OT: Montreal Canadiens Military Appreciation Night

[Braun]

I was reading an article about last night's military appreciation ceremony in Toronto and apparently we are the only Canadian team to not have this sort of event. I am a bit ashamed by the low support in QC towards our armed forces members. I know at almost every game at the Bell Center they show a few military members on the big screen but is it enough in your opinion? Just curious about what you guys think!

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[Brainiac]

Well, the problem when you do that is you're starting to mix politics with sports. I know it's always been like this and it will continue to be. Still a bad idea, IMO.

Oups, I said the big p-word. Please, don't mod me down.

 

[Braun]

Well, the problem when you do that is you're starting to mix politics with sports. I know it's always been like this and it will continue to be. Still a bad idea, IMO.

Oups, I said the big p-word. Please, don't mod me down.

I get your point although I don't feel politics is involved with the fact that there are members of our society ready to put it at all on the line for us if and when the time comes and I think that deserves a bit of recognition, no? Politics aside.

 

[FF de Mars]

I'm proud to be a pacifist, I'm proud my nation still is. Growing up it was Canada's other nation's reputation too, until Harper took a huge dump on it with stuff like blowing off Kyoto, supporting Israel, and wasting billions on useless military airplanes while cutting spendings in science and culture. It would make me cringe if they had a military ceremony at the Bell Center.

 

[Brainiac]

I get your point although I don't feel politics is involved with the fact that there are members of our society ready to put it at all on the line for us if and when the time comes and I think that deserves a bit of recognition, no? Politics aside.

I agree with you totally.

The only problem is that "Support our Troops" has been slowly and maliciously transformed to "Support whatever our government is doing".

 

[Braun]

I'm proud to be a pacifist, I'm proud my nation still is. Growing up it was Canada's other nation's reputation too, until Harper took a huge dump on it with stuff like blowing off Kyoto, supporting Israel, and wasting billions on useless military airplanes while cutting spendings in science and culture. It would make me cringe if they had a military ceremony at the Bell Center.

so much for not being political, thanks for getting the thread closed!

 

[TRG]

so much for not being political, thanks for getting the thread closed!

Well, military is a political tool used by our government. There's NO way it doesn't get political. I agree with him. I hate this new militaristic Canada (and by that I mean the conservative government and the people who vote them in). Not matter the state of this province, I'm glad we doing support the backwards ass politics of the Conservative government.

 

[Mrb1p]

I get your point although I don't feel politics is involved with the fact that there are members of our society ready to put it at all on the line for us if and when the time comes and I think that deserves a bit of recognition, no? Politics aside.

Thing is, it's not really putting their lives on the lines for the sake of the country... It is a bit naive to think it's still the good ol' WW2 standard.

 

[OpenIceHit]

I'm proud to be a pacifist, I'm proud my nation still is. Growing up it was Canada's other nation's reputation too, until Harper took a huge dump on it with stuff like blowing off Kyoto, supporting Israel, and wasting billions on useless military airplanes while cutting spendings in science and culture. It would make me cringe if they had a military ceremony at the Bell Center.

That is YOUR opinion.

No matter the political party in place, we will always have and need military. These people sacrifice their lives for us all and we should be grateful to have them. And by the way, there's a lot of soldiers coming from this province as well.

And finally, you have obligations when you are part of NATO or any other alliances. For one, the target military spending needs to as close as possible to 2% of the country's PIB. You can't just have the benefits from being part of NATO ...

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

No matter the political party in place, we will always have and need military. These people sacrifice their lives for us all and we should be grateful to have them. And by the way, there's a lot of soldiers coming from this province as well.

And finally, you have obligations when you are part of NATO or any other alliances. For one, the target military spending needs to as close as possible to 2% of the country's PIB. You can't just have the benefits from being part of NATO ...

The bolded is a claim that may or may not be true. I think the need for a military is lower than ever. We could downsize it to a 'skeleton crew', save a lot of money and spend it in other areas.

As for NATO, that's a Cold War artifact that was justified during the Cold War. If the terms of the alliance no longer make sense for us as a country, we ought to renegotiate.

The fact is that while many Canadians have strong, affectionate feelings toward the military, this is not a commonly held view in Quebec. If we don't have an appreciation night, that's OK with me because it reflects our values as a province.

 

[uiCk]

You guys do realize these events have little to do with "appriciation" and more to do with military exposure and arms sales. Its military parade on smaller scale.

Maybe soon Canada will have its own military parade.

 

[Big Guy]

What about a paramedic appreciation or animal conservation appreciation? Not important enough?

I hate this kinda garbage, honestly.

 

[OpenIceHit]

The bolded is a claim that may or may not be true. I think the need for a military is lower than ever. We could downsize it to a 'skeleton crew', save a lot of money and spend it in other areas.

As for NATO, that's a Cold War artifact that was justified during the Cold War. If the terms of the alliance no longer make sense for us as a country, we ought to renegotiate.

The fact is that while many Canadians have strong, affectionate feelings toward the military, this is not a commonly held view in Quebec. If we don't have an appreciation night, that's OK with me because it reflects our values as a province.

Want it or not, every country has the right and the obligation to defend itself. I hate Harper's belligerent tone since we don't have much to walk the talk. But there is a minimum that needs be done to secure the alliances in place.

Also, there is French Canadians that make the choice to be part of the Canadian Army to defend the country and our province that is still part of this country. No matter our views on this subject, we should appreciate their work and the risks they take. Once they enter the army, they just follow what they are being told and they go where they are directed to.

 

[La Grosse Tendresse]

Why not skip the charade and have Harper Appreciation Night?

 

[FF de Mars]

We should appreciate drug dealers for all the risks they take to feed their families. Sorry for trolling but it was just too easy. The army is just a big old mafia.

 

[OpenIceHit]

We should appreciate drug dealers for all the risks they take to feed their families. Sorry for trolling but it was just too easy. The army is just a big old mafia.

Are you seriously comparing soldiers to drug dealers???

 

[68*]

Should we have Garbage Men Appreciation Night? They clean our city.

 

[uiCk]

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/video/canadian-armed-forces-appreciation-night-005012990.html

 

[icerocket]

Hfboards is comparing soldiers to the mafia and garbage men.

Pathetic

 

[FF de Mars]

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/video/canadian-armed-forces-appreciation-night-005012990.html

Why does Toronto always tries to be more American than the USA ?

Hfboards is comparing soldiers to the mafia and garbage men.

Pathetic

The army is worse than the mafia, actually; I'd compare them to the drug lords; they even do business with them... they're partners.

 

[icerocket]

The army is worse than the mafia, actually; I'd compare them to the drug lords; they even do business with them... they're partners.

What are you even talking about?

 

[MaxChart]

My opinion on the army is that I don't like the general idea but I understand it's something we probably need to have... that being said, I don't see the need for the Habs to celebrate the military.

 

[FF de Mars]

What are you even talking about?

Guatemala, San Salvador, Afghanistan, and much more.

 

[Ezpz]

Is Quebec that sheltered that you can all be that ignorant of the world?

 

[Blind Gardien]

I agree with you totally.

The only problem is that "Support our Troops" has been slowly and maliciously transformed to "Support whatever our government is doing".

And the Bell Centre is probably the one audience which might recognize that to the extent of not quite giving that kind of "appreciation night" the reception it might otherwise get elsewhere.

I don't think there's any hope of this thread going anywhere productive here, though... the observation is interesting, the subsequent commentary is going to get this closed, might as well be now...
/thread