Quebeckers joining the Armed Forces

[mainerjohnthomas]

I encountered many hostile responses when in uniform in Quebec, and a great many positive responses from the young ladies, so I call it a net win ;D.  I also recall my line course, where the lingua franca in my room was French because there was one lone BC sig (me), two Quebecois, and an Ottawa Native whose second and third languages were French and English.  They were all good troop, and if they were out of step with Quebec public opinion.....well most of my fellow UBC students viewed soldiers as either something barbaric that the only the Americans had, or some sort of sociopath training school.  Quebecois may riot against conscription, and demonstrate against deployment, but when the 22nd deploys, you can bleeding bet the job will get done.

 

[mysteriousmind]

01/27/06 = the day I start my BMQ course


Ill not start as CPL but as plain private

 

[mtnbikes]

An ever passionate and ever entertaining topic, this issue about Quebec supporting the troops.....
I am a Canadian, French-Canadian and Québecois (in that order, always) and have been serving in the R22eR early in my career (81 to 91 to be exact) and serving most of the rest in a mainly English speaking trade (no drama about this either).  Most of my family lives in the Saguenay region and are staunch séparatistes.  That would make me, being in the Canadian forces, the Black Sheep.  One would think anyways....  However, throughout their life, both my Mom and Dad were very proud of what I do.  Some of the people that posted earlier stated that ignorance and lack of knowledge is key to bad perceptions of the military in Quebec.  They are pretty much on target.  However, key to clear misconceptions would be adequate information of the masses.  The media has a big part to play in this.  I think (IMHO) that some of the media in Quebec is perpetuating this anti-military view that some of the Quebecois have, mainly amongst other things by continuing of calling the CF soldiers in QuebecCanadian Soldiers.  A truism some of you might observe, but in Edmonton, for example, they simply call they our soldiers, our guys ect.  No indications that they might be misconstrued for another nation.  I. while serving in Quebec (Oka crisis) had my share of bad encounters with civilians that were less than acaccommodatingor the military, but also wonderful examples of gratitude and recognition of services and sacrifices (mainly from older folks mind you).  I think that when the Vandoos start their tour in "the Stan" down south that we will really see what kind of support the rest of the Quebecois population is willing (or ununwillingto provide.  Military issues have (unless mass conscription is involved and we are nowhere near that) always been low in the order of priorities for the Quebecois, and we should not expect this to change, even as some of their own are risking (and God forbid losing) their lives in Afghanistan.

My two cents worth.

P.S. Apologies about the sketchy fonts.  Stuck in italics for the rest of my text after the séparatiste bit....

 

[quebecrunner]

Hey!!! What is wrong about quebeckers and Spandex? Everytime i go out for a run, my wife tell me "you are so sexy in those pants... You have great and big balls...  ;D ;D ;D Because of that, i dont run on St-catherine street between Papineau and St-hubert... for thoses who understand...

Ha! Being a quebeckers and a military... I've heard so many opposite statements!!

well, i am proud of what i do and that is the most important thing. I'm serving my country, That its. 

 

[spud]

Everytime i go out for a run, my wife tell me "you are so sexy in those pants... You have great and big balls...  ;D ;D ;D

Ha ha, Borat....is that you??

well, i am proud of what i do and that is the most important thing. I'm serving my country

No matter the size of your balls, you're serving...good enough for me 

potato

 

[Bobby Rico]

I think some Quebecois are still pissed off about the whole Trudeau 'Sendin' in the tanks' thing back in 1970 in response to the Front de liberation du Quebec.  Ah well, some people like to hold grudges.

I have a bunch of Quebecois friends, mostly from Quebec City, and they're all really happy about me joining the army...maybe it's a generational thing, I don't know, but those in my age group don't seem to have much of a beef with folks in the army.  Frankly, if I have the option to choose the regiment I get assigned, I'll ask for the Vandoos.

 

[militarygirl]

I happen to be an english speaking Canadian, who was born in Quebec.  People always say that the one thing that you do that leaves a bad impression leaves a more lasting impression that the hundreds of good things a person can do. 

During the last separatist vote, quite a few years ago now, there were people in uniform, in a public venue in downtown Ottawa, discussing how they would be trying to transfer to the "Quebec Army" if the vote went through to separate and how they would be turning in their Canadian Passports for "Quebec Passports".  It is these people that leave a bad taste in everyone' mouth.    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but... discussing this in public, where anyone can hear, and being in uniform at the time, just seems a tad bit inappropriate.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

During the last separatist vote, quite a few years ago now, there were people in uniform, in a public venue in downtown Ottawa, discussing how they would be trying to transfer to the "Quebec Army" if the vote went through to separate and how they would be turning in their Canadian Passports for "Quebec Passports".  It is these people that leave a bad taste in everyone' mouth.    Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but... discussing this in public, where anyone can hear, and being in uniform at the time, just seems a tad bit inappropriate.

You heard this yourself??

 

[Bobby Rico]

During the last separatist vote, quite a few years ago now, there were people in uniform, in a public venue in downtown Ottawa, discussing how they would be trying to transfer to the "Quebec Army" if the vote went through to separate and how they would be turning in their Canadian Passports for "Quebec Passports".  .

Wow!  That's ridiculous.  I don't know that much about military law, but sounds to me that's treading VERY close to desertion.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Wow!  That's ridiculous.  I don't know that much about military law, but sounds to me that's treading VERY close to desertion.

Hence why I asked....sounds like 'urban myth'.

 

[militarygirl]

This was not heard by me.  The relative who mentioned it to me, mentioned it because of the disbelief and disgust when he heard it.  He did get up and speak to them and told them how close they were treading to that very fine line.

 

[aesop081]

Urban myths at its best.............now, stop this crap right this minute.

.......  I don't know that much about military law, but sounds to me that's treading VERY close to desertion.

Well since you dont know much about law.........sum up

 

[militarygirl]

You get a couple guys drinking, feeling sorry for themselves and you call it urban myth...

 

[Bobby Rico]

Sum up?  I don't understand.  You want me to summarize something?  I don't get it.

But I do think though that if someone in uniform was saying something like that, it would certainly be grounds for some kind of disciplinary action.  I certainly wouldn't want to be the one caught saying something like that in public.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

...and another one bites the dust.