streamer belongs to 2 PPCLI alone, and is carried on the battalions regimental colour. The badge is also unique to 2PPCLI. +
http://army.ca/inf/ppcli.php
The Battle of the Medak Pocket: PPCLI.
In mid-September 1993 United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) soldiers from 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia=s Canadian Light Infantry advanced into the disputed Medak Pocket with orders to implement the latest cease-fire between Croatian Army troops and Serb irregular forces. They were reinforced with two mechanized companies of French troops. The Canadians, well schooled in the delicate art of Apeacekeeping@, discovered that their negotiation skills were not immediately required there. Instead they found themselves back in their primary war-fighting role when Croatian Army units opened fire with machine-guns, mortars and artillery in an effort to stop the Canadian advance. To complete their assigned mission the Patricia=s were required to threaten the use of, and ultimately use deadly force against the Croatian Army. However, the true test of military professionalism and discipline came after the smoke cleared, the Croatians backed down and the Canadians immediately reverted back to their role as impartial peacekeepers in their dealings with individuals that minutes before had attempted to kill them. +
http://www.cda-cdai.ca/library/medakpocket.htm
My deepest sympathies to all those who have lost a loved one. Isn’t it really just the Gerry Springer effect, the morbid curiosity of the msm and those who claim “the public’s right to know”. Canadians showed their respect for the military when they allowed the Liberals to cancel the helicopter contract, allowed the purchase of canvas iltus cars, allowed the disbandment of the airborne, allowed soldiers to eat courtesy of the food banks, allowed soldiers to deploy in the desert in bright green camouflage and on and on. To say that the cold war had ended and we were in a “new era of peace” is disingenuous at best. The years of peace can be numbered on the fingers and toes of a single individual. I contacted cbc and ctv last night. Tonight I shall contact their sponsors.
Agitfact said “Again, the Liberals’ shenanigans – from “Shawinigate” to HR billion to Gagliano to Gun Registry to Radwanski to Sponsorhip to Mr. Dithers and Dingwall – were reported and discussed extensively in the MSM, and famously ridiculed in CBC (!) cabaret programs. If the MSM had been Chretien’s or the Liberal Party’s “propaganda tool,” I and millions of other Canadians would never have known about these scandals – and the Conservatives would still be in the wilderness.”
Are you kidding – the “minimal” reporting about these things are what allowed them to be “forgotten” and the Lieberals to be relected over and over and over.
But believe what you will?????
ET, we are now entering subjective assessment of how the MSM report, and that depends on whether they report in favour of or against one’s side. No point debating that, because you say, for instance, that they are “all over” Harper, while I think that the Harper camp is over-sensitive to paranoid on the media issue. There is no objective way to resolve this disagreement except by a major media study, which neither you nor I could do. (It would be a great project for a journalism school or comms consultants, if someone had the funds.)
My main point remains that Liberal lapdog MSM would not have contributed to the demise of the Liberal Government. Could they have done more to end the Liberal regime faster? First, not their job, and secondly, there was no other party that could have formed another government, so a moot point. Should they keep looking for Liberal misdeeds? Yes, but they would be yesterday’s news, except for anything really big. (Forget patronage appointments – I am surprised that the “biased” media have not raised cane about the appoinment of Mulroney’s Appointments Secretary to Harper’s Cabinet.)
Ural, your logical query took me back to my youth and second year logic. The “argumentum ad ignorantium” label would have been applicable when we were flogging the “Horton bombing” and the lack of facts disproving that it was a terror incident. My media proposal was simpler: it is possible that there is a Liberal scandal out there that the MSM either did not report or cover fully, which would prove pro-Liberal bias, and warrant an apology.
By the way, check Rick Mercer’s blog for his “reductio ad absurdum” of the flag issue yesterday. One-line summary: if the PT flag would be lowered IAW protocol should a Privy Councillor Conrad Black get killed in prison over a carton of cigarettes, get the darn thing down when soldiers die on duty.
Excuse, me Alberta Girl, but which political party could have formed a non-Liberal government between the PCP’s self-destruction in 1993 and the CPC resurrection in, say, 2005?
Manning, Day and the brand-new Harper hardly inspired the voters’ confidence, and you cannot blame the “MSM” for the resulting lack-of-an-alternative longevity of the LPC.
Excuse me Agritfact but the very fact that all the numerous “scandals” of the Liberal’s were minimally reported on, skimmed over and absolved by the MSM allowed the Lieberals to defeat the Reform, the Alliance and the Conservatives through their “scaremongering” – which was blantantly picked up by the MSM. For you to suggest that the MSM was blameless shows that you really haven’t been paying attention.
