As has been the case before, this post is going to hop back and forth in relation to the chronological order of the novel. This is something that Bland seems to do as well, since Alex Gabriel hops around from one location to another another without a lot of consistency. To counter this, I’ll be … Continue reading 25-Winnipeg Map Recce(1) – Manpower!
24-Okay I have questions…
For those of you keeping track, we’re just reaching the first hundred pages of the novel and we’ve already had the following: A briefing at the SIR room, another one at the Akwesasne Complex, another one with the CDS and the Defence Minister, then now another one at Stevenson’s Winnipeg headquarters. And that’s not counting … Continue reading 24-Okay I have questions…
Fire Picket: One hour that means so much…
***Although a lot of CAF training is standardized across the board (and we actually have a Standards Cell attached to each division to ensure this) there is a lot of background and administrative activity that is not. Especially in the Primary Reserves (the Militia, baby!) where we typically have to train locally, using whatever resources … Continue reading Fire Picket: One hour that means so much…
Supplemental Reading: Oka: A Political Crisis and its Legacy.
***It's worth noting that, while Swain's memoirs are both well written and valuable as an historical resource, it's fair to mention that he does come with his share of bias. Just as the more passionate