Royal Canadian Air Force headed to mission in Africa ‘very soon’: top general
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Oldgateboatdriver
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MarkOttawa said:
The other aspect of that operation that people forget is how it impressed and influenced the future PM Pearson on the importance of a distinct Canadian identity.
Most of the equipment for the Canadian UNEF force contingent was shipped onboard HMCS MAGNIFICENT, Canada's then aircraft carrier. But like all Canadian warship of the time, she flew the same White Ensign as the RN ships, and the Egyptian threatened to sink her if she entered their waters. A quick "re-branding" using a combination of the Canadian blue and red ensigns was required as last ditch measure. Later, as PM, Pearson remembered this important draw back in independent operations abroad and that is what caused him to seek the adoption of a completely distinct and "non-British" Canadian flag, Diefenbaker's tears notwithstanding.
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You may recall that the first Canadian contingent to UNEF was supposed to be the Queens Own Rifles of Canada (QORofC) but Egyptian President Nasser objected, on the not unreasonable grounds that he would not be able to explain to his own people why a regiment that "belonged" to the same queen whose aemy had just invaded Egypt was now being sent to "keep the peace."
A very nimble Canadian Army general staff very quickly tasked the Armoured Corps, Signals, and the Ordnance, Service and RCEME corps to cobble together squadron/company sized units that were, of course, a real godsend to the force commander and that became the template for other UN missions, including the Congo, UNEF II and the Golan Heights.
There's a brilliant cartoon about it ...
A very nimble Canadian Army general staff very quickly tasked the Armoured Corps, Signals, and the Ordnance, Service and RCEME corps to cobble together squadron/company sized units that were, of course, a real godsend to the force commander and that became the template for other UN missions, including the Congo, UNEF II and the Golan Heights.
There's a brilliant cartoon about it ...
E.R. Campbell said:
Ted
As I recall, the real downside was that one of the QOR battalions was posted to Egypt from Currie Barracks in Calgary. The system reacted and made them clear out on posting, including vacating their PMQs which then went to the next folks on the list. When the deployment was cancelled, they came back to Calgary and the members who had been in PMQs went to the bottom of the waiting list. (I was in high school at the time, but saw a newspaper story about it. The QOR officer who was BM of 4 CIBG confirmed the story to me ten years after the event.) It may be a military legend, but it sounds like something the army of the time would have pulled.
Blackadder1916
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E.R. Campbell said:
While it doesn't get into a detailed explanation for the rejection of the QOR, this is an interesting clip about the preparations of the battalion and the "Maggie".
http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/blue-berets-help-not-wanted
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Narrowing it down a bit, then ...
- "Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan knows how many troops he wants to send to Africa, but says he has no clear direction from cabinet on where to place them ..."
- "Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says he has decided on the size of Canada’s expanded contribution to United Nations “peace support operations” and plans to announce that decision soon but would not say Monday where he plans to put those troops ..."
- "... "I do have a number that we will be announcing shortly that we can sustain for a long duration," Sajjan said during a teleconference from the Democratic Republic of Congo. And while no final decisions have been made yet on numbers, timing or location, Canada's contribution to a UN mission on the continent will involve more than the military and go beyond what would be considered a traditional peacekeeping role, Sajjan said ..."
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He's waiting for Telford and Butts to tell Trudeau what to decide. Dollars to donuts they even have the size nailed down, and the minister's report is "taken under advisement" and then promptly placed in the Somalia Photocopier™.
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If that's what it takes.... :nod: :cheers:Chris Pook said:
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jmt18325 said:
Lol... if you think you can convince the gentlemen on this site, with your words alone, that our current PM is nothing more than a puppet for the Laurentian elites, then as they say, "You done come to the wrong town, partner".
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jmt18325 said:
It is rather naive to think that Telford and Butts are not 'right in there' advising Trudeau what to do.
George Wallace said:
Yeah, does not make a tin foil hat to believe that the PM's BFF since uni and former WWF kingpin is not making some inroads into how Canada is run. And those inroads likely are counter to how the country has been run successfully in the past. As for ``Laurentian elites``, I am not sure what rock face they are standing on but they don`t shop where I do. The reality is that there is a group of people who by hook, crook, or cash attempt to control a lot of stuff that can get you and me maimed, killed or taxed to death.
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How magnificently ironic.jmt18325 said:
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jmt18325 said:
This is what happens when you lock the political thread...
Loachman said:
...
touché...
In any case, I'm just excited to find out what the mission is so I can see if they need an OpsO or other staff job I can apply for.
Journeyman said:
That was actually, exactly the point. I get stomped on for evidenced claims that experience tells some here to disagree with. Politics is something I've studied for years - people providing un-evidenced claims are definitely something I was going to stomp on.
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