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POSTED:
CANADA MILITARY NEWS: Oct 2013- Our Catholic-Christian Faith in Canada/Pope Francis and Canada's love of our CANADA GAY MILITARY CHAPLAIN GENERAL and our military/love of our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters and our Canadian history/Dr.Lockeridge 1976/Latin/Rosary - we are Canadian -God is Angry- WATER MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD- Pope Francis
http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2013/10/canada-military-news-oct-2013-our.html
BLOG
O CANADA- the story of Jesus- the Jesse Tree- and the wonders of Christmas - just a little history lesson - twas the night before christmas- even in Chinese
http://nova0000scotia.blogspot.ca/2013/12/canterbury-cathedral-upper-half-of-poor.html
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This charming painting was created by beloved Nova
Scotia folk artist Maud Lewis. It is entitled Deer and Village Scene in Winter,
1960s. The painting is on loan to the Art Galler y of Nova Scotia from the
provincial Communities, Culture and Heritage Depar tment. Image supplied
courtesy of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
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Pope
on Christmas hopes for better world
December 25, 2013 - 9:37am The Associated
Press
No votes yet
Peace for Syria, Africa and wherever kids suffer key message in speech
from St. Peter’s Basilica
In this picture provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano,
Pope Francis delivers his ‘Urbi et Orbi’ (to the City and to the World) message
from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Wednesday.
(L'Osservatore Romano, ho / AP)
UPDATED 12:24 p.m.
VATICAN CITY — VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis offered Christmas wishes
Wednesday for a better world, praying for protection for Christians under
attack, battered women and trafficked children, peace in the Middle East and
Africa, and dignity for refugees fleeing misery and conflict around the globe.
Francis delivered the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” (Latin for “to the city
and to the world”) speech from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to
more than 70,000 cheering tourists, pilgrims and Romans in the square below.
In his first Christmas message since being elected pontiff in March, he
asked for all to share in the song of Christmas angels, “for every man or woman
… who hopes for a better world, who cares for others,” humbly.
Among places ravaged by conflict, Francis singled out Syria, which saw
its third Christmas during civil war; South Sudan; the Central African
Republic; Nigeria; and Iraq.
ALSO SEE: Text
of Pope Francis’ Christmas message
In Iraq on Wednesday, militants targeted Christians in two attacks,
including a bomb that exploded near a church during Christmas Mass in Baghdad.
The separate bombings killed dozens of people.
The Vatican has been trying to raise concern in the world for
persecution and attacks on Christians in parts of the Middle East and Africa.
“Lord of life, protect all who are persecuted in your name,” Francis
said.
Adding an off-the-cuff remark, Francis said he was also inviting
non-believers to join their desire for peace with everyone else.
The pope also prayed that God “bless the land where you chose to come
into the world and grant a favourable outcome to the peace talks between
Israelis and Palestinians.”
Francis then explained his concept of peace.
“True peace is not a balancing of opposing forces. It’s not a lovely
facade which conceals conflicts and divisions,” the pope said. “Peace calls for
daily commitment,” Francis said, reading the pages of his speech as they were
ruffled by a chilly wind.
Francis also spoke of the lives of everyday people, especially those
struggling for a better life.
Recalling the hundreds of migrants who have drowned this year while trying
to reach European shores, including many close to the Italian island of
Lampedusa, Francis prayed that refugees receive hope, consolation and
assistance.
He added that “our thoughts turn to those children who are the most
vulnerable victims of wars, but we think, too, of the elderly, of battered
women” and others.
The 77-year-old pope kept to the simple style he has set for his papacy.
Wearing a plain white cassock, Francis presented a sharp contrast in appearance
to the pope who stood on the same balcony on Christmas exactly a year ago. Then
Benedict XVI, who was soon to stun the world by retiring, read his Christmas
speech while dressed in a crimson, ermine-trimmed cape. Benedict lives on the
Vatican grounds, and Francis paid a holiday call on him earlier this week.
In another break with tradition, the Argentine-born Francis stuck to
Italian for his Christmas greetings, forsaking a custom of wishing happy
holidays in dozens of languages to the crowd below the balcony.
In the Mideast, pilgrims celebrated Christmas in the ancient Bethlehem
church where tradition holds Jesus was born, as candles illuminated the sacred
site and the joyous sound of prayer filled its overflowing halls.
This year’s turnout was the largest in years in Bethlehem, and the
celebrations have been marked by careful optimism amid ongoing
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Leaders expressed hope the coming year would
finally bring the Palestinians an independent state of their own.
The top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, Latin Patriarch Fouad
Twal, led a prayer for some 1,000 worshippers. “The whole world now is looking
at Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus,” Twal said in his annual address, adding
that the message of Jesus was one of “love and reconciliation.”
Bethlehem lies 10 kilometres (six miles) south of Jerusalem. Entry to
the city is controlled by Israel, which occupied the West Bank in 1967.
Following a Palestinian uprising that began in 2000, the numbers of
visitors to Bethlehem had plunged. But thanks to a period of relative calm,
they have been steadily climbing in recent years.
Iskandar Salameh, an 18-year-old Palestinian, said the Christmas spirit
was uniting those gathered Wednesday. “We all feel that Jesus is with us
today,” he said.
In Britain, the royal family turned out in force for a Christmas church
service, but the newest family member, Prince George, son of Prince William and
Kate, was nowhere in sight.
Cicely Howard said she asked about the baby when she greeted Kate
outside the church. Howard told the British news agency Press Association that
Kate described George as being “more interested in the wrapping paper than the
presents.” Britain’s Queen Elizabeth in a pre-recorded Christmas message urged
reflection among the distractions of the holiday period.
In his speech, Pope Francis also recalled the victims of natural
disasters, especially Filipinos suffering from the recent typhoon in their
homeland.
In North America, many spent a dark and cold holiday following an ice
storm.
President Barack Obama encouraged fellow Americans to embrace the spirit
of Christmas by volunteering at soup kitchens, buying presents for children in
need or organizing food or clothing donation drives.
