[Bloquez l'empire!] Hillier protesters draw dissent

[Mary Foster]

From: <trevor.hache at sympatico.ca>


> Hillier protesters draw dissent
>
> Audience heckles activists during General's speech on campus
>
> by Philippe Morin
>
>   The first "boos" of the lecture came when Gen. Rick Hillier pulled out a
Toronto Maple Leafs notebook.
>
> It was a joke meant to tease an Ottawa crowd of around 350 people who
gathered at Carleton to watch Canada's chief of the defence staff speak
Sept. 22.
>
> The loudest boos came from the Student Coalition Against War group, which
protested the speech beforehand and gave out flyers depicting Canada's top
soldier as a nuclear-powered monster.
>
> The Raging Grannies held a sing-along outside the theatre, singing
anti-war songs to the tune of "The Ants Go Marching."
>
> At the speech, young people wearing anti-war buttons sat next to
ex-military officers.
>
> Hillier's speech, "Canada's military in a dangerous new world," addressed
the issue of Canadian participation in Afghanistan.
>
> He said Canada's upcoming contingent would be on a mission of peace,
looking to build "psychological security" and protect Afghan efforts to
rebuild one of the most destitute regions of the world.
>
> "There are four million people in Kabul," Hillier said. "My estimate is
that 25 to 50 of those would gladly work to kill Canadian soldiers on any
given day.
>
> "But four million people in Kabul are absolutely delighted and ecstatic
that our soldiers are there."
>
> Citing the Sept. 18 Afghan elections, Hillier called Canada's presence a
"beacon of hope in Afghanistan."
>
> He also recommended sweeping changes to the military, so "Canadian values"
can be backed by "Canadian toughness," if necessary.
>
> At the question period that followed the speech, several students lined up
at the provided microphones and accused Hillier of promoting imperialism,
Americanism and capitalist empire-building.
>
> Trevor Haché of the Student Coalition Against War was first to take the
microphone.
>
> "I'd first like to commend Mr. Hillier on his public service, but there is
an elephant in the room no one is talking about," Haché said.
>
> He then held up a copy of Embassy magazine, which featured a quote from
outspoken British MP George Galloway.
>
> In the magazine, Galloway is quoted as saying Canada is making "strategic
mistakes" in Afghanistan and jeopardizing its "fine reputation" as a
peacekeeper in the Muslim world by being allied with the United States.
>
> Wearing a green military-style jacket, Haché embarked on a speech of his
own.
>
> He raised objections about the United States' "affection" for nuclear arms
and what he called its recent move toward approving potential pre-emptive
nuclear strikes against rogue nations.
>
> Crowd noise increased as Haché pulled out another article citing Robert
McNamara, former American secretary of defence, who now says the American
nuclear policy is immoral and illegal.
>
> "What is your question, please?" asked Katherine Graham, moderator of the
question period, as Haché reached for a third article.
>
> "My question is simple," Haché said.
>
> "What are the Canadian forces doing to protect the rest of the world from
the United States, which is increasingly belligerent, ignoring international
law, conducting illegal wars . . ."
>
> At that moment, the crowd roared and Haché was drowned out. Audience
members booed, yelled "get off the mic" and told Haché to sit down.
>
> Some clapped in approval while others whistled and banged notebooks.
>
> Another student, who spoke after Haché, challenged Hillier to resign.
>
> Immediately, boos and heckles shot from the audience.
>
> Hillier's one-word reply, "No," received a standing ovation.
>
> As questions kept coming, Hillier seemed to keep his composure.
>
> He repeated his view that Canada was "not building an empire" in
Afghanistan as three more students accused him of participating in
capitalist empire-building.
>
> "We work with many nations, including, sometimes, the United States,"
Hillier said.
>
> With six people left standing in line for questions, Graham stopped the
show.
>
> Hillier addressed a few more comments to the audience and left for an
informal reception in the Loeb Building.
>
> Gary Dalby, a former air force pilot officer from Nepean, said he was
angered by the protesters. He said the audience heckling was clearly in
favour of Hillier.
>
> "The crowd showed where their emphasis was," he said.
>
> Carleton president David Atkinson was at the speech and called the night a
success.
>
> "The general's views are very impassioned," Atkinson said. "He obviously
feels very committed. He's very single-minded and driven. And whenever you
have someone [like him] you'll always have people who are equally
impassioned and equally committed, but see the world in a different way."
>
> Atkinson said the raucous atmosphere in the lecture hall was "predictable"
considering the controversial nature of the speech.
>
> Though things "got pretty animated," he said, the night was an example of
free speech and democracy.
>
> "I think it's useful," he said. "I think it's what universities are for.
We exist for every point of view to be heard and that's what happened
tonight. If we didn't exist to allow that to happen, society would be worse
off."
>
> http://www.charlatan.ca/articles/2005/09/29/stories/50812.html