09.14.2020 08:36 PM

A question for my CAF friends

46 Comments

  1. Nick M. says:

    As a weekend warrior for three years, the jacket doesn’t bother me at all. Besides it’s sized as if it was his original, when he was a skinny soldier.

    I am biased though, as in he is like Jack Layton to me. As in I can’t get mad at him even if said things like, “energy East is off the table”. Like Jack, he has that goofy retail politics smile that just works.

    Actually come to think of it, Chretien is another politician who couldn’t get me angry. He chokes a protestor and I just smile and say that’s our Chrétien.

  2. the real Sean says:

    Peter MacKay apparently is thinking about running for a lowly MP spot…. This is a guy who has already been to the crest of the mountain top…. so naturally there can be only one reason to be re-inserting himself….

    • If the Conservatives form a government, he would certainly be a cabinet minister.

    • TRS,

      It’s quite natural for Peter to return as MP for Central Nova, if the voters agree.

      I don’t see how he wouldn’t be in an O’Toole cabinet. They would be lucky to have him in there.

      • the real Sean says:

        You guys are missing the inference…. There is a growing assumption that O’Toole is already a dead man walking…. and MacKay will be there to pick up the pieces.

        • I got it Sean but IMHO, no one, including MacKay, even remotely thinks that O’Toole has zip of a chance. Far from it. Remember how EVEN Scheer got 300,000 votes more than YouKnowWhoTM.

          • the real Sean says:

            If William Lyon Mackenzie King were in parliament today…. he would carefully stare at Erin O’Toole’s shiny forehead… and he would see 200 Liberal seats.

  3. Full Retired Rambo says:

    Great question and thank you for asking. I served and unless he’s claiming to be something he wasn’t during his time in service, I don’t see a problem. It’s his experience and clearly had a positive impact on him and he’s proud of that. On a side note, he was Airforce so it was likely all hotels and haagen daz and as former Army guy, I’m very jealous of his previous career lodging and dessert options.

  4. Hugh says:

    I agree that the RCAF is indeed apolitical, but having served he is entitled to emphasize it if he considers it central to his values.
    He put the time in, he can leverage it as long as he doesn’t denigrate the Forces in doing so.
    I hold the same true to those of any political party – Conservative, Liberal, NDP… whatever.

    If Trudeau had time in uniform I would have no problem with him making reference to it while campaigning as well (and I say that as a non-Trudeau supporter).

    I put that out there having served 26 years in the Jr ranks, as a Snr NCO and retiring as an officer.
    Pro Patria!

  5. Todd Robson says:

    I’m a former member and veteran (OP HARMONY Yugolslavia 1994) and I a fine with it. It is refreshing to see a politician outwardly endorse the CAF and show pride in it on days that aren’t just November 11.

  6. Steve Teller says:

    I’m not military, or former military, so I realize my opinion should not be counted with as much weight as those who served.

    However, that said, I don’t see why someone can’t wear an article of clothing from a job they actually held. If it causes them to be seen favorably by the public, then fine – they’ve earned it.

  7. Steve Teller says:

    Wow. You realize the question was simply about the jacket he is wearing, right?

    Were you just looking for any opportunity to write an essay about how bad Conservatives are?

  8. Bill,

    You’d be better to publish this in book form. To each his own I always say…

  9. Raymond says:

    You seem angry.
    If a veteran-turned-politician wants to wear a jacket adorned with his former branch of service, let him.
    This isn’t about Harper, Duffy, Skippy, ethics, morals, et al.
    Enjoy your day.

  10. Harper wore CANADA over and over again and no one had a problem with it, right up until the 2015 election! LOL.

    • The Doctor says:

      A lot of people had a problem with anything Harper did. Including whether he actually consumed wafers while taking communion or placed them in his pocket. You know, super duper important stuff.

  11. William says:

    Look at that. All the Conservatives have no problem with it. And they whine and bitch about Trudeau’s ethics. Phoney buggers, north and south of the border.

    • William,

      Come again, you seem to have missed it: we’re commenting about, ahem, a J-A-C-K-E-T worn by a bona fide former Forces member. As was said earlier elsewhere, try to keep up.

      • William says:

        Why do you think Warren asked the question in the first place. I think you need to keep up.

        • William says:

          I’ve read this site for a long time and I must say when you change sides you really get into it. Quite amazing to me.

          • Warren says:

            I don’t have a fucking side.

          • William says:

            Slight misunderstanding. I was referring to Ronald. I’m well aware of your centrist independent bonafides.

          • Ronald O'Dowd says:

            William,

            I do what I can. Of course, my real side no longer exists namely, the Progressive Conservatives. But I remain consistent: wanted zip from Harper, even before we tried the heave-ho; wanted nothing from Trudeau and certainly want nothing now from O’Toole. (Saved a lot of mandatory time that would otherwise have been spent sucking up, boot-licking and ass-kissing. Others are so lucky! Moving on. LOL.)

    • Pedant says:

      You seem confused, William.

      What does wearing a jacket that one actually owns have to do ethics?

  12. Yet Another Calgarian says:

    I was a base brat but I have less of a problem with things like this if the person actively served than I do life long bureaucrats and high ranking officers monetizing their careers and turning into media commentators to spin things they were responsible for implementing or overseeing in public life.