Mohammed Daraghmeh contributed from Bethlehem, and Cassandra Vinograd
from London.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/world/1175873-pope-on-christmas-hopes-for-better-world
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Think of ‘brave men and women in uniform,’ says PM Harper in Christmas message
Statement
by the Prime Minister of Canada on the Christmas season
December 25, 2013
Ottawa (Ontario)
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the Christmas season:
“Merry Christmas, everybody.
“And Happy New Year too!
“This is a wonderful season.
“A time for joyful reunions with family and friends, a time to reflect on our good fortune, and a time to remember those in our midst who have less.
“As we count our many blessings, let us also give a moment to our brave men and women in uniform.
“I’d ask you to offer a thought and a prayer for them and their families.
“Friends, as Canadians from coast to coast to coast prepare for this joyous season, I want to wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday, a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Chanukah and a prosperous New Year.”
December 24th In 1948 , Canada officially recognized the
state of Israel. God bless Israel- the land of our Saviour, Jesus Christ who
was born a Jew
----------------------------
EL
JONES: Bearing witness this Christmas
December 23, 2013 - 6:00pm EL JONES
Halifax’s poet laureate delivers a gift to our readers
EDITOR'S NOTE: El Jones is Halifax’s poet
laureate. She is committed to political causes and social justice. We’re proud
to share her work with you.
Let’s talk about the people who don’t feel joy this season
The ones who have no families present for reasons of homelessness,
addiction, or mental health
There are people freezing to death on the streets within sight of the
civic Christmas lights
Because we spend our wealth on the Santa Claus parade but not on more
beds for shelters
And so many of our elders are surviving without pensions but where are
their helpers
When a society decides the duty of care is too expensive
I don’t mean for this poem to ruin the holiday buzz
But I am calling on us to love each other more extensively
And so I am begging us to pay attention
This time of year is rough for people suffering from depression
Surrounded by messages of happiness and content
It’s too much for some to bear to feel lonely at Christmas
It’s hard to feel empty in a season of plenty
There are more suicides in December than any other time of year
And this suffering remains invisible because no one wants to hear
When we talk so much about spreading Christmas cheer
I am calling on us to remember to care
And here’s something else that we should be aware
One in 6 children in Nova Scotia are living in poverty
And that statistic means that children are going hungry
And food banks and soup kitchens can’t keep up with the need
We live in a country of farmland but somehow we can’t feed all who are
starving
Not everyone is laughing all the way this season
Because most people’s lives do not look like the Christmas cards
People are struggling to be filled this Christmas
People who can’t afford time off work are ill this Christmas
There are people we don’t talk about at Christmas
Indigenous women go missing in Canada for more than twelve days
And yet they cut funding to Sisters in Spirit
There’s no Christmas spirit for those suffering with no answered
questions
And there are parents who have kicked their teenage children out into
the streets
For being gay or transgender
Who will not be home for Christmas because they are not welcome
Whose families no longer mention
Or adult partners forced into the closet because their relatives are
ashamed
And there are still many workplaces where people are afraid to name their
partner
Or display their photo on a card because they can’t be guaranteed
protection
Some people misuse religion this time of year as though the message were
not redemption
There is supposed to be no exception to the love that Jesus is spreading
But some treat the message as though it were only for those who fit some
ideal of perfection
So there are some who are praying to be “normal” this Christmas
Who are mutilating the bodies the Creator gave them
Believing they have no worth because they have been bullied and rejected
There are too many people grieving at Christmas
My heart bleeds for Rehtaeh Parsons’ parents this Christmas
And all those who are searching for meaning this Christmas because there
is still so much cruelty
And what about those who spend Christmas in prison
Whose children spend another dinner with a place setting missing
And maybe you think the season isn’t fitting for criminals
But I thought Jesus was given especially for sinners
I have read letters from kids whose only Christmas wish
Was for their parent to be released
And they fall asleep on Christmas night with tears clouding their vision
Because Santa cannot fit salvation down the chimney
In a society that warehouses more mentally ill people in jails than in
treatment
That tells us material possessions will make us complete
But then busts parents for selling to feed their seed
Or put clothes on their back or shoes on their feet
There is so much hypocrisy this season.
In the carols blasting through malls we sing about forgiveness
But what good is listening to the message if we can’t extend it to those
who have lived it?
And what about those who can’t afford to give this Christmas and are
ashamed to receive
Who have to apply for donated presents to put under the tree
Because we have decided that your worth as a parent is not found in the
quality of your love
But in the quantity of stuff you can buy
So we lie to children creating the illusion of Santa as though making
mindless consumers were the most important lesson
Instead of teaching them that presents don’t fall out of the sky
And speaking of falling out of the sky I hope Santa doesn’t mastermind
Any remote guided drone missile attacks this Christmas
Because there is supposed to be peace worldwide at Christmas
But too many conflicts are still being fought over the minerals
That put cellphones under the tree and diamonds round her wrist
And let’s not forget all the environmental damage from the oil required
to ship all those gifts
And I might as well add animals to the list because too many end up
abandoned after Christmas
And too much foolishness exists with Christmas
Because it's past time to stop racist Blackface traditions at Christmas
But I’m not saying we can’t uplift this Christmas
I’m not trying to say we should miss this Christmas
And I’m not trying to make you feel guilt at Christmas
It’s just the message I received is that love is limitless
And so I wanted to take a few minutes to bear witness this Christmas
------------------------
-----------------------
The
Queen’s Christmas Message - think of the future with ‘happiness and hope’
The
Queen spoke of her great-grandson Prince George in her Christmas broadcast, and
said the birth of a baby allows people to think about the future with renewed
“happiness and hope”.
In
her traditional message to the nation, the Queen also made an observation about
the future for new parents - “life will never be quite the same again”.
After
George’s christening in October, the Royal Family gathered for traditional
photos to mark an event the head of state said was “a happy occasion”.
The
Queen’s annual broadcast also featured behind-the-scenes footage taken at
Clarence House as the royals posed for the christening pictures under the
direction of celebrity portrait photographer Jason Bell.
The
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s son George was born on July 22, at the private
Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, in central London.
When
William and Kate left hospital to greet the world’s media waiting outside, they
could not contain their happiness as they chatted about their baby.
The
Queen saw him a few days later but it is thought this is the first time she has
publicly talked at length about the infant who will one day be king.
Delivering
her message, which was recorded earlier this month at Buckingham Palace, the
Queen said: “Here at home my own family is a little larger this Christmas.
