Unacceptable Militarization of Public Space
Not a Single Youth for Imperialist War!
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are constantly looking for young people to serve as cannon fodder in U.S./NATO wars of destruction. Canada's active participation as a member of NATO, involved in the U.S./NATO proxy war in Ukraine, and in support of Israel's crimes against the Palestinian people, among others, requires sustained recruitment of young people.
The newspaper La Presse
published an article on October 8 indicating that at present,
there is a total shortage of 16,000 military personnel, i.e.
8,100 regular military personnel in the CAF and 7,900
reservists. The CAF has an authorized strength of 71,150 members
but presently only has 63,050.
All kinds of methods are being developed to do this: more targeted advertising campaigns, recruitment kiosks in shopping and community centers, offers of high salaries and bonuses, military exercises in urban spaces, etc. On September 16, at Place Fleur de Lys, a shopping centre in Quebec City, the CAF held an "immersive style" recruitment activity called "Military for a Day." There you could handle disabled rifles, make a camp bed, taste the rations, etc.
Recruitment criteria have also been relaxed for hair colour and length; facial tattoos and hair; lifestyle and even immigration status. As of December 5, 2022, permanent residents can now apply. Canada even offers special pathways to citizenship by recognizing military service in Canada performed by permanent residents who enlist in the CAF.
As part of the exercises to accustom the population in the Outaouais to military vehicles, particularly tactical armored patrol vehicles, military vehicles will be out on patrol on Tuesday evenings from September to December. The stated aim is to train the crews and keep the fleet in good condition. Stops specifically aimed at recruitment are planned during this period, including two in Wakefield sector of La Pêche, one in Gatineau sector Angers, another in Gatineau itself and two others in Aylmer.
The same scenario has been taking place in the Montreal region since October 3, 2023. Every Tuesday evening until April 30, 2024, detachments of four to six members of the Royal Canadian Hussars (RCH) regiment make military road movements in which tactical armored patrol vehicles circulate on public roads. The RCH is an armored reconnaissance regiment belonging to the 34th Canadian Brigade Group and is part of the Canadian reserve. The routes used change regularly.
The weekend of September 30 and October 1, military exercises of the 34th Combat Engineer Regiment, Rouyn-Noranda detachment took place in the Alembert sector in Rouyn-Noranda, simulating a combat situation. D'Alembert is a district of Rouyn-Noranda 17 kilometres north of the urban center, with a population of around 1000 people. This involved setting up facilities, establishing command posts and mock treatment of the wounded. Blank ammunition was used to "enhance realism in training," according to Corporal Talbot, one of those responsible for the exercises. The training took place on Crown land, used by civilians for hunting among other things. In addition, every Tuesday evening, information and recruitment sessions are held in Rouyn-Noranda, including an open evening in November. In 2003, there were 150 members of the 34th Regiment and today there are only 50.
The press releases insist that these activities are safe for the population. But as we saw on October 17 in Montreal, two tanks entered the heart of a demonstration in support of the Palestinian people in response to the bombing by the Israeli army of the Al-Ahli hospital on same day. Protesters responded by strongly denouncing the Canadian government and this provocative and intimidating activity.
Stating that military activities are safe and without danger for the population or that the Canadian army offers a great future, aims to divert attention from the reasons why this is done. The military exercises aim to train soldiers to fight in all circumstances and to accustom the population to the deployment of soldiers in public spaces, in addition to the 10 already existing Canadian military bases. They are distributed in Quebec, Western Canada, and the central and Atlantic regions. They also aim to recruit young people into the army, whether part-time, full-time, reservist, future soldier, professional, etc. to serve the government of Canada to participate in imperialist wars in the service of the United States, on behalf of the population of Quebec and Canada, without its advice or support.
This article was published in
Volume 53
Number 10 - October 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2023/Articles/M5301018.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca