A call to arms

The Asian Pacific Post ("recognised by The Georgia Straight as the best English language ethnic media in the 'Best of Vancouver 2003' awards"--scroll down at links for the text) makes some very good points:

Why are all the Canadian soldiers being killed in Afghanistan white?

Where are our new Canadians from China, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and the rest of Asia?

[...]

...visible minorities are vastly under-represented in the Canadian Armed Forces. It is a entirely different world from that found on our home soil.

Of the 1.6 million new Canadians between 2001 and 2006, the vast majority — 1.2 million — were new immigrants, mostly from Asia.

[...]

But it is apparent that Canadian minority groups are shunning our military.

A random sampling of the ethnic communities in B.C., for the purpose of this opinion piece, drew some unfortunate responses.

“I don’t think Chinese families see careers for their children in the military,” said a Richmond-based political activist.

At a Vancouver Sikh temple, a group of devotees were in unison – “we did not come to Canada to fight”.

“No way.. I brought my sons here so they did not have to join the national draft,” said a South Korean businessman.

The prevailing attitude is that joining the Canadian military means fighting and going to war.

There was little recognition of duty, valor, peacekeeping, disaster aid and the right – no, the obligation of Canadian citizens to defend the values we all came to Canada for.

If we as new Canadians do not hesitate to fight for equal rights, we must also not hesitate to defend those rights.

Our strength as new Canadians must not only be measured in economic terms.

We must permeate and be present in all aspects of Canada.

That includes the Canadian Forces.

Via Peter Worthington--and I agree with his conclusion:

Bravo, Asian Pacific Post! It's an attitude the rest of Canada's (North America's) mainstream media might emulate, had they the courage.

Meanwhile back at Afghanistan, the circle is squared:

Liberal MP and defence critic Denis Coderre rejected the view that the Afghan mission is a bust.

"The Conservative approach regarding Afghanistan is a failure, but the mission itself is not a failure. It is noble," he said...

Got that folks?

Max Hastings, for his part, says the British Army is still up for the call to arms whilst he argues well the negative interpretation of the situation there.

Mark C.

Posted by markc at August 28, 2007 09:00 PM