“As
so many of you will know, the arrival of a baby gives everyone the chance to
contemplate the future with renewed happiness and hope.
“For
the new parents, life will never be quite the same again.”
These
words were accompanied by footage of William bouncing George up and down in his
arms, with Kate by his side, as they chatted to other family members outside
the Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, ahead of their son’s christening.
Later
that day a historic picture of four generations of the Royal Family - the
Queen, Prince of Wales, William and George - was taken to mark the baby’s
christening.
As
the behind-the-scenes footage was shown, a voice, thought to be Mr Bell, could
be heard saying “One, two, three” as a group picture was taken of the baby
prince, his doting parents, the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Charles and Camilla
and Prince Harry.
The
Queen said in her broadcast: “As with all who are christened, George was
baptised into a joyful faith of Christian duty and service. After the
christening, we gathered for the traditional photograph.
“It
was a happy occasion, bringing together four generations.”
The
main theme of the Queen’s seasonal message to the nation was reflection and she
looked back over the past 12 months to the 60th anniversary of her coronation,
celebrated with a national service in June.
She
also looked forward to the Commonwealth Games being staged in Glasgow next
year.
Her
broadcast began with the Queen telling her audience how a man she once knew
gained a clearer insight into the world after spending a year in a plaster cast
recovering from a back operation.
She
said: “He read a lot, and thought a lot, and felt miserable. Later, he realised
this time of forced retreat from the world had helped him to understand the
world more clearly.
“We
all need to get the balance right between action and reflection. With so many
distractions, it is easy to forget to pause and take stock.”
The
Queen’s traditional message was produced this year by the BBC and recorded in
Buckingham Palace’s blue drawing room.
The
room featured a large Christmas tree decorated with coloured baubles and next
to the Queen, who delivered her message seated, was a table that featured
pictures of her immediate family.
The
historic picture showing four generations of the Royal Family was flanked on
one side by a black and white image of her father George VI, and on the other
by a similar photograph of her mother, the Queen Mother.
Angela
Kelly designed the Queen’s gown, a single crepe wool primrose dress which she
wore to William and Kate’s wedding in April 2011. On her left shoulder was a
diamond, ruby and sapphire brooch, a present from her parents to celebrate the
birth of Charles in 1948, which she wore at George’s christening.
Those
who are not with their families this Christmas were in the Queen’s thoughts,
from servicemen and women on operations abroad to emergency service workers.
Speaking
about members of the armed forces serving overseas, the Queen said: “We are
forever grateful to all those who put themselves at risk to keep us safe.”
Footage
was shown of troops in Afghanistan and the Queen and Philip visiting the RNLI
lifeboat station at St Ives, Cornwall, in May.
The
Queen also cast her mind back to the moment she was crowned on June 2 1953 at
Westminster Abbey, and in the same place of worship the nation gathered this
summer to celebrate the historic event’s 60th anniversary.
She said:
“I myself had cause to reflect this year, at Westminster Abbey, on my own
pledge of service made in that great church on Coronation Day 60 years earlier.
“The
anniversary reminded me of the remarkable changes that have occurred since the
coronation, many of them for the better; and of the things that have remained
constant, such as the importance of family, friendship and good
neighbourliness.”
Archbishop
of Canterbury Justin Welby gave the address during the service commemorating
the coronation, and there was footage of him saying: “Today we celebrate 60
years since that moment, 60 years of commitment.”
There
was colour footage from the coronation showing the Queen in all her regalia
processing through the Abbey in 1953 followed by scenes of cheering crowds in
the streets outside.
Looking
forward to the Commonwealth Games, the Queen said: “The baton relay left London
in October and is now the other side of the world, on its way across 70 nations
and territories before arriving in Scotland next summer.”
Images
were shown of Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy holding the baton, then
footage of it making its way around the globe.
The
Queen said: “Its journey is a reminder that the Commonwealth can offer us a
fresh view of life.
“My
son Charles summed this up at the recent meeting in Sri Lanka. He spoke of the
Commonwealth’s ‘family ties’ that are a source of encouragement to many.
“Like
any family, there can be differences of opinion. But however strongly they’re
expressed, they are held within the common bond of friendship and shared
experiences.”
Images
were shown of Charles and Camilla arriving for the opening of the Commonwealth
heads of government meeting staged in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo last
month.
The
heir to the throne opened the summit as the Queen decided not to fly to Sri
Lanka following a review by Buckingham Palace of her long-haul flights.
The
broadcast ended with a military band playing the carol The First Noel in
Buckingham Palace’s quadrangle.
--------------------------
Statement from the Governor
General:OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – Dec 24, 2013) – I am pleased to extend season’s greetings to the soldiers, sailors, airmen and airwomen of the Canadian Armed Forces.
This time of year provides us all with an opportunity to pause and to reflect on our good fortune as Canadians. I am proud to be your commander-in-chief and am grateful for the essential contributions and constant readiness of our military.
Whether deployed here at home in support of relief efforts during this year’s severe flooding in Alberta, or further abroad in providing disaster assistance following the devastating typhoon in the Philippines, our men and women in uniform show unwavering dedication to helping others and to upholding our democratic values. It is a responsibility that you selflessly exercise on behalf of all Canadians throughout the year, including the holiday season.
The core military values of the Canadian Armed Forces-duty, loyalty, integrity and courage-are reflected in your indomitable spirit of determination and camaraderie. This professional ethos also means you may be called upon to serve under extremely hazardous conditions and circumstances. Recent tragic losses have reminded us of the stresses to which you are often exposed and of the subsequent mental health challenges that may result from military service. Help is available, and together, we must demonstrate a greater sense of responsibility to our men and women in uniform, both during and after active service. My thoughts and prayers are with those families and friends who have suffered the loss of a loved one.
Thank you again for your continued service and dedication. Reflect with pride on the accomplishments of this past year. May this holiday season be filled with peace and joy for the entire armed forces family.