Alberta Girl, I thought I had paid attention and was adequately informed. I’ve seen or heard no dirt on the Liberals that hadn’t been reported before, minimally or otherwise, so I still don’t buy your argument. In any case, good night.
Agitfact – we will agree to disagree then – nighty-night
agitfact,
“Ural, your logical query took me back to my youth and second year logic. The “argumentum ad ignorantium” label would have been applicable when we were flogging the “Horton bombing” and the lack of facts disproving that it was a terror incident.”
Like a said – I’m a country boy – didn’t even do logic. It seems to me that you are using “Ignorantio Elenchi” now … please confirm.
No, Ural. But since you now are an expert in logical fallacies, I expect the �country boy� to join me in protests against the miscellany of fallacies perpetrated on this site (ad hominem, ad populum etc., as well as their plain-English variants.) Keep that tinyurl page handy.
Back to the flag debate –
The Ottawa Citizen reports this morning (p. 8) that PM Harper has stated that the Peace Tower flag decision was made by MND O’Connor. Direct PMSH quote: “… the minister of national defence … has taken the decision …”
I have two problems here:
1. A Peace Tower flag decision under the circumstances applicable here can only be made by the PM. It should not take a private citizen to invite the PM�s, a minister’s or the public service�s attention to Rules 14, 16 and 17 of the �Rules for Half-masting the National Flag of Canada� (at http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/occasion_e.cfm)
2. Why is the PM deflecting responsibility for the decision to the MND? If the MND made the right decision, the PM should proclaim it as his own made on the recommendation of the Minister, and not expose himself or his Minister to a charge of ignorance of or over-stepping authority.
OTTAWA –Conservative MPs gave Stephen Harper a standing ovation during a closed-door meeting Wednesday when he told them he will not yield to criticism of the way the government commemorates military deaths. +
http://www.paulding.net/bin/url.cgi/13265.4
Posted by maz2
Let’s be honest here, shall we maz2? Harper has gagged those around him. The standing ovation was as authentic as GBW receives during the state of the union address. How long do you think it’s going to be before harper tries to install a patriot act north? The way he’s going with the increased secrecy, probably not long. And no, I have no love for the libs, they deserved to be booted out, but in the same breath, let’s not forget about past tory “indiscretions”, ok? I can post a list of those if you’ve “forgotten” about them.
Excuse me Agritfact but the very fact that all the numerous “scandals” of the Liberal’s were minimally reported on, skimmed over and …yak yak yak…
The reason I wanted the “Li.eberals” out (how very clever:)) was because of the media attention given by the MSM. I guess harps/putin won’t have that problem with a muzzled press. Unfortunately, MY TAXES PAY FOR WHAT HAPPENS IN OTTAWA! This being a free country and all, I strongly disagree with the pms’ decision to limit the media scrum.
Actually, agitfact, Ural’s points about your use of fallacious arguments is correct. Your assertion that unless someone comes up with some bad Liberal deed, unreported by the MSM, you won’t accept a conclusion of MSM bias – IS an ad ignoratiam argument, of shifting the burden of proof.
Your attempted rebuttal of ‘so what – others use ad hominem’ is a diversionary fallacy, which is to say, ‘pure and simple irrelevance’. I’d say that Ural knows exactly what he is talking about.
And Alberta Girl also knows what she is talking about. The MSM’s rapid sweep-over of Liberal misdeeds, is evidence of their pro-Liberal bias.
Speaking of argumentative fallacies, your continance of the ‘flag debate’, provides us with two more; a false connection and a diversion.
1) The private citizen’s request is irrelevant to the action of the PM’s decision. You are setting up a fallacious connection. Because a private citizen makes/does not make X request, does not mean that the PM does/does not, do Y action.
2)And, your diversionary attempt about the PM and the MND is equally fallacious. The PM has the right to decide about the PT flag, whose mode is changed from the rules outlined in the Canadian Heritage rules, only in special circumstances. Normal rules for the PT flag, when dealing with the military, are that the PT flag is lowered only on Nov. 11th.
To change these rules, for the military, would be a decision of the PM. But, surely, since he is not a dictator (unlike Chretien, who changed the flag policy, once, to foment anti-Americanism)..then, Harper would consider the wishes of the MND.
