Unacceptable Political Advertising: Liberals Attacking the CF

[camochick]

Martin is quoted on the CBC website as saying that the

"The ad was intended to criticize the Conservatives' policy because it would spread soldiers too far apart across the country, Martin said.

"We want to have a critical mass," Martin said. "That would allow large numbers of soldiers to respond to natural disasters at home or to security crises abroad."

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canadavotes2006/national/2006/01/12/elxn-libs-research-military.html

He is so full of crap. Why does he think we will believe this junk?yarghhhhhh >

 

[Monsoon]

This is a copy of an open letter I wrote in response to a Vancouver Province editorial on this ad.
Sir,
    I feel compelled to respond on behalf of my still-serving brothers and sisters in the Canadian Armed Forces who are forbidden by our laws from speaking for themselves.  I see in the Liberal party ads that your article references attempting to drum up fear of armed Canadian soldiers being based in our cities.  Right now some two thousand more armed Canadian soldiers are being sent at the "Right Honourable" Paul Martin's orders to the war in Afghanistan.  When some of them come back in flag draped coffins, I expect Mr Martin to be there with his press entourage to grab headlines at the funeral, as he has done so callously in the past.  For those soldiers who are lucky enough to survive following Mr Martin's orders, you are apparently not welcome to march home.  Apparently, the cities that birthed them must now be afraid of them.  Is this to be our Canada?

The letter would have been more effective without the "finger quotes", but otherwise I think there's nothing there that anyone here would disagree with.  Well said.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

The letter would have been more effective without the "finger quotes", but otherwise I think there's nothing there that anyone here would disagree with.  Well said.

Well, the reference to "when" some of them come back in flag draped coffins seems a bit dramatic.  It's not a foregone conclusion nor is it the goal of the operation.  Using our dead as a chip in a political argument is crass and defeats the message.  The letter was well written, however, and that is the only really objectionable portion, in addition to your valid point about finger quotes.

 

[Hunter]

Lol....
Stephen Harper, on occassion, wears a brown shirt.
A brown shirt.
Hitler had brown shirts.
Therefore Stephen Harper is Hitler.
We're not allowed to make this stuff up.
Vote Liberal.
Wow - they should use some of these ads for LSAT argument questions. The answer is the underlying assumption is the Canadian Voter is dumb.

Well there's more to it than that!  Hitler's birthday was April 20.  And so is Stephen Harper's.  We're not allowed to make this up.  But it never stopped us before.

 

[fdengr]

The Liberal attack ad is not only insulting, but it really shows the complete lack of understanding of the military by the politicians WHO HAVE NEVER THEMSELVES SERVED.  I find it sad that military service is almost considered cumpulsory to be a US politician, whereas in Canada it is rare indeed. 

I am personally insulted by the content of the attack ad, both as a voter and particularly as a soldier.  That the governing political party would paint its own military as a scary and undesirable entity (like a virus) meant to be kept away from "the rest of society" is far beyond unacceptable.  These are the politicians that control our budget and write our orders.  How disheartening. 

 

[McG]

I do have to wonder from where did the concept of having military bases in major urban areas?  Did the defence review come up with this one, some think tank or is this merely politicizing the military issue?

We know we need more money in the military.  But, considering the limited funds we constantly run up against, I would like to think we form defence policy on well-thought out strategies.  While the Liberal ad upset me, I don't think it was meant to diss the armed forces, rather to make citizens consider what it might look like - a throw back to the October crisis' state of martial law.  It was designed to create a level of fear of a police state. 

However, if the sole purpose of positioning armed forces in urban areas is for potential disaster work, and not for its strategic benefit overall, I find that equally insulting. 
...

... I might be alone in this, but I am bothered by the politicization of the military as an election pawn. ...

 

[Jarnhamar]

I really loved this add.
increase military presence in our cities.
Canadian cities.
Soldiers with guns.
In our cities.
In Canada.
We did not make this up.
Choose your Canada."

Ohhh, scarry.   I was all mezmerized and shit.

Hey Canada who would you rather carry guns in the streets? YOUR soldiers who will give their lives defending Canadian interests abroad (and at home) or gang bangers who blow away 15 year old girls.

PS.  In the new array of "Kill Stephen" attack ads the Liberals had one criticising Harper for wanting to put "Soldiers, with guns" in Canadian cities.  Interestingly that ad was pulled from their web site within hours.  Speculation on CTV was the the military had made it known that they weren't pleased at having it suggested that they might be used against Canadians.

Some people are pissed off at this ad. Others chalk it up to stupidity and no big deal.

As a soldier I was very insulted. Maybe I read too much into it. Hearing this add made me feel very untrusted as a Canadian soldier. It made me feel like Canadian soldiers were not Canadian citizens.  The Liberals ad totally came across as suggesting Canadian soldiers would be used on the citizens in some storm trooper gestapo sort of way.

As desperate as the liberals may or may not be, don't dishonour the Canadian Forces with that garbage, and don't dishonour yourselves by walking that road.

 

[Cliff]

The democratic socialists who run Canada have always hated the military and what it represents = so it's nothing new. This open disdain for the CF and military types has becomed ingrained in the masses over the course of many years.