David Johnston
Governor General reaches
out to hurting vets' families after suicide reports
By Mike
Blanchfield, The Canadian Press December 24, 2013
Governor General David Johnston oversees a ceremony
giving royal assent to government legislation in the Senate on Parliament Hill
in Ottawa on Thursday, December 12, 2013. Johnston is sending a special holiday
message to the families of military personnel coping with a recent series of
suicides.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
OTTAWA -
Canada's commander-in-chief is calling for greater responsibility toward
Canadian Forces members in a special holiday message to the families of
military personnel coping with a recent series of suicides.
Governor
General David Johnston says the recent deaths of Forces members are a reminder
of the stresses faced by military personnel and the mental health challenges
that can result.
"Recent
tragic losses have reminded us of the stresses to which you are often exposed
and of the subsequent mental health challenges that may result from military
service," Johnston says in his Christmas Eve message to the Forces.
"Help
is available, and together, we must demonstrate a greater sense of
responsibility to our men and women in uniform, both during and after active service."
At least
four apparent military suicides occurred earlier this month, a week apart in
different parts of the country, reigniting the soul-searching debate around how
Canada is treating its new generation of returning war veterans.
The
Forces have already begun the 100-day countdown for a total withdrawal of all
military personnel from Afghanistan. The non-combat training mission will close
up shop by the end of spring, following the final withdrawal of combat troops
in the summer of 2011.
The House
of Commons defence committee was recently told that while the Harper government
has invested millions into the military's mental health services, far less
attention is being paid to helping the mentally and physically wounded
transition to civilian life.
A
September 2013 report obtained by The Canadian Press said that there were 25
confirmed suicides in 2011 and an additional 17 deaths in 2012.
The
military's medical establishment is trying to determine what is triggering the
deaths.
Johnston
says his thoughts and prayers are with families and friends who have lost a
loved one.
"The
core military values of the Canadian Armed Forces — duty, loyalty, integrity
and courage — are reflected in your indomitable spirit of determination and
camaraderie," Johnston says in his Christmas Eve message.
"This
professional ethos also means you may be called upon to serve under extremely
hazardous conditions and circumstances."
Johnston
says he is proud and grateful for the work of the Forces.
He cited
the relief efforts during this year's severe flooding in Alberta and the recent
typhoon relief mission to the Philippines.
"Our
men and women in uniform show unwavering dedication to helping others and to
upholding our democratic values."
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Opinion Column
Canadians reaching out to typhoon victims 4
By Patrick Brown,
Special to the Examiner
Images of the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan in the Town of
Estancia and the City of Iloilo. Children play among the debris after the
typhoon. (Courtesy of Shirley Sokolosky)
Seeing
people come together to help others is always wonderful to see during the
holiday season and especially heartfelt when those in need are strangers who
live halfway around the world.
After Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) ravaged the Philippines in early
November, Barrie MPP Rod Jackson and I organized a fundraiser to support the
victims of this disaster.
About 1,000 Filipinos make Barrie their home and the impact of
the devastation caused by the typhoon was felt across our city. The Filipino
people are caring, deeply committed to their families, hardworking and beyond
friendly. This community event was a way for us to show that we care and that
we feel their pain.
On Nov. 23 at Parkview Community Centre, a capacity crowd of
over 200 people braved the weather and local snow squalls to pack the hall,
reach into their pockets and to show their support.
The minimum donation was $20 per guest. A buffet dinner and a
wide variety of desserts, including the popular Filipino dessert dish Halo Halo
(from the Tagalog word for 'mix'), were included with the individual donation.
The evening began with a prayer for the victims of typhoon
Haiyan delivered by Pastor Leroy Pennell. This was followed by local resident
Audrey Bushnell’s wonderful singing of ‘O Canada’ and the Philippine national
anthem ‘Lupang Hinirang’ (Chosen Land).
There was also a silent auction, door prizes and speeches by a
number of dignitaries.
Beethoven Crasco was the last to speak. He expressed his
gratitude on behalf of the local Filipino community and I was moved by the
manner in which he spoke about his home in the Philippines being nearly wiped
out by the typhoon. I first met Beethoven in 2004 and instantly admired his
work ethic and his unwavering commitment to his family and friends. We have
been close friends ever since.
In all, $23,030 was raised from that evening - including the
auction and federal matching pledge - with all proceeds delivered to the local
chapter of the Canadian Red Cross.
Special thanks goes out to all the volunteers who made this
success happen and to the terrific business sponsors who graciously donated
food, supplies and prizes for the auction.
Sponsors included (but were not limited to): Air Canada, PIE
Wood Fired Pizza, KoHyang House, Tikka Boulevard, Big Bone BBQ, SPICE Indian
Cuisine, Ontario Gold, Executive Caterers of Barrie, The Barrie Advance, Rock
95 & Kool FM, Holiday Inn Express, Best Western, Insurance Bureau of Canada,
Simcoe Linen, Dr. Murray P. Deller, Wishes Concierge, Mayor Jeff Lehman and
Couns. Alex Nuttall, Peter Silveira and Arif Khan.
In response to this devastation, the Conservative government
offered swift assistance to the Philippines and affected countries with 200
members of the Canadian Forces’ Disaster Assistance Response Team deployed to
provide immediate humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Ottawa also committed $20 million to directly support
humanitarian organizations, providing necessary supplies to those affected by
the powerful tropical cyclone. In addition, our government has been matching
Canadians' individual contributions dollar- for-dollar over the past month and
Canadians have proven to be generous with over $20 million pledged to date.
This means Canada has now contributed over $40 million.
For those still wishing to make a donation and add to the total,
they can visit the following website to make their secure donation today: www.redcross.ca/patrickbrown
Patrick Brown is Barrie's MP.
-------------------------------------
The
Advocate's Person of the Year:
Pope Francis
While 2013 will be remembered for the work of hundreds in advancing
marriage equality, it will also be remembered for the example of one man.
BY Lucas Grindley
December 16 2013 2:23 PM ET
PERSON OF THE YEAR: POPE FRANCIS
When deciding who was the single most influential person of 2013 on the lives of LGBT people, there are obvious choices. At least, they seem so at first.
While Edie Windsor, for example, is among the list of finalists, she is not Person of the Year. Windsor is a hero to LGBT Americans for taking the final punch in the fight against the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act, and section 3 is no more. When she stepped out from the Supreme Court hearing, applause erupted. At the Out 100 awards, where she was given an award for Lifetime Achievement, chants of "Edie! Edie!" greeted her on stage. On the magazine's November cover, she beamed while holding a white dove — a symbol.
