Posted on 08/18/2005 11:49:53 AM PDT by Pikamax
Mike Blanchfield The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Despite fiery rhetoric from Canada's top soldier that the Forces' main job is to kill people and rid the world of "scumbag" terrorists, Canadians prefer an old-fashioned image of their soldiers as benevolent peacekeepers, says a newly released poll.
Canadians support their troops and think there should be more of them, that they should be better funded and have better equipment. But the public's support is not deep, and still follows a traditional pattern that remains disturbing for the Forces: They don't think they deserve more money at the expense of health care and education.
Those findings were presented to Gen. Rick Hillier, the chief of the defence staff, by Ekos Research Associates Inc., which conducted a comprehensive telephone survey of 1,500 Canadians. The poll, done in late winter, is considered accurate within 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The poll was released earlier this month under Access to Information.
The Defence Department did not disclose the poll results when the Liberal government's international policy statement was released in March, showcasing a new, tougher face for the military.
The new approach -- espoused by Gen. Hillier and Defence Minister Bill Graham -- consists of a military fighting its way into a hostile environment, establishing security for oppressed people and helping them build the peace.
This "peacemaking" approach differs from the traditional "peacekeeping" role of a benevolent soldier on patrol, bringing aid to an impoverished child.
"Although Canadians recognize the need for a versatile military force, and understand the need to be combat ready, their preferred role for the forces is as peacekeepers and deliverers of humanitarian and disaster assistance. Moreover, their image of peacekeeping is a rather traditional, even old-fashioned one," the poll states.
About 57 per cent said they want the Forces to have a "traditional peacekeeping role" compared with 41 per cent that favoured "a peacemaking role, which might involve fighting alongside other UN troops to force peace in a disputed area."
Quebecers, at 62 per cent, and university-educated Canadians, at 61 per cent, most favoured the traditional role.
The pollsters offered advice on how military brass should sell their new vision of the Forces to Canadians.
"The image of the soldier holding a swaddling child is a simple and powerful one that appeals to Canadians. However, it is an isolated stereotype that needs to be put in context. That soldier may have arrived at that point by cutting through mean streets, or after overcoming daunting logistical obstacles; he or she may have been in a firefight earlier in the day, or have braved the threat of fire to prevent one."
Ekos poll respondents said the most critical issue facing the Forces was lack of funding (45 per cent). That was followed by old or obsolete equipment (38 per cent), lack of equipment (34 per cent) and a shortage of troops (27 per cent).
More than three-quarters of respondents think the military is underfunded but they had a hard time identifying exactly what ought to be cut.
"When asked to rank public priorities, national defence falls well behind other concerns such as education, health, poverty and the environment. What this means is the public's support should not be taken for granted," the pollster says. "Moreover, while the public may welcome some increase in military expenditure, this is hardly carte blanche."
If were Canadian, I certainly would not support a strong military so long as the liberals were in control.
Um...yeah, the Canadians were sure "benevolent peacekeepers" at Vimy Ridge, Dieppe, Juno Beach, and Antwerp.
Not. They kicked ass and killed the enemy right up there with the best of them.
}:-)4
I want my country back...
Evidently liberal (not conservative) Canadians still cling to the comfortable fantasy that their country can't be attacked as the US was. And, of course, those same liberals will be the first ones to scream for our help if they ARE attacked.
Oh, Canaduh...
Agree with you, but in the last 30 years this has not been the case.
Majority of these WWII era situations you mentioned were when Canada was still under British sovereignty, so they didn't really have much of a choice but to follow into battle
My old-fashioned image of the Canadian military is the Byng Boys at Vimy Ridge, the raiders at Dieppe, the Canadian 3rd Div on Juno Beach.
The Leftists have written their country's history.
You don't know what you're talking about. Canadians who served overseas in combat were VOLUNTEERS. You obviously don't know Canadian World War II vets.
I sure wish the western provinces would secede; they don't deserve having their lives controlled by the liberal maggots in Quebec and Ontario.
trudeaupia - what Pierre Trudeau made Canada into - is now considered "old-fashioned". The Canada that bore a disproportionally large share in WWII seems to be forgotten by many.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Aye, and I wish it weren't so.
Actually they are going to blame the conservatives.
(most) Canadians must feel pretty safe to want to disregard their armed forces like this.
Wonder why that is? Wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that the most powerful military in the world resides just south of them would it?
Basically we pay to defend North America. Other countries a) expect us to continue and b) get to bitch about us at the same time.
As I was growing up, my big brother (9 years older) was a policeman and a powerlifter. He was trained in street fighting and self-defense for police officers and taught classes on the subject. Because of this, I had the idea that I could basically get away with murder when I was with him because nobody in their right mind was going to screw with me when he was around. And to be honest that was how it went.
But, at the same time, we harassed each other constantly and fought all the time. We each thought the other was an idiot. But, if push had ever come to shove, my brother would have been right there clearing a path for me at the drop of a hat.
I was an immature kid with a pumped out chest because I had a stud for a brother. The Canadian govt. has been operating the same way. But the truth is, if Canada were ever attacked, we would be right there to crush anybody screwing with them.
I grew up and now appreciate my brother for the hero he was. Maybe one day the Canadian govt. will wake up too.
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