Re: Trooper Karine Blais - Military apologizes for delay in repatriation

[GAP]

Military apologizes for delay in repatriation
Updated Thu. Apr. 16 2009 6:47 PM ET CTV.ca News Staff
Article Link

Canada's top military official has apologized for a decision which delayed the repatriation of a fallen soldier and reportedly prevented some of her fellow soldiers from taking part in the ceremony.

In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Gen. Walter Natynczyk, Canada's chief of defence staff, also offered the family of Trooper Karine Blais his "deepest support" during their time of grief.

"I want to offer my sincerest apologies to anyone who may have been offended by the decision to return troops to Ottawa prior to the final repatriation of our fallen comrade Trooper Karine Blais," added Natynczyk.

The comments followed a controversial -- and unusual -- decision to first drop off 117 soldiers at CFB Uplands near Ottawa before bringing Blais' remains back to Trenton for repatriation.

The 21-year-old soldier was killed in Afghanistan on Monday in a bomb blast.

"Having personally attended many Repatriation Ceremonies in Trenton, I can assure all Canadians that our goal is to treat all fallen soldiers with treated with respect, dignity and honour and it is our intention to continue to ensure this policy is followed," said Natynczyk.
More on link

 

[321nick]

RIP  trooper.

As for the people that made that choice to land in Ottawa so the troops returning could have a shorter bus ride home.I hope you can live with youself and maybe some day you will realize what kind of pain that you have cause to the mother and other people that were in Trenton waiting for this young women to arrive.
  It is very hard to get support in Quebec for what the troops are doing overthere.This has just may them even more pissed!!

 

[1feral1]

I don't think its the right time to discuss such negative things as you've put forward in your last paragraph.

Politicising this is just not on.

Its not about anglophones vs the french. Afterall we are all Canadians and all bleed the same colour.

Regards,

OWDU
Veteran

 

[aesop081]

RIP  trooper.

As for the people that made that choice to land in Ottawa so the troops returning could have a shorter bus ride home.I hope you can live with youself and maybe some day you will realize what kind of pain that you have cause to the mother and other people that were in Trenton waiting for this young women to arrive.
  It is very hard to get support in Quebec for what the troops are doing overthere.This has just may them even more pissed!!

Oh boo hoo hoo.......

If i get killed over there and my body comes back on the same plane as returning troops, i hope they get dropped of first. Why would i care, i'm freaking dead. The troops have had it hard, they deserve to get home ASAP.

 

[leroi]

I don't think its the right time to discuss such negative things as you've put forward in your last paragraph.

Politicising this is just not on.

Its not about anglophones vs the french. Afterall we are all Canadians and all bleed the same colour.

Regards,

OWDU
Veteran

I agree. The CF apologized--whether rightly or wrongly, I'm not qualified to say.

Another media-circus is the last thing we need in this country.

It detracts from the sacrifice made by this fine, brave Canadian.

A family grieves, a Regiment suffers yet must endure, a country mourns. 

What part of the phrase "Rest in Peace" does the MSM not understand? :yellow:

 

[templeton peck]

The story seems incomplete - when they say the repatriation was delayed, does that mean family, friends and the community were expecting the remains at a certain time but they were made to wait because of the diversion to Ottawa? If so, that would extremely disrespectful and callous.
However, if the family et all only came out when notified, then that isn't really newsworthy at all. Did I miss something?
None the less, I am sorry for the loss of Trooper Blais!

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Statement
A Statement from the Chief of the Defence Staff
General Walt Natynczyk
NR–09.027 - April 17, 2009

I want to offer my sincerest apologies to anyone who may have been offended by the decision to return troops to Ottawa prior to the final repatriation of our fallen comrade Trooper Karine Blais.

Having personally attended many Repatriation Ceremonies in Trenton, I can assure all Canadians that our goal is to treat all fallen soldiers with respect, dignity and honour and it is our intention to continue to ensure this policy is followed.

Today Her Excellency the Governor General, the Minister of National Defence and I met with Trooper Blais' family in Trenton to extend our deepest support during this very difficult time in which we all grieve.

 

[riggermade]

I don't know why the decision was made but it was.  Typically the press is all over this to shed the military in a bad light.  I for one am sick of that idiot Michel Drapeau, what does her being a female and French have to do with the decision.  Since this idiot has weighed in I am sure Scott Taylor will be soon to follow with his negative comments.

Am apology was made and you can be guaranteed it won't happen again

 

[bilton090]

Oh boo hoo hoo.......

If i get killed over there and my body comes back on the same plane as returning troops, i hope they get dropped of first. Why would i care, i'm freaking dead. The troops have had it hard, they deserve to get home ASAP.

look after the ones going home, shes died it's gone

 

[Redeye]

Exactly.  This is a media circus over nothing.  The plane's flight plan I suspect was made long before they had to plan on a fallen soldier, so they went with it.  I do agree the flags should have been lowered at Ottawa, but other than that I can't see that Tpr Blais being too perturbed about getting people home to their families efficiently as well.

Oh boo hoo hoo.......

If i get killed over there and my body comes back on the same plane as returning troops, i hope they get dropped of first. Why would i care, i'm freaking dead. The troops have had it hard, they deserve to get home ASAP.

 

[Weinie]

  I have been told that crew rest limitations was reason for stop en route, as opposed to into Trenton and then flying back to Ottawa.

 

[beach_bum]

Oh boo hoo hoo.......

