Rich_007

Where do you stand on teachers, nurses, doctors?

What about lollipop persons, street sweepers, garbage collectors?

They all serve thanks to the public purse.

And, statistically, the most dangerous job in the world must have something to do with interacting with the driving public. Street cleaner, in downtown TO, or Vancouver, perhaps?

R.

Winston Green

Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the earth!!

Respect and karma to all those who serve their fellow man in whatever capacity.
It is always easier to sit and criticise than walk in another mans shoes.

Caitilin

yes but as a rule they dont' get shot at or stabbed. Armed forces do. Police do. I've seen paramedics almost stabbed and I owe the firebrigade my life.

Even if you don't respect them - I do, so feel free to go mock someone else.

dbd33

Hydro lineman, offshore fisherman, independent logger, innit?

Souvenir

I don't think I could have taken photos similar to these in London.

The first is DND HQ. The second is a Support the Troops fun run/walk. An awful lot of those people were not in the military. There were about 5,000, as I recall.

Novocastrian

When were those taken souv?

Souvenir

Last June. It was all part of a do put on to recognise the role of military families. It was a Friday. You see lots of red shirts in Ottawa on Fridays.

Novocastrian

Thanks. I only asked because several posters have suggested that support for the afghan mission has eroded between then and now. You think not, I take it?

On edit: there is of course a difference between support for the mission and support for the poor blighters stuck with carrying it out.

walkerv05

well said i feel proud of my counrty but dare not show it!!, its seems that you will offend some part of sociaty somehow!!

Rich_007

Oh purleease! It's a job/career thing isn't it, the military life. Most sign up for the adrenalin rush and the machismo (ever see a US marines recruitment ad ? Rad hardcore testosterone pumping "travel the world, play with big guns, shoot dusky faced peasants to death" stuff).

How many complain about being shot at AFTER they took the Kings Shilling.

And I'm not talking about conscripts in WW1 / WW2 BTW before you get all touchy and sanctimonious. Dying old boys who protected the Empire from evil is a bit different than the new way of the world. Unless, you believe that there were WMD's and that war's not all about oil and the NWO.

Respect the dead soldiers - but not war, in and of, itself.

R.

Souvenir

You rightly make the distinction between support for the mission and support for the troops. I don't support the mission and never have. That probably puts me in the large majority. I do believe that, if you send people overseas to get shot at or blown up in order to maintain a country's foreign policy objectives, you should at least treat them with respect, or at least show some recognition. Canada seems to be more inclined to show such respect than does the UK. Public sentiment here is probably waning. That's probably normal because the novelty has worn off a bit. The cops and firefighters will likely remain staunch supporters (lots of them are in the reserves).

FYI, Harper tried to put a stop to the in-depth media coverage of repatriations. He was forced to back off by heavy pressure from the families and perhaps threats from Rick Mercer.

Souvenir

When Canada agreed to send troops to Afghanistan it was still a UN mission, something the CF had been doing for decades (ie stopping dusky faced peasants from killing each other). Most of the Canadian Forces probably joined up when that was Canada's role. It's not their fault someone moved the goalposts.

Patsy

Well hope it never happens but after a day of abuse from some of the kids today, i do worry about the future........and what was i doing that was annoying them? ...........chasing coursework!!

iaink

Well said Souv!

Novocastrian

Yes. Nasty piece of work Harper.

I see Rick Hillier has announced he's quitting as boss in July. Nothing to do wth the fact that he said last week that it was clear in 2006 that more NATO troops were needed in Khandahar, I suppose. That was before Harper blackmailed Parliament into extending the mission until 2009.