But even Windsor herself is a powerful symbol for the many others behind the scenes. Also at the Supreme Court that day, for example, were the four plaintiffs in the related Proposition 8 case from California, and they should be lauded. Or, any of their lawyers. There's the straight team of David Boies and Ted Olson, who frequently became the public champions for marriage equality's advance through the justice system via television interviews and in news reports. Then there's attorney Roberta Kaplan, one of us, who eloquently refuted Chief Justice John Roberts when he suggested times have changed and LGBT people are no longer an oppressed minority.
It doesn't stop there. A handful of other cases could have gone to the Supreme Court this year and weren't chosen. There are plaintiffs and lawyers in all of those. They come from states ranging from Michigan to Massachusetts. Oftentimes backing the cases are the resources of LGBT rights organizations such as Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders or Lambda Legal, or more mainstream allies such as the American Civil Liberties Union. Hundreds of people work at those organizations and have been fighting the Defense of Marriage Act in court — for years. Take, for example, Gill v. Office of Personnel Management, which was first filed in 2009 and originally represented 19 people.
Edie Windsor is a hero, one well worth recording in history books that retell the story of DOMA's demise. But she is not the Person of the Year. She couldn't possibly be, not for The Advocate, where we celebrate the work of so many who contributed to that landmark Supreme Court victory.
When Windsor came in third for Time magazine's annual list of people of the year, she accepted graciously, as always. “I am honored that Time chose me," she wrote in a statement, "but I am just one person who was part of the extraordinary and on-going fight for marriage equality for all our families. There are thousands of people who helped us come this far and we still have a lot more work to do."
(RELATED:
See the Nine Other Finalists for Person of the Year)
The most influential person of 2013 doesn't come from our ongoing legal conflict but instead from our spiritual one — successes from which are harder to define. There has not been any vote cast or ruling issued, and still a significant and unprecedented shift took place this year in how LGBT people are considered by one of the world's largest faith communities.
Pope Francis is leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics all over the world. There are three times as many Catholics in the world than there are citizens in the United States. Like it or not, what he says makes a difference. Sure, we all know Catholics who fudge on the religion's rules about morality. There's a lot of disagreement, about the role of women, about contraception, and more. But none of that should lead us to underestimate any pope's capacity for persuading hearts and minds in opening to LGBT people, and not only in the U.S. but globally.
The remaining holdouts for LGBT acceptance in religion, the ones who block progress in the work left to do, will more likely be persuaded by a figure they know. In the same way that President Obama transformed politics with his evolution on LGBT civil rights, a change from the pope could have a lasting effect on religion.
The most influential person of 2013 doesn't come from our ongoing legal conflict but instead from our spiritual one — successes from which are harder to define. There has not been any vote cast or ruling issued, and still a significant and unprecedented shift took place this year in how LGBT people are considered by one of the world's largest faith communities.
Pope Francis is leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics all over the world. There are three times as many Catholics in the world than there are citizens in the United States. Like it or not, what he says makes a difference. Sure, we all know Catholics who fudge on the religion's rules about morality. There's a lot of disagreement, about the role of women, about contraception, and more. But none of that should lead us to underestimate any pope's capacity for persuading hearts and minds in opening to LGBT people, and not only in the U.S. but globally.
The remaining holdouts for LGBT acceptance in religion, the ones who block progress in the work left to do, will more likely be persuaded by a figure they know. In the same way that President Obama transformed politics with his evolution on LGBT civil rights, a change from the pope could have a lasting effect on religion.
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Pope Francis's stark change in rhetoric from his two predecessors — both who were at one time or another among The Advocate's annual Phobie Awards — makes what he's done in 2013 all the more daring. First there's Pope John Paul II, who gay rights activists protested during a highly publicized visit to the United States in 1987 because of what had become known as the “Rat Letter” — an unprecedented damning of homosexuality as “intrinsically evil.” It was written by one of his cardinals, Joseph Ratzinger, who went on to become Pope Benedict XVI. Since 1978, one of those two men had commanded the influence of the Vatican — until this year.
When Time magazine named Pope Francis its Person of the Year last week, it rightly pointed out the Catholic Church's inability to move quickly, calling it "a place that measures change in terms of centuries." Pope Francis is still not pro-gay by today's standard. He started his term by issuing a joint encyclical in July with Benedict, in which they reiterate that marriage should be a “stable union of man and woman.” It continues, “This union is born of their love, as a sign and presence of God’s own love, and of the acknowledgement and acceptance of the goodness of sexual differentiation.”
As Argentina's archbishop, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio opposed marriage equality's eventual passage there, saying in 2010 that it's a “destructive attack on God’s plan.” When Bergoglio became pope, GLAAD was quick to point out that he'd once called adoption by same-sex couples a form of discrimination against children.
But it's actually during Pope Francis's time as cardinal that his difference from Benedict and hard-liners in the church became apparent. As same-sex marriage looked on track to be legalized in Argentina, Bergoglio argued privately that the church should come out for civil unions as the "lesser of two evils." That's all according to Pope Francis's authorized biographer, Sergio Rubin. Argentine gay activist Marcelo Márquez backed up the story, telling The New York Times in March that Bergoglio "listened to my views with a great deal of respect. He told me that homosexuals need to have recognized rights and that he supported civil unions, but not same-sex marriage."
As pope, he has not yet said the Catholic Church supports civil unions. But what Francis does say about LGBT people has already caused reflection and consternation within his church. The moment that grabbed headlines was during a flight from Brazil to Rome. When asked about gay priests, Pope Francis told reporters, according to a translation from Italian, "If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?"
The brevity of that statement and the outsized attention it got immediately are evidence of the pope's sway. His posing a simple question with very Christian roots, when uttered in this context by this man, "Who am I to judge?" became a signal to Catholics and the world that the new pope is not like the old pope.
Francis's view on how the Catholic Church should approach LGBT people was best explained in his own words during an in-depth interview with America magazine in September. He recalled, “A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: ‘Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?’ We must always consider the person.”