If i get killed over there and my body comes back on the same plane as returning troops, i hope they get dropped of first. Why would i care, i'm freaking dead. The troops have had it hard, they deserve to get home ASAP.

I have to say I totally agree with this one.  I also thought they said that the repatriation ceremony wasn't delayed by this and that everything still happened on time.  I just fail to see what the big deal is here.

 

[Lil_T]

I have to say I totally agree with this one.  I also thought they said that the repatriation ceremony wasn't delayed by this and that everything still happened on time.  I just fail to see what the big deal is here.

That's what I was thinking and aren't the repatriation ceremonies usually around 2pm anyway?  What is the difference - really?  For what it's worth - if it were my loved one coming home for the last time and they had previously decided to stop in Ottawa to let off troops to be with their families, I would hope the CF would not forsake the living for the dead.

 

[Monsoon]

The story seems incomplete - when they say the repatriation was delayed, does that mean family, friends and the community were expecting the remains at a certain time but they were made to wait because of the diversion to Ottawa? If so, that would extremely disrespectful and callous.
However, if the family et all only came out when notified, then that isn't really newsworthy at all. Did I miss something?
None the less, I am sorry for the loss of Trooper Blais!

You didn't miss anything - the re-pat ceremony happened right on schedule; the only difference was that the plane first stopped in Ottawa to disembark some living soldiers, presumably so they wouldn't have to trundle off the plane in Trenton for an hour. Bear in mind, they would have been at the re-pat departure ceremony at KAF.

Apparently this media storm is an "inside job" - the Ottawa media was alerted by someone at KAF about "the great disgrace" that the plane would be landing in Ottawa first, so they were all there waiting when it did with their stories already in hand. I hope that person gets found out and.. sternly spoken to.

 

[Franko]

CTV News finding inventing a story where there was none. The family was informed and the timings were passed on. Spectators should mind their own business, after all...it's supposed to be a private moment for the family, not the public.

Oh boo hoo hoo.......

If i get killed over there and my body comes back on the same plane as returning troops, i hope they get dropped of first. Why would i care, i'm freaking dead. The troops have had it hard, they deserve to get home ASAP.

My thoughts if it was me coming home in a box from this tour. I'd rather see my troops and buddies get to their families faster.

RIP  trooper.

As for the people that made that choice to land in Ottawa so the troops returning could have a shorter bus ride home.I hope you can live with youself and maybe some day you will realize what kind of pain that you have cause to the mother and other people that were in Trenton waiting for this young women to arrive.
  It is very hard to get support in Quebec for what the troops are doing overthere.This has just may them even more pissed!!

Shouldn't you be working on pending cases for returning injured veterans at the VAC instead of spouting off on here?

GET BACK TO WORK!

The Army.ca Staff

 

[Another Mom]

First of all, heartfelt condolences to Karine's family, friends and colleagues. Rest assured, parents shed a tear for all fallen... even if we can't bear to find the words..

When I first heard this, my first response as a parent was: if the other soldiers were  reunited with their loved ones even an hour earlier, it was worth it and I would agree, if it was my child. On the other hand, if her colleagues on the  plane were denied a chance to be  a part of her day, I could see how they would feel cheated. I have NO idea what plans and protocol were.  In the end, all comments related to this seem to be spoken from respect and affection for Karine and her fellow soldiers  and that is what matters overall. Stay safe everyone, and take care of each other...

 

[Redeye]

I figured it went off on the normal schedule since I saw the motorcade exactly when I would have expected them for a 2pm arrival at Trenton.  Given that there's a RIP going on and all the flights were making the trip this way as I understand it - stopping first in Ottawa to drop off those going to Petawawa before carrying on to Petawawa, why would they make two extra legs of the trip on this account?!  The beauty is that someone would have been up and screaming about carbon footprints and wastes of fuel or some such nonsense if they had done it the other way.  Not to mention that they would have arrived very early in Trenton by the sound of it.

You didn't miss anything - the re-pat ceremony happened right on schedule; the only difference was that the plane first stopped in Ottawa to disembark some living soldiers, presumably so they wouldn't have to trundle off the plane in Trenton for an hour. Bear in mind, they would have been at the re-pat departure ceremony at KAF.

Apparently this media storm is an "inside job" - the Ottawa media was alerted by someone at KAF about "the great disgrace" that the plane would be landing in Ottawa first, so they were all there waiting when it did with their stories already in hand. I hope that person gets found out and.. sternly spoken to.

 

[Selector]

Much ado about nothing.  I am sure the living soldiers who were able to get home that much sooner were grateful for the leadership shown by the Gen who directed that the aircraft land at Uplands.

If the national coroner happened to be in Winnipeg, would it have made sense to fly first to that city, and then to return to points east?  Hardly, and the short distance to Trenton and back complies with the very same logic.

Seems like a pack of rats digested and excreted this story before it got into print.  Grrrrrr.

 

[RetiredRoyal]

Oh boo hoo hoo.......

If i get killed over there and my body comes back on the same plane as returning troops, i hope they get dropped of first. Why would i care, i'm freaking dead. The troops have had it hard, they deserve to get home ASAP.

I was thinking the same thing..and i hope they swipe all my good kit and new boots and leave all their crappy stuff for my designated officer to return to supply for me....what do i care...my service is completed.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Typically, nothing more than our amateur media trying to slag the sitting government by making a mountain out of a molehill. Likely, with information garnered from innuendo supplied by some disgruntled no nothing who likely had no involvement in the actual incident in the first place.