She's the latest victim of the Con regime's war on Canadian veterans.
A Royal Canadian Legion chaplain who lost her position for having committed the ultimate crime in Stephen Harper's Canada:
Standing up for our veterans and our wounded soldiers.
The Royal Canadian Legion in Kenora, Ont., accepted the resignation of its chaplain on Monday, after some members and the local Conservative MP complained her remarks about Veterans Affairs and Afghanistan War veterans at a Remembrance Day service were too political.
During the Nov. 11 legion service, Rev. Sandra Tankard spoke out about concerns that veterans who fought in Afghanistan are not getting proper care, and then talked about cuts to Veterans Affairs.
And embarrassing a Con MP.
After the Remembrance Day service, Tankard said local Conservative MP Greg Rickford approached her directly and expressed his "displeasure" about her remarks.
And what I can't understand is, who cares if Greg Rickford didn't like what he heard? I mean who gives a damn? And why would a Legion branch accept Tankard's resignation so readily? When all the chaplain was doing was speaking the truth.
The Harper regime's treatment of our veterans and wounded soldiers is a national disgrace, an absolute abomination.
A decorated Afghanistan war veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder says the only help he got from military counsellors was he was given a rock to squeeze when he wasn't feeling well.
And a huge Canadian tragedy...
For these ARE the facts.
Harper's spin doctors would also like us to ignore the fact that more Canadian military and ex-military personnel have committed suicide on his watch than died in the Afghanistan War.
Dead veterans deserve our respect; living veterans deserve our respect and assistance. Do not be misled by the Conservatives' cleverly crafted propaganda and their crass campaign goodies. Harper's government should be judged on its record.
And this too is true:
When asked whether there is a lesson for others in her Remembrance Day experience, Tankard said "perhaps it is that the freedoms we have to speak are not necessarily as vibrant as they once were."
And all I can say is thank goodness for these members of this Great Canadian Coalition.
A group of angry veterans, who want the Harper government defeated in the next election, is appealing to serving members of the military to join them in protest.
Ron Clarke, a member of Canada Coalition for Veterans who has been campaigning against the closure of Veterans Affairs offices, made the appeal Wednesday during a Parliament Hill news conference.
And as for the Legion it needs to remember whose side it's on.
The coalition says a low-key approach to confronting the government has not worked and spokesman Mike Blais says the Royal Canadian Legion seems satisfied with current disability awards for the most severely wounded troops.
For any kowtowing to the Con regime and its depraved leader is absolutely disgraceful, and a betrayal of our soldiers and veterans.
But then you know whose side I am on eh?
The side of OUR Canada where such things should NEVER happen.
And this sorry incident only makes me more determined to join those vets on the battlefield of the next election. And take that Canada back.
Together we shall take on the Cons.
And together we shall help defeat them...
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15 comments:
she ought not to have resigned. she ought to have told the m.p. to blow it up his ass. How dare he tell a chaplain he did not like what she had to say. Canada is supposed to be a democracy and such citizens have the right to say what the like. This M.P. jerk has not spent any time in the military but dares to criticize those who would work with veterans. like what have the cons ever done for the vets. its just another e.g. of why the cons have to go. they are now directly attacking our freedom of speech.
I always thought that wars being fought and combatants that died was "too political"!
She should have stood her ground. Did that branch ask her to resign? If so they are not worthy of respect. Who does he think he is? Hope this story is spread far and wide.
They shouldn't have accepted her resignation. They should have stood up for her and the veterans. What does the legion really do for veterans anymore other than paste up pictures. Does it lobby for and support living veterans.
There are 364 other days in the year to argue about the treatment of veterans. Leave Remembrance Day out of this.
Sadly, the legions of this country are bastions of Con support..probably a good reason why their existence is no longer of much validity..Please do not forget that it was legions that extended a racist ban on any vets wearing turbans, ostensibly because it was 'disrespectful' not to doff your hat when you enter...as if a turban was a hat. And frankly, the list goes on and on..
I don't confuse our veterans with our legions. The fact that a chaplain spoke up is cheering, and no, she should not have resigned, but did you hear a single word of support for her from legions? we all know the answer...
Remembrance Day is the perfect time to speak of this, are we not supposed to be mindful of the veterans that returned with deeply troubling and/or disabling wounds and PTSD? You would probably object to the contingent that marches every year in Vancouver, called Veterans for Peace...Remembrance Day is the perfect day to talk about veterans..that is what it is for. And it is the one chance in the year when a largest number of citizens are focused on this Day..the rest of the time, veterans hardly exist in anyone's mind by comparison.
What i would really like to know is what justification the local Legion had for accepting her resignation since she was advocating on behalf of veterans who, at least in theory, the Legion does as well.
hi e.a.f...I thought the chaplain's criticisms were extremely gentle, and not offensive in the least. So I don't understand what the fuss was about. Rickford may find the truth painful, but what she said and how she said it doesn't justify the outcome...
hi anon...well now you're trying to get me involved in a political discussion, and you know I don't do that. ;)
But seriously I think that people are forgetting the true meaning of Remembrance Day. Because the way I see it the day should be about honouring the dead AND remembering the living. And I'm sure if all those dead soldiers could be asked for their opinion, they'd agree with me...
hi anon....I think that the Chaplain must have been heavily criticized by some of the Legion members to get her to offer up her resignation, so I don't blame her. And as I said above I thought her words were classy and not disrespectful in any way, so I don't understand why any Legion members should be upset. Unless they're Cons and we're upset at her embarrassing their MP. In which case I suggest they are the ones being too political, and should ash her back immediately. I'm an atheist and I hate the mix of religion and war, but she spoke the truth, and decency is decency...
hi anon...I agree, the Legion should not have accepted her resignation. Embarrassing Greg Rickford, after how the Cons have treated injured soldiers and veterans, is not a crime in my book. The Legion does claim to be supporting the battle for justice, but I can't help feeling that they're not fighting hard enough...
hi JJM...I've heard that argument, and I respect your opinion, but I simply can't agree with it. I believe Remembrance Day is for honouring the dead, and remembering the living. There is a real crisis in this country when it comes to the way veterans and wounded soldiers are being treated. And since the chaplain's words were very gentle and respectful, and in keeping with the spirit of the day, I don't understand what all the fuss was about...
hi mizdarlin...sadly I think you're right. I hadn't heard the story about the turbans, but how absolutely appalling considering the sacrifice of so many Sikh soldiers. So yeah I can't help but feel this incident has more to do with the politics of embarrassing Greg Rickford, than any alleged dishonouring of Remembrance Day. We can only honour the dead, but we can help the living. And you're also right we must not confuse our veterans with the Legion. Luckily I'm a private in the right posse... ;)
hi Lorne...I can only believe that they were embarrassed because they felt she had embarrassed Greg Rickford. But you're right I would like to see a fuller explanation from that Legion branch. As you point out they should be encouraging all of us to stand up for veterans. There is real suffering out there, I have seen it with my own eyes, and to let the hurt feeling of a Con get in the way of that is simply inexcusable...
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