Pope Francis's stark change in rhetoric from his two predecessors — both who were at one time or another among The Advocate's annual Phobie Awards — makes what he's done in 2013 all the more daring. First there's Pope John Paul II, who gay rights activists protested during a highly publicized visit to the United States in 1987 because of what had become known as the “Rat Letter” — an unprecedented damning of homosexuality as “intrinsically evil.” It was written by one of his cardinals, Joseph Ratzinger, who went on to become Pope Benedict XVI. Since 1978, one of those two men had commanded the influence of the Vatican — until this year.
When Time magazine named Pope Francis its Person of the Year last week, it rightly pointed out the Catholic Church's inability to move quickly, calling it "a place that measures change in terms of centuries." Pope Francis is still not pro-gay by today's standard. He started his term by issuing a joint encyclical in July with Benedict, in which they reiterate that marriage should be a “stable union of man and woman.” It continues, “This union is born of their love, as a sign and presence of God’s own love, and of the acknowledgement and acceptance of the goodness of sexual differentiation.”
As Argentina's archbishop, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio opposed marriage equality's eventual passage there, saying in 2010 that it's a “destructive attack on God’s plan.” When Bergoglio became pope, GLAAD was quick to point out that he'd once called adoption by same-sex couples a form of discrimination against children.
But it's actually during Pope Francis's time as cardinal that his difference from Benedict and hard-liners in the church became apparent. As same-sex marriage looked on track to be legalized in Argentina, Bergoglio argued privately that the church should come out for civil unions as the "lesser of two evils." That's all according to Pope Francis's authorized biographer, Sergio Rubin. Argentine gay activist Marcelo Márquez backed up the story, telling The New York Times in March that Bergoglio "listened to my views with a great deal of respect. He told me that homosexuals need to have recognized rights and that he supported civil unions, but not same-sex marriage."
As pope, he has not yet said the Catholic Church supports civil unions. But what Francis does say about LGBT people has already caused reflection and consternation within his church. The moment that grabbed headlines was during a flight from Brazil to Rome. When asked about gay priests, Pope Francis told reporters, according to a translation from Italian, "If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?"
The brevity of that statement and the outsized attention it got immediately are evidence of the pope's sway. His posing a simple question with very Christian roots, when uttered in this context by this man, "Who am I to judge?" became a signal to Catholics and the world that the new pope is not like the old pope.
Francis's view on how the Catholic Church should approach LGBT people was best explained in his own words during an in-depth interview with America magazine in September. He recalled, “A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: ‘Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?’ We must always consider the person.”
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He said that when he was a cardinal, “I used to receive letters from homosexual persons who are ‘socially wounded’ because they tell me that they feel like the church has always condemned them. But the church does not want to do this. During [a recent] return flight from Rio de Janeiro I said that if a homosexual person is of good will and is in search of God, I am no one to judge. By saying this, I said what the catechism says. Religion has the right to express its opinion in the service of the people, but God in creation has set us free: it is not possible to interfere spiritually in the life of a person.”
He continued, “We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible. I have not spoken much about these things, and I was reprimanded for that. But when we speak about these issues, we have to talk about them in a context. The teaching of the church, for that matter, is clear and I am a son of the church, but it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time.”
True to his word, Pope Francis hasn't used his biggest moments in the world spotlight to condemn LGBT people, as Benedict had done. At this time last year, Pope Benedict had just issued his message for the World Day of Peace — celebrated by the Catholic Church on New Year's Day. In it, he warned that efforts to allow gays and lesbians to wed "actually harm and help to destabilize marriage; obscuring its specific nature and its indispensable role in society." Benedict described marriage equality as "an offence against the truth of the human person." By contrast, Pope Francis issued his first message for the World Day of Peace last week.
Brotherhood, he said, "is the foundation and pathway of peace." He retold the story of Cain and Abel as an example of humanity's failure to recognize its brothers and instead find enemies. "In Christ, the other is welcomed and loved as a son or daughter of God, as a brother or sister, not as a stranger, much less as a rival or even an enemy. In God’s family, where all are sons and daughters of the same Father." He went on, "All men and women enjoy an equal and inviolable dignity. All are loved by God."
Pope Francis spends his time talking about the harm of greed and the lack of focus on fairness and fighting poverty. For that, conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh have attacked him as Marxist. But Francis bases his case for equality on each person's right to self-fulfillment. "Human beings need and are capable of something greater than maximizing their individual interest," the pope said on the World Day of Peace.
One could imagine how acceptance of LGBT people might fit into the pope's case for loving every human being and valuing the contribution made by each to society. With less than a year as pope, Francis still must show whether his aspiration ends at not being our enemy. Will he be an agent for fighting our discrimination worldwide?
Time magazine points out the unusual group of eight bishops that Pope Francis has convened to advise him regularly. Among them is Cardinal Oswald Gracias of India, who this month publicly condemned his country's criminalization of homosexuality. India's Supreme Court had just issued a shocking ruling that reinstated punishment of up to 10 years in prison for gay sex. “The Catholic Church has never been opposed to the decriminalization of homosexuality, because we have never considered gay people criminals," he said, according to Asia News. "The Catholic Church is opposed to the legalization of gay marriage, but teaches that homosexuals have the same dignity of every human being and condemns all forms of unjust discrimination, harassment or abuse." Earlier this year, he'd told an LGBT group in India, according to Time, that “to say that those with other sexual orientations are sinners is wrong” and that “we must be sensitive in our homilies and how we speak in public and I will so advise our priests.”
The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that an Italian Catholic LGBT group, Kairos of Florence, wrote a letter to the pope in June, asking for "openness and dialogue" and noting that lacking it "always feeds homophobia." LGBT Catholics had written to previous popes, but Francis is the first to write a reply. Both sides have largely kept the content of their conversation private, except to note with a level of amazement that the pope gave the LGBT group his blessing.
One thing we know from 2013 is that no matter the dedication of our activists, in the end we are often faced with a straight person who decides our fate. Will the nine straight people seated on the Supreme Court — six of whom who are Roman Catholic — ever cast a far-reaching ruling that makes marriage equality legal in all 50 states? Will the House of Representatives — of which nearly a third of members are Catholic, more than any other religion — pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act? Will any of them consider the pope's advice against casting judgment?