 

[I_Drive_Planes]

Soldiers with guns.

Vs. what? Soldiers with pool noodles?  :

Yet another reason why I hate the Lieberals, I think they just lost whatever small portion of the military vote that they might have had.  The liberals really do seem to be getting quite desperate!

Planes

 

[Kilo_302]

The ad was actually accurate on one point : The Conservatives have put forth a proposal for 100 regulars, and roughly 3-400 reservists to be based in every major Canadian city. However,  the idea behind this was for a rapid response to natural disasters or a terrorist attack. It had nothing to do with what the ad suggests, or armed soldiers in the streets. The ad is ridiculous, but the Conservative proposal has also been panned by conservative and liberal commentators alike. Jack Granatstein, an avid support of the CF, dismissed the Conservative plan, saying that deploying troops in such piecemeal numbers makes no sense. This does not excuse the ad however, and the Liberals should be ashamed of themselves for even making such piece of trash.

 

[rifleman]

Bottom line. Those attack ads do nothing to convince the voters as to why I should trust them to vote liberal.
I hope they pay for their arrogance.

I recommend some random drug testing because I want to know what they are taking.

Harper says we don't have any election platform..

the Liberals...

Us...

Well we don't...

Cause we can't make things up...

Ooops I wasn't suppose to say that...

Choose OUR Canada.

 

[armyrules]

Nice Letter ASir let us know of any replies please.  Thanks and good job

 

[a_majoor]

First "Beer and popcorn", now this. Nice for the party to tell us what they really think of parents and servicemembers. (And for people like me who fall into BOTH categories?)

For the fun stuff:

Paul Martin wants:

more Liberal MPs in our cities.

Canadian cities.

Liberal MPs in Parliament.

with our tax dollars.

In Canada.

We did not make this up.

Choose your Canada."

 

[mainerjohnthomas]

Well, the reference to "when" some of them come back in flag draped coffins seems a bit dramatic.  It's not a foregone conclusion nor is it the goal of the operation.  Using our dead as a chip in a political argument is crass and defeats the message.  The letter was well written, however, and that is the only really objectionable portion, in addition to your valid point about finger quotes.

      I do apologize for the when.  As a soldier I always forced myself to work within the assumption that casualties would happen, so that I would be able to continue my duties without interruption in the event I was confronted with injury or death while on duty.  I hope none of our soldiers suffers any harm in the comming rotation, but even best trained troops face risks in high tempo operations in Afghanistan.  As a pessimist, I love it when I am proved wrong.

 

[George Wallace]

Paul Martin wants:

more Liberal MPs in our cities.

Canadian cities.

Liberal MPs in Parliament.

with our tax dollars.

In Canada.

We did not make this up.

Choose your Canada."

Now Andrew.....That is an Ad worth running!  ;D

I don't think the Liberals would find that offensive at all.  It is after all one of their own.......just turned around.

 

[medicineman]

I seem to remember doing battle PT, ARMED, walking/running through the streets of Calgary alot - not many complaints at all (smart assed remarks, but that's a little different).  I guess that means we were soldiers in the streets of a Canadian city, with guns and they didn't complain about it then...

On a personal side, being that Gagetown is a large Army base, and the MP for the area is a senior Liberal Cabinet Minister, I'd say there might be a rude shock come election day - not to mention Edmonton (if they're still Liberal), Pembroke/Petawawa, Winnipeg and Brandon, etc ad nauseum.  Should just give them some shovels (and dynamite if they live somewhere really cold) and just let them dig/blast out their own graves.  Don't get mad - get even (ain't democracy a b*&^h??!!) with your ballott.

MM

 

[Jarnhamar]

I guess that means we were soldiers in the streets of a Canadian city, with guns and they didn't complain about it then...

Same here. I remember soldiers deploying around trenton, brockville, belleville, kingston etc..  for two weeks carrying weapons. We put up vehicle check points stopping traffic, went to visit companies and factories to practice speaking with the public and getting information, practiced following "suspects" around town. Even practiced raiding an airport full or "terrorists".  (Which was all covered in the media I'll add)

Cops we're always helpful and supportive. Big games of I'll show you mine if you show me yours
Citizens were always supportive, inquisitive and when we actually asked if our presence upset they they said no. They felt safer and it was nice to see *their* soldiers walking around. Everyone had a story about an uncle who was in bosnia or a grandfather who was a highlander in ww2 or something about the defense budget.  We were constantly bombarded with tim hortons coffee and donuts and home made snacks, just like the ice storm.

I don't think the liberals truely understand the relationship the CF has with Canadian citizens. Or perhaps don't want that relationship?  What happens when citizens start to question and complain over issues surrounding the CF..

 

[zipperhead_cop]

We were constantly bombarded with tim hortons coffee and donuts

Welcome to my world ;D

 

[Kirkhill]

Medicineman:

Running through the streets of Calgary

Soldiers.

With guns.

No complaints.

Stephen Harper comes from Calgary.

Harper's values aren't Canadian values.

Calgary isn't a Canadian city.  ;D

 

[medicineman]

Good point - forgot it's west of the Lakehead - not part of Canada.  Come to think of it, isn't Missisauga considered Western Canada?

MM