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(FYI - I've received a number of e-mails from war veterans who are incensed by this issue. Personally, I understand the "party line", but I also understand the veterans point of view. And, since I was taught to respect my elders, I believe it is only proper that we defer to the wishes of the veterans, rather than politically correct milquetoasts.)
As an aside, if anybody wants to do the math - the article suggests 15 per cent of cadets join the CF. Ironically, the size of the CF is fast approaching that of the cadets (55,000)!!!
WARNING: newspaper article follows:
Vets aghast as cadets seek to rename Warriors' Day parades
Kathryn May, Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA - Canada's war veterans are locked in battle with the country's cadet leaders over the future of Warriors' Day parades.
Veterans are outraged at suggestions the word "warrior" be dropped from their annual parades at local fairs. They claim it is a denial of history and destroys a critical piece of Canada's military tradition.
Cadet corps and squadrons, however, refused to march at Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition and the Western Fair in London, Ont., this year unless the title was replaced by "Veterans Day."
The cadets, nervous about projecting an image as child warriors, said they would assist and carry signs or flags, but would not march in formation under the old name.
Ed Halayko, who sits on London's Warriors' Day committee, sent a stinging letter to Art Eggleton, Minister of Defence, in which he wrote: "Kindly explain how Canada became a nation without her warriors in wars. First, the French were beaten, then the Yanks, then the Boers, then World War I -- particularly Vimy Ridge -- then World War II and Korea."
"Those wars were not fought by Girl Guides or generals, but by warrior soldiers. Therefore, what jackass ... is responsible for this latest effort to convert our once-proud military into some Boy Scout movement? I have nothing against scouting, but they are not fighting men," Mr. Halayko said.
Mr. Eggleton's department provides funding to the cadets.
Colonel Rick Hardy, director of Canada's cadets, said the youth program is not a training camp for "child soldiers," and sending them to march in a Warriors' Day parade sends the wrong message.
Col. Hardy said Canada decries the use of child soldiers internationally and cannot be seen promoting child warriors at home.
"We don't want that name associated with children and cadets seen as warriors or warrior wannabes," Col. Hardy said. "Certainly, no youth group in this country respects and understands the military traditions like the cadets do ... but they are not warriors, they are not child soldiers and that's a perception we want to get rid of."
Col. Hardy said Canada's 55,000 cadets, aged 12 to 18, are exposed to military structure and discipline but are not trained in military manoeuvres and tactics. Fifteen per cent of cadets end up joining the military.
The cadets were started approximately 127 years ago by local Militia units as a way to encourage youth to join their ranks.
Cadets remained a key recruiting and training ground for the Armed Forces until the 1960s, when the group's focus shifted to one of "citizenship, leadership, physical activity and knowledge of the military and its history."
For such veterans as Mr. Halayko, who is also chairman of the Armed Forces Pensioners Association, the drubbing of "warrior" is political correctness in the extreme.
He said it masks the grim realities of war and debases the sacrifices of the thousands of soldiers who were killed and who killed in Canada's wars.
"So ... wave a fleur-de-lys at the enemy and hope to frighten them off. Get real. Wars are won by fighting men, not frightened prancing nancies being politically correct -- whatever that might mean," Mr. Halayko wrote.
"This is such a scandal. What has Canada come to? It bothers those of us who spent six years of our lives overseas to see this happen. It's part of our country and heritage."
Cadets will participate in the Warriors' Day parade at the CNE this year, as they always have, but they will not march with the veterans.
Parade organizers said they were surprised and perplexed by the cadets' objections. "What floors us is they don't want to be known as warriors but they're being trained as warriors," said Len Pelletier, the parade secretary.
He said the Toronto committee refused to budge and change the name of an 80-year tradition. He said the cadets want to review their position before taking part in next year's parade. He said they could be replaced by Boy Scouts and the parade would continue with or without them.
"We're certainly not going to change our name. We're going to keep on organizing the parade every year until there's no one left to parade," Mr. Pelletier said.
The Warriors' Day parade in London, a centrepiece of the Western Fair since 1920, is reluctantly changing its name, said Mr. Halayko. In a close vote, the parade committee decided it simply cannot continue the parade in the long run without the participation of the cadets.