So- your attempt to divert the focus of attention from:
1) the normal rules about the PT flag, which permit lowering only on Nov 11th; and
2) the PM’s ultimate authority, which, if the military is involved, OUGHT to include taking advice from his MND –
is an example of yet another fallacy.
ET, read and understand a comment before you try to demolish it.
The definitive word from the National Post today:
Why the flag stays high
Christopher McCreery
National Post
Thursday, April 27, 2006
The question of whether or not the flag flown from the Peace Tower should be lowered in honour of the sacrifice made by Canadian Forces personnel serving overseas has been clouded by grief and, to some degree, uninformed hysteria.
The grief is excusable and reveals the importance and esteem with which many Canadians hold our Armed Forces; the hysteria is inexcusable and requires clarification.
Historically, the flag on the Peace Tower — often referred to as “the National Flag” — is only lowered to half-mast upon the death of the Sovereign, a current or former governor-general, a current or former prime minister, a current or former senator, members of the Privy Council, the chief justice, lieutenant governors, serving MPs and on specific days such as Remembrance Day and Vimy Ridge Day. It is also lowered on national days of mourning, such as that held after the Sept. 11 attacks. (No doubt, some will balk at the half-masting for senators and MPs and not Canadian Forces members, but that is a side issue.)
This general policy is the norm in other countries, including Britain, France, the United States, Germany and South Africa, and was in place in Canada from Confederation until 2002, when four Canadians were killed in the now infamous friendly-fire incident at Tarnak Farm, near Kandahar, Afghanistan. At that time, the government decided to break with tradition and ordered the Peace Tower flag to be flown at half-mast.
This policy remained in place until November, 2005, when the Liberal government decided to revert to the traditional practice of not lowering the Peace Tower flag every time a Canadian is killed overseas. Thus, when Private B.S. Woodfield was returned to Canada in late November 2005, the Peace Tower flag was not lowered to half-mast — yet there was no great outcry on the part of Canadians.
It is important to remember that even if the Peace Tower flag is not being flown at half-mast, flags at the Department of National Defence Headquarters, the Canadian base in Afghanistan, certain other Canadian Forces bases and, perhaps most importantly, the home base of the deceased, are. Thus, their sacrifice is not going unrecognized and is not dishonoured by the failure to lower the flag on the Peace Tower.
Veterans of the Second World War and Korea War are right to argue that if a policy of lowering the flag to half mast on the Peace Tower was in place during the conflicts that they so valiantly served in, the flag would have been permanently at half-mast those years. We must also not forget the more than 130 Canadian peacekeepers who have given their lives since 1948 — the flag was not half-masted for them, either. The Royal Canadian Legion and other veterans’ groups, with more than 250,000 veterans of the Second World War supporting them, believe that the traditional policy of not lowering the Peace Tower flag to half-mast is the correct one.
We have a national day of recognition for the service rendered by those who have served and died in the defence of our country — Nov. 11, Remembrance Day. This is the day when all Canadians stop and reflect upon the sacrifices made not only by those who have recently lost their lives in Afghanistan, but in all of the conflicts that Canada has fought in. Would but all those people who are now engaged in hand-wringing over the decision to respect Canada’s traditions and not lower the National Flag attend Remembrance Day services, the numbers would surely swell.
The point is this: When you see a flag at half-mast, you need to pause and reflect on the service given by the person who has died. But if it is routinely lowered to half-mast this effect is lost, and we become blind to the symbolism intended.
Perhaps the furor over the half-masting of the flag is a more general reaction to Canadian’s shame and disgust over the systemic underfunding that the Canadian Forces has been subjected to over the past 15 years. Canada’s military needs our support and better funding. If we seek to honour the brave service of our troops, we should take forward an appreciation of their sacrifice every day, and not reduce their service to an ignominious political debate about “flag up or flag down.”
Dr. Christopher McCreery is the author of The Canadian Honours System, published by Dundurn Press, The Order of Canada: Its Origins, History and Development, published by University of Toronto Press, and a number of articles on flags and protocol.
� National Post 2006
agitfact – Right. I have read and understood your comments; that’s why I pointed out, as have others, their logical fallacies.
agitfact,
“If you can name a post-1993 Liberal scandal this consumer of MSM news hasn’t read or heard about, I will be happy to apologize.”
“Cancun-gate” see Kate’s earlier post
I don’t remember any MSM showing the caskets of the 34 innocent Canadians murdered by Muslim fundamentalists on Sept 11 01.
Why the big fuss now?
How come during the few days just before the last election the MSM went out of there way to not report on the relocation program? But that wouldnt have anything to do bias? Right?