None of this is going to affect whether LGBT Americans who have left the Catholic Church are inclined to return. The pope's impact isn't on whether we're deciding to sit in the pews, it's on the people who are already in the pews. More so, it's on the devoted who are there every Sunday plus the middle of the week and who volunteer for charity work and who are sometimes our most ardent opposition.
He said that when he was a cardinal, “I used to receive letters from homosexual persons who are ‘socially wounded’ because they tell me that they feel like the church has always condemned them. But the church does not want to do this. During [a recent] return flight from Rio de Janeiro I said that if a homosexual person is of good will and is in search of God, I am no one to judge. By saying this, I said what the catechism says. Religion has the right to express its opinion in the service of the people, but God in creation has set us free: it is not possible to interfere spiritually in the life of a person.”
He continued, “We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods. This is not possible. I have not spoken much about these things, and I was reprimanded for that. But when we speak about these issues, we have to talk about them in a context. The teaching of the church, for that matter, is clear and I am a son of the church, but it is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time.”
True to his word, Pope Francis hasn't used his biggest moments in the world spotlight to condemn LGBT people, as Benedict had done. At this time last year, Pope Benedict had just issued his message for the World Day of Peace — celebrated by the Catholic Church on New Year's Day. In it, he warned that efforts to allow gays and lesbians to wed "actually harm and help to destabilize marriage; obscuring its specific nature and its indispensable role in society." Benedict described marriage equality as "an offence against the truth of the human person." By contrast, Pope Francis issued his first message for the World Day of Peace last week.
Brotherhood, he said, "is the foundation and pathway of peace." He retold the story of Cain and Abel as an example of humanity's failure to recognize its brothers and instead find enemies. "In Christ, the other is welcomed and loved as a son or daughter of God, as a brother or sister, not as a stranger, much less as a rival or even an enemy. In God’s family, where all are sons and daughters of the same Father." He went on, "All men and women enjoy an equal and inviolable dignity. All are loved by God."
Pope Francis spends his time talking about the harm of greed and the lack of focus on fairness and fighting poverty. For that, conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh have attacked him as Marxist. But Francis bases his case for equality on each person's right to self-fulfillment. "Human beings need and are capable of something greater than maximizing their individual interest," the pope said on the World Day of Peace.
One could imagine how acceptance of LGBT people might fit into the pope's case for loving every human being and valuing the contribution made by each to society. With less than a year as pope, Francis still must show whether his aspiration ends at not being our enemy. Will he be an agent for fighting our discrimination worldwide?
Time magazine points out the unusual group of eight bishops that Pope Francis has convened to advise him regularly. Among them is Cardinal Oswald Gracias of India, who this month publicly condemned his country's criminalization of homosexuality. India's Supreme Court had just issued a shocking ruling that reinstated punishment of up to 10 years in prison for gay sex. “The Catholic Church has never been opposed to the decriminalization of homosexuality, because we have never considered gay people criminals," he said, according to Asia News. "The Catholic Church is opposed to the legalization of gay marriage, but teaches that homosexuals have the same dignity of every human being and condemns all forms of unjust discrimination, harassment or abuse." Earlier this year, he'd told an LGBT group in India, according to Time, that “to say that those with other sexual orientations are sinners is wrong” and that “we must be sensitive in our homilies and how we speak in public and I will so advise our priests.”
The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that an Italian Catholic LGBT group, Kairos of Florence, wrote a letter to the pope in June, asking for "openness and dialogue" and noting that lacking it "always feeds homophobia." LGBT Catholics had written to previous popes, but Francis is the first to write a reply. Both sides have largely kept the content of their conversation private, except to note with a level of amazement that the pope gave the LGBT group his blessing.
One thing we know from 2013 is that no matter the dedication of our activists, in the end we are often faced with a straight person who decides our fate. Will the nine straight people seated on the Supreme Court — six of whom who are Roman Catholic — ever cast a far-reaching ruling that makes marriage equality legal in all 50 states? Will the House of Representatives — of which nearly a third of members are Catholic, more than any other religion — pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act? Will any of them consider the pope's advice against casting judgment?
None of this is going to affect whether LGBT Americans who have left the Catholic Church are inclined to return. The pope's impact isn't on whether we're deciding to sit in the pews, it's on the people who are already in the pews. More so, it's on the devoted who are there every Sunday plus the middle of the week and who volunteer for charity work and who are sometimes our most ardent opposition.
Still, LGBT Catholics who remain in the church now have more reason to
hope that change is coming. Listen to the reaction to the pope's "Who am I
to judge?" comment.
"Pope Francis today uttered some of the most encouraging words a
pontiff has ever spoken about gay and lesbian people," read a statement
from the LGBT Catholic organization Equally Blessed. "In doing so, he has set a great
example for Catholics everywhere." It went on with even greater
anticipation, "Catholic leaders who continue to belittle gays and lesbians
can no longer claim that their inflammatory remarks represent the sentiments of
the pope. Bishops who oppose the expansion of basic civil rights — such as an
end to discrimination in the work place — can no longer claim that the pope
approves of their discriminatory agenda. Pope Francis did not articulate a
change in the church’s teaching today, but he spoke compassionately, and in
doing so, he has encouraged an already lively conversation that may one day
make it possible for the church to fully embrace gay and lesbian
Catholics."
Canada evolves from
peacekeeper to war-fighter
In recent years, Canada has turned away from a
long and widely lauded tradition of peacekeeping.
By: A. Walter Dorn Published on Sat Dec 21 2013
Explore This Story
After almost two decades of service to Canada and the world, the Pearson
Centre, formerly known as the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre, is shutting
its doors this month.
The Centre was established in 1994 by the Government of Canada and
became the flagship of the nation’s commitment to UN peacekeeping, providing
world-class training to peacekeepers from Canada and around the globe.
But government funding cuts in recent years have forced the centre to
reduce and then cease all its mission activities. Despite efforts to seek other
sources of revenue, the funding gap created by the loss of federal support
could not be filled.
The demise of the Pearson Centre is the latest evidence of the
government’s neglect of UN peacekeeping. Why has the government of Stephen
Harper rejected this widely supported Canadian military tradition that every
other prime minister since St. Laurent has embraced?
Virtually all Canadians can tell you that Prime Minister Lester B.
