scrap this - was trying a poll.

Basically the question was going to be:

A citizen of Calgary offered to donate 5000 'Support our Troops' decals (completely free of charge) to the City of Calgary, to be used on city vehicles. Yesterday Calgary's city council voted against this proposal.

The Mayor suggested that instead of putting the decals on municipal vehicles they should instead be sold at city offices and the money be donated to organizations supporting military families.

What do you think?

I like the Mayors suggestion.....but I don't trust politicians and money

I know I'm not the only Canadian who is deeply offended and enraged that Canada's Peacekeepers have been hijacked to fight someone else's war. Harper has no right to use our Peacekeepers as soldiers, we are not a war nation.

Canada is partly what it is because we can go freely in many parts of the world where westerners are hated and endangered, simply because we are known as the people who build wells, not shoot their countrymen.

While I might bleed sympathy for all those Canadians trapped in a horrible situation that they shouldn't have been put into in the first place, and I do, I would rather riot in the streets than officially endorse Canada having 'Troops'. We should not have 'Troops'.

Putting those decals on official vehicles would be giving an official stamp of approval to what is a very controversial issue, clearly taking a side. I can imagine Calgary being more pro-Harper than most places, but even they wouldn't go that far.

The Mayor's suggestion keeps the distribution of those decals a matter of personal choice instead of official endorsement.

If we have a military, then we have "Troops", whether peacekeeping or fighting. IF we have no troops, then we have no military, and no protection if by chance our borders do get invaded. (unlikely, but hey, ya never know. George is getting antsy )

And read a freakin' history book would ya? We've had troops fighting, and fighting damn well, in other wars. THAT is the reason Canada is generally looked upon by the rest of the world as Friend. Look it up. World War II. France, Belgium, Holland...You may have heard of it.

The war in Afghanistan, where our troops currently are, is in fact a justified war IMO. The Taliban is definitely who blew up the Trade Centers, and the Pentagon, and they're in Afghanistan. How is that not justified to go and rid the world of a tyranical organisation that has been terrorizing its people for well over a decade, and spilled out into neighbouring countries, and further? Canadians died in the World Trade Center. Not just Americans. Our troops are not in Iraq fighting a ghost that just won't die. Just because you dn't support the war, doesn't mean you can't support the troops. They're just doing their job. It's not up to them if they're fighting or peacekeeping, they go where they're told. They are soldiers, not Peace Corps.

I cry every time I read about another Canadian dying in Afghanistan, but I am damn proud of each and every one of them for the job they do. I support the Troops whole heartedly. Mr. Harper however, I'd like to poke in the eye with a rusty spoon Nothing to do with Afghanistan really, it was after all, Chretien who sent them there. I just don't like the man.

As to the OP, I like the Mayor's idea as well. Soldier's families suffer quite a lot, and our soldiers are terribly underpaid for the job they do. If raising money by selling those ribbons is not feasible however, it would be nice to see them on city vehicles. Toronto has decals on their city buses I think (I read somewhere, I dunno I haven't seen them. I don't live there anymore), why not other cities?

Just as an aside, I was reading that the decals are being used in Toronto and when the Mayor said the 1 year, originally agreed to display them, was up they were going to be removed - there was a big uproar.

No uproar here, however the story does have a nice ending as far as the decals are concerned:

Burnand, whose staff volunteered their time over the weekend to print the decals, said they've decided to donate the decals directly to the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre. "They can distribute or give away or sell or do whatever it is they want to do with them," he said.

To be specific Harper didn't vote to send troops overseas, Cretien did. Harper is left with his mess.

Second, I don't support the war, and thus do not support the troops. (I have a couple friends over there who risk their lives every day for nothing)
So to see those stickers around town would be VERY frustrating.

Down in CA we don't get a lot the southern republican mentality so there's not a lot of flag waving and troop stuff. But baseball games and any public event SOMEONE has to get on a mic and give some goofy speech about supporting troops.

That's not what Canada is about and I am glad the council turned it down. STOP supporting our troops and maybe they will come home.

Just to give you an idea, I'm ex-Canadian Forces...

The point of the decals really has nothing to do with whether the war is supported or not, it says "Support Our Troops"... where on it does it say "Support the War in Afghanistan"???

As someone pointed out, the Canadian Forces personnel are over-worked and under-paid for the amount of risks they take, to say nothing of the toll it takes on family members, I've been there, done that. Also think of the after deployment, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental ailments that afflict the troops after a deployment such as like Afghanistan. This is not only hard on the peacekeeper, but also hard on the family, as well.

Bear in mind, these Canadian Forces personnel who participate in peacekeeping duties are also the same people who help civilians out when there are national emergencies or natural disasters and such.

Personally, my thoughts are... If you're a patriotic Canadian, then you should support our troops.

Thanks,
Scott.

Absolutely, I understand that 100% Scott. However I am a patriotic Canadian who does not support the troops. As I said, the war is unjustified. I will "Support our Canadian Soldiers in the UN" how is that for a sticker?

If more former forces members and citizens cried murder and pushed the government harder maybe they would pull out. The more "support" stickers people see the more it contradicts everything we are trying to tell our government which is: GET THE F- OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST!

Hear hear!

I would buy one of those stickers.

wow

Sonds on the nail--everytime pols suggest one usage for moneys, very little of them actually gets used that way.

Classic example is the Gouge-and-Shaft Tax (GST) imposed by Mulroney, which was supposed to reduce the federal deficit--proven a lie the moment he sent a note to the Queen seeking approval to appoint more Senators, and even more so after it was railroaded through by the then newly-appointed Senators!

The wording "support our troops" can also be read another way--in the specific case of Canada, upgrading their weapons systems to somewhere-near-current (Canada is notorious--even in its own press--for having weapons systems that are waaaaaaaaaaaay out-of date). If this is what was meant by "support our troops", and Calgary's mayor actually ensured the moneys went to do that, then it would be fine to buy (one or more of) these stickers.

How can you not support the troops if they're your friends? A "troop" is a soldier. If a soldier is your friend, and you do not support them, how can you say you're a friend?

See, there is a difference of supporting the troops, but not supporting the war.

How would you feel if you had a dangerous job, say, police officer, or firefighter, and you risk your life every single day, being shot at by criminals, or dousing fires that are started by arsonists, and then your friends say "sorry, I don't support crime, so I can't support You either" Its just as daft IMO, as saying you don't support our troops. They signed up for a job, and they're doing their job.

If we tell our troops "sorry, I don't support you, you're on your own!" we might as well all jus kick them in the head and steal their puppy! It'll make them feel about the same. If they've got no friends back home, what the hell is the point to come back?

You're entitled to your opinion, which is what makes both of our countries "free".

think the mayor was smart.. cuz lots of ppl may or may not be pro war...

As a former Cdn armed forces member, I dont't support war, but will ALWAYS support the troops!! As a member of the Forces you have no choiuce were ur going, u just follow orders and go. No one likes war, but to have the freedoms we now enjoy, someone has to stick up for it!! Those fellows in WWI and WWII deserve soo much credit and so do our men and women overseas now.