My Christmas Dinner

[saint1]

So I was at my sisters for Christmas dinner and the subject came up about the state of the CF.  Many people on that side of the family I found don't feel that we need the CF.  I was shocked to hear this since I was the only member of the family there now serving in the CF. They all seemed to agree that the states would protect us, so why bother, or the fact that they are not putting much effort into the CF so why continue wasting the money. Now I know that allot of the public could careless about us, and it seems that they remember us when something goes wrong withen the CF. They remember us then get in an up roar and then forget about us the next day.  But I couldn't believe my family was talking that way in front of me.

Has anyone else ever had this happen?? Sorry for the rant but I had to share it.

 

[x-grunt]

I can't say that type of situation has happened to me, but I do find that most people I know who have not served just don't care and have little or no conception of what the CF does. So they see the CF as some govt agency taking money away from healthcare.

This lack of knowledge is a real issue. I think this kind of attitude is due to the fact people honestly have no clue what the CF does...it seems like we are invisible to most Canadians. "Peacekeeping" is the only thing anyone seems to mention.

I HATE that people in Canada have no sense of pride about the CF.

I was daydreaming about creating a series of exciting ad spots that would highlight things like 2 PPCLI's fight at Medak to prevent a massacre, real SAR missions, Naval boarding parties, aid to civil power stuff, etc. Things that pump up the blood and that would educate people about the value of the CF.

Maybe I should ask Molson to do a "We are Canadian (Forces)" campaign. ( Can you see it? "Molson, official sponsor of the Canadian Armed Forces" )   ;D

 

[saint1]

We should talk I know the right people who could help with that.  I am glad to know that there are other members who feel the sameway that I do on this subject.  Something needs to be done.  I got a book call a day in the life of the US Armed Forces.  I would like to see something like that for our Armed Forces maybe a video.

 

[Lost_Warrior]

To give up your security to a country is to give up your foreign policy to them as well.   After all, you can only create your foreign policy based on the power you can project...otherwise noone will take you seriously.

When people say that Canada doesn't need an army, and the US will protect us, I ask them if they want the US to dictate our foreign policy as well....this usually either shuts them up, or they end up calling me brainwashed....

Both outcomes are rather funny...

 

[GerryCan]

If anything like that ever happened at my christmas dinner I would sure make it a memorable one for years to come. And I defenetely wouldn't be attending the year after either.
It really sucks to hear people say things like 'the U.S. will protect us' which is usually coming from the same people that claim they hate americans. Sad, just plain sad.

We definetely need some way to make the public more aware of what is going on in the armed forces. TDV is a good start, but it still doesn't cut it. Perhaps more commercials other than the Cheesy Navy one they play every once in a while. Maybe if we were more in the public face, than people would have a better understanding of the need for it.

 

[SlipStream]

I thought that the federal government was running some sort of campaign to "win back the public". I think i read this somewhere on the DnD news page unsure when though.

 

[x-grunt]

We should talk I know the right people who could help with that.   I am glad to know that there are other members who feel the sameway that I do on this subject.   Something needs to be done.   I got a book call a day in the life of the US Armed Forces.   I would like to see something like that for our Armed Forces maybe a video.

I have been sitting with this the last couple of days, your post sort of took this from a daydream state to a "hmm, maybe" kind of thing for me. I honestly don't know what I want to do with this, and as a potential MARS trainee I do not know what the QR&O say about a serving member embarking on this kind of project.

Nonetheless, it's worth exploring. Maybe the TDV creator can be involved too. I envision short spots that grab attention, rather then a TV show that someone has to commit time to. TDV already does this.

 

[saint1]

EX-Grunt

  Not sure what they would say myself.  But my buddy is part owner of a production company, which I myself have invested in. So it is possable that we could do something along the lines of promotion.  I think a video called the A Day In the Canadian Armed Forces would be great.  We show soldiers from around the country doing there everyday jobs.  But we should talk more this I think, bluedrummer@hotmail.com is my e-mail

 

[SOLDIER702]

Wow, this seems to be a problem that is occuring more and more. Many Canadians seem to think that, a developed country can get away without having a military. ummmm, sorry but not in todays world. I tried to imagine what it would be like if something like this did happen Not only would allowing the US to protect us also entitle them to make our foriegn policy but can anyone imagine what Americans would think? They already are not  too educated about our country (I don't hold them in spite for that) but we would than be known to the americans as "the pathetic country we have to look after".
As for the CF getting acknowledged for what we do? well I personally noticed that the only fallen soldiers that are even mentioned on the 6 o' clock news are those whos deaths hold political implications, like the quality of our vehicles or subs, friendly fire and things like that. Canadians don't get to hear about, the soldier who stepped on a mine, or the soldier shot by a sniper. The civilian Canadian public just seems to think that we just go places and say "be nice". It's unfortunate that, they niether know nor appreciate what we as soldiers do do as well as what we would do to defend our awesome nation

 

[simcoe foresters]

I was over at my friends house the other day and him knowing that i am enlisted in the army just doing my basic now started going off on how Canada doesn't need an army because all we do is sit on our butts at home and do nothing. That really made me mad and i freaked at him started telling him how brave Canadian soldiers are and what they do for our country and besides if we didn't have an army i wonder how fast it would take for us to become a U.S colony. They would love all our resources undefended.

But anyway i think doing a TDV or TV show/commercial would be great and maybe people would start respecting the CF a bit more.

 

[48Highlander]

That really made me mad and i freaked at him started telling him how brave Canadian soldiers are and what they do for our country and besides if we didn't have an army i wonder how fast it would take for us to become a U.S colony. They would love all our resources undefended.

   Somehow I doubt the US is deterred by 60,000 poorly equiped soldiers with no heavy armour and little in the way of air-assets.   If they wanted our resources they could come take them any time.

 

[simcoe foresters]

true enough guess i wasn't thinking straight.