Pearson proposed the first peacekeeping force, which moved the world back from
war in the 1956 Suez Crisis, winning Pearson the Nobel Peace Prize.
From that time onward, until the mid-1990s, Canada was the largest
contributor of peacekeepers and the only country to have contributed to every
UN mission. From Kashmir to the Congo, from Bosnia to Ethiopia, Canadian
soldiers were at the forefront of world order, contributing to peace in
war-torn lands.
This accomplishment is recognized by the Canadian Peacekeeping Service
Medal; it is immortalized by the National Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa; and
even the $10-bill features a soldier wearing the iconic blue beret under a
banner reading “Au Service de la Paix — In the Service of Peace.” The new issue
of the bill has lost the image and the concept.
More sadly, Canada is a prolific peacekeeper no more. While Canada once
contributed 3,000 military personnel to peacekeeping, it currently provides
only 60 — as a friend says, just enough to fill a school bus. How did this
happen?
First under the Liberals, and then dramatically extended by the
Conservatives, Canada turned away from peacekeeping to war-fighting, spending
billions of dollars in an unsuccessful bid to defeat the Taliban in
Afghanistan. The Canadian Forces became a single-mission military with
Afghanistan as the sole focus of attention. Operating in that one foreign
country, more Canadian blood and treasure was spent in one decade than in six
decades of peacekeeping in over 40 countries.
To make matters worse, our military is actually forgetting how to do
peacekeeping. Over the past decade, the Canadian Forces permitted a major
decline in training and education for peacekeeping or peace support operations
(PSOs) in Canadian military parlance and doctrine. The Canadian Forces stopped
sending soldiers to the Pearson Centre. And the closure of the Pearson Centre
means that Canadian soldiers will lose the future opportunity to train on
multi-dimensional peace operations alongside civilians and foreign officers.
Some might argue that the combat mission in Kandahar, Afghanistan, gave
CF personnel valuable experience in combat and counter-insurgency operations.
There are some similarities between these types of missions and international
peace operations but peacekeeping is more complex and challenging than
war-fighting.
War and counter-insurgency missions are enemy-centric, non-consensual
and primarily involve offensive strategy, whereas peacekeeping is based on a
trinity of principles: impartiality; consent of the main conflicting parties;
and a defensive approach to the use of force — though robust peace enforcement
action, and even combat, are sometimes required.
In fact, had Canadian troops in Afghanistan been better trained in
peacekeeping along with their combat skills, their contribution in that country
might have been much more successful than it was. Special skills including
negotiation, conflict management and resolution, as well as an understanding of
UN procedures and past peacekeeping missions, would have been valuable to
troops left to navigate their way through that complex and chaotic environment
of Kandahar.
A concerted effort is needed to revitalize the peacekeeping skills of
the Canadian Forces if it is to constructively help the United Nations in a
conflict-ridden world. Peacekeeping advances both Canada’s national values and
our interests by enhancing a stable, peaceful and rules-based international
order.
There is a constant need for well trained and equipped peacekeepers.
Canada’s return to peacekeeping would be embraced by the United Nations and the
international community. Such a development could help our country gain more
influence, including a
future seat in the UN Security Council, and give Canadians something even
more important: a sense of renewed pride in the nation’s contribution to a
better, more peaceful world.
A. Walter Dorn is a professor of defence studies at the Royal Military College and the
Canadian Forces College. He is editor of the forthcoming volume Air Power in UN
Peace Operations: Wings for Peace.
comment;
I
think I agree with the comments here. Peacekeeping is really a role for
situations where the contesting parties have made a truce which both sides wish
to keep. Activities to restore the infrastructure are always suspected of being
an undercover attempt by one side or the other to gain advantage. Peacekeepers
with credibility address such suspicions, and so repair of infrastructure and
succoring of civilian refugees can go forward. Afghanistan is a long time
battlefield littered with stores of weapons and ammunition. There is no
agreement for a truce, and no reliable lines of communication to bargain for
one. There is little reason to think that traditional peacekeeping would have
produced anything. Peacekeepers also kept their eyes on the waring parties,
better means exist to do this than in 1956
COMMENT:
The
ignorance of this writer's knowledge of peacekeeping vs war fighting is
complete and total. May I recommend he get out from behind his podium and
lecture hall, strap on a weapon and uniform and serve with the rest of us,
who've been 'over there'. Holy moly . ...
Comment:
The
vast majority of peace keeping missions have failed under UN mandates. Only
when a robust coalition combat ready force was implemented did the situation
improve, such as in the Balkans. Your comments on 40 years of peace keeping is
severely flawed, as the entire Canadian military was training day in and day
out for all out war with the USSR. With a high readiness Brigade and Air Wing
in Germany, to anti sub and bomber interdiction operations, to every army unit
in Canada training to fight the USSR. The UNEF1 peace keeping mission in 1956
had Canadian soldiers who were trained for full combat operations (WW2/Korea
vets). From the NATO mission in the Balkans and throughout the Afghan mission,
the Canadian Army trained and produced more Civilian Military Co-operation Team
members than they have every had in their history. In short the Canadian Armed
Forces is more capable in conducting UN peace keeping/enforcing missions that
they have in the last 40 years
COMMENT:
Pearson
Centre's academic currriculum can easily be handled by Universities. Its
closure is great news. UN is outdated and its re-organisation to reflect a new
reality is urgent.
Peacekeeping is now a 'self-styled' word equavalent to a 'boy scout's role. Canada cannot cope with increasing inter-tribal, inter-religious, inter-territorial issues which are the root cause of all the recent conflicts. Warring factions will not submit to an innocent by standards ( read....CF ) gospel of peace. What is required is a strong arm force to submit the warring factions to the table and Canada is best poised along with its allies to force them militarily and that means combat. Period.
Peacekeeping is now a 'self-styled' word equavalent to a 'boy scout's role. Canada cannot cope with increasing inter-tribal, inter-religious, inter-territorial issues which are the root cause of all the recent conflicts. Warring factions will not submit to an innocent by standards ( read....CF ) gospel of peace. What is required is a strong arm force to submit the warring factions to the table and Canada is best poised along with its allies to force them militarily and that means combat. Period.
-------------------------
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