    EG: James Clapper

    This is pretty much the equivalent of Tulsi Gabbard mentioning she was in the US Army.

  13. Doesn’t look like official kit, so what’s the problem? I’m sure we could find a picture some where of a dipper wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt (they’re so hip aren’t they). Would anybody complain about that? I’m actually kind of happy we have a politician who has served his country in uniform and is proud of it.

  14. Martin says:

    I send emails back to my partners all the time saying “sorry too long to read”.

  15. Pedant says:

    Well the CBC is supposed to be apolitical as well but as per a True North study of its coverage (see recent report by Ezra Levant), it has spent more time fawning over Trudeau’s hair, beard, and socks, than covering the arrests of assorted Liberal MPs.

  16. All this BS about Higgs being re-elected because the voters want stability.

    Absolute horseshit in this Prime Minister’s case: he’s got more baggage than Samsonite.

  17. whyshouldIsellyourwheat says:

    It’s not an official uniform. Right? Just promotional swag. It isn’t blackface. It is not an indigenous tattoo worn without permission.

    What’s the problem?

    • Steve Teller says:

      Are you really equating someone wearing a jacket of a place they actually worked, with someone non-black wearing blackface, or someone non-indigenous wearing an indigenous tattoo?

    • Steve Teller says:

      Or sorry if you were being serious – I interpreted it as sarcasm.

  18. Phil L says:

    15+ years service as an NCO. Infantry and SOF. No issues with this at all. It’s not official kit and he’s a veteran.

    Damn well has the right to wear that sort of thing as it’s a big part of his personal identity. Any politician from any party who served has IMO free reign to wear gear indicating they are a vet–news conference, photo shoot, whatever.

    Candidly, I’m non-partisan and not sure how I feel about O’Toole yet.

  19. Joseph says:

    He served and that jacket isn’t basic kit issue.
    So not a problem like someone saying they are a feminist and then firing a female attorney general.

  20. Karl M Littler says:

    Hmmn. Son of an RAF veteran here, pre-immigration to Canada. I don’t see any problem with it, as O’Toole came by it honestly. Harjit Sajan’s military history has been prominently featured, as has Karen McCrimmon’s and Marc Garneau’s. Far better than seeing dodgers like Dubya and Trump and for that matter, Dukakis, try to wrap themselves (sometimes ineptly) in military symbols.

  21. Ronald O'Dowd says:

    Ha, ha, Don Martin is following my script: it’s beyond patently obvious how this Prime Minister is trying to grease the skids for Freeland — cept the guy from Brookfield and his disciples will have other plans…don’t bet the farm on Freeland just yet.

  22. Gilbert says:

    I don’t have a problem with it. It’s good to remind people that Erin O’Toole has a resume, and that he loves our military.

  23. Andy Kaut says:

    Man, can’t you do anything but attack? There must be something somewhere that’s good enough for the Ottawa Orpheus.

    I mean, you’re not being paid to do these and the next (I’m sure) 6 months of drive-by hatings, or at least there’s no need to suspect that you are. Here’s a fresh (white, obvs. Irish) face to an old tired party. They had a better choice or two, but turned away.

    I’m kidding. There was only one good choice.

    But all we’ve heard from you Libs (neo or otherwise) is what a jerk this new guy is. CBC invites him on to beat him up. Why won’t we just deal with the guy as he is?

    Because the opposite of populism isn’t meritocracy; the opposite of populism is just populism for a different stupid party/Great Man.

    I’d say Woman was a chance, but not around these parts, son.

  24. Martin says:

    Meanwhile, JT’s lies just continue to slide by.

    https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/justin-trudeau-champions-liberals-open-nominations-amid-allegations-party-blocked-certain-candidates

    The CBC “news” division doesn’t even mention his earlier promise, proving yet again why they need to be defunded:

    https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/marci-ien-liberal-nomination-morneau-1.5728800

    From the CTV:

    “This marks a huge shift from the Liberals’ previous approach to elections. Ahead of the 2015 election, the Liberal Party emphasized the importance of open nomination processes, where hopeful Liberal nominees would battle it out to win the most votes and secure the candidacy in any given riding.

    “When Justin Trudeau committed to hold open nominations in 338 ridings across the country, he made something crystal clear: our open nomination process is there to ensure that local Liberals, in every riding, get to choose who they want to represent them in the next election,” reads a post on the Liberal Party website from March, 2014.

    “It wasn’t for him as Leader to decide – it was for Liberals to decide.”

    However, this time around, the leader did decide who would represent the Liberal Party in the two upcoming byelections.”

    https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/broadcast-journalist-marci-ien-to-run-as-liberal-candidate-in-morneau-s-former-riding-1.5109090

  25. Ex Naval Officer 1983 – 1994. I see absolutely no problem with O’Toole wearing that RCAF jacket.

    Number one, he was an RCAF officer and earned it the hard way. Number Two: It’s not military issued kit. Number 3: It’s a J-A-C-K-E-T….

    We now have a number of former military officers, NCOs and ratings serving our country as elected politicians/officials in all three (not sure about Bloc?) major political parties. This is a very, very good thing and massive improvement from my time in the service.

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