As an aside, if anybody wants to do the math - the article suggests 15 per cent of cadets join the CF. Ironically, the size of the CF is fast approaching that of the cadets (55,000)!!!
WARNING: newspaper article follows:
Vets aghast as cadets seek to rename Warriors' Day parades
Kathryn May, Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA - Canada's war veterans are locked in battle with the country's cadet leaders over the future of Warriors' Day parades.
Veterans are outraged at suggestions the word "warrior" be dropped from their annual parades at local fairs. They claim it is a denial of history and destroys a critical piece of Canada's military tradition.
Cadet corps and squadrons, however, refused to march at Toronto's Canadian National Exhibition and the Western Fair in London, Ont., this year unless the title was replaced by "Veterans Day."
The cadets, nervous about projecting an image as child warriors, said they would assist and carry signs or flags, but would not march in formation under the old name.
Ed Halayko, who sits on London's Warriors' Day committee, sent a stinging letter to Art Eggleton, Minister of Defence, in which he wrote: "Kindly explain how Canada became a nation without her warriors in wars. First, the French were beaten, then the Yanks, then the Boers, then World War I -- particularly Vimy Ridge -- then World War II and Korea."
"Those wars were not fought by Girl Guides or generals, but by warrior soldiers. Therefore, what jackass ... is responsible for this latest effort to convert our once-proud military into some Boy Scout movement? I have nothing against scouting, but they are not fighting men," Mr. Halayko said.
Mr. Eggleton's department provides funding to the cadets.
Colonel Rick Hardy, director of Canada's cadets, said the youth program is not a training camp for "child soldiers," and sending them to march in a Warriors' Day parade sends the wrong message.
Col. Hardy said Canada decries the use of child soldiers internationally and cannot be seen promoting child warriors at home.
"We don't want that name associated with children and cadets seen as warriors or warrior wannabes," Col. Hardy said. "Certainly, no youth group in this country respects and understands the military traditions like the cadets do ... but they are not warriors, they are not child soldiers and that's a perception we want to get rid of."
Col. Hardy said Canada's 55,000 cadets, aged 12 to 18, are exposed to military structure and discipline but are not trained in military manoeuvres and tactics. Fifteen per cent of cadets end up joining the military.
The cadets were started approximately 127 years ago by local Militia units as a way to encourage youth to join their ranks.
Cadets remained a key recruiting and training ground for the Armed Forces until the 1960s, when the group's focus shifted to one of "citizenship, leadership, physical activity and knowledge of the military and its history."
For such veterans as Mr. Halayko, who is also chairman of the Armed Forces Pensioners Association, the drubbing of "warrior" is political correctness in the extreme.
He said it masks the grim realities of war and debases the sacrifices of the thousands of soldiers who were killed and who killed in Canada's wars.
"So ... wave a fleur-de-lys at the enemy and hope to frighten them off. Get real. Wars are won by fighting men, not frightened prancing nancies being politically correct -- whatever that might mean," Mr. Halayko wrote.
"This is such a scandal. What has Canada come to? It bothers those of us who spent six years of our lives overseas to see this happen. It's part of our country and heritage."
Cadets will participate in the Warriors' Day parade at the CNE this year, as they always have, but they will not march with the veterans.
Parade organizers said they were surprised and perplexed by the cadets' objections. "What floors us is they don't want to be known as warriors but they're being trained as warriors," said Len Pelletier, the parade secretary.
He said the Toronto committee refused to budge and change the name of an 80-year tradition. He said the cadets want to review their position before taking part in next year's parade. He said they could be replaced by Boy Scouts and the parade would continue with or without them.
"We're certainly not going to change our name. We're going to keep on organizing the parade every year until there's no one left to parade," Mr. Pelletier said.
The Warriors' Day parade in London, a centrepiece of the Western Fair since 1920, is reluctantly changing its name, said Mr. Halayko. In a close vote, the parade committee decided it simply cannot continue the parade in the long run without the participation of the cadets.
This is Colonel Hardy
This is a Cadet Commanding Officer that thinks they‘re all that!!!!
still waiting for you "BONA FIDES"!!!!
