- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 410
It's hard to realize this was 20 years ago. Our Army (and our world) have gone through an awful lot of changes since then, but I think that two things are still true. First, this country needs to do everything it can to help the First Nations get themselves sorted out, functional, and capable of setting and maintaining their own course into the future. If that means settling land claims quickly, in favour of First Nations, then get on with it. (We seem to have no worries that Americans, Brazilians, Chinese or other foreigners own all sorts of land in Canada-why shouldn't the aboriginals?)
Second, I believe that very few armies in the world could have handled a crisis like Oka, with its massive potential to go sideways into a bloodbath, as well as we did in 1990. The combination of training, discipline, professionalism and (yes...it's true...) our experience on peace support operations all contributed to the existence of a force that had the inherent ability to carry a steel fist inside a velvet glove. We can still do that.
Cheers
Second, I believe that very few armies in the world could have handled a crisis like Oka, with its massive potential to go sideways into a bloodbath, as well as we did in 1990. The combination of training, discipline, professionalism and (yes...it's true...) our experience on peace support operations all contributed to the existence of a force that had the inherent ability to carry a steel fist inside a velvet glove. We can still do that.
Cheers
