Statement made on 17 November 2009 by Senator Roméo Dallaire
Hon. Roméo Antonius Dallaire:
Honourable senators, public opinion has indicated that 82 per cent of the Canadian people are supporting the troops in uniform in this country, which means we are no longer in the Vietnam era when we actually had to go to work in civilian clothing. However, we are seeing more and more instances on campuses and in institutions of higher learning, be they universities, CEGEPs and even high schools, where recruiters are being prevented from going to these institutions in order to participate in career days. As such, the Armed Forces is prevented from getting the best and brightest in this time when there are no more blue collar soldiers but, in fact, when we need the best and brightest to do the job.
This being an honourable profession, and the federal government being the employer, what specifically is being done by the government, be it the Prime Minister or the Minister of National Defence, to counter this movement of keeping military recruiters off campuses and out of career days, if we consider it to be such an honourable profession?
Please click here to read the full text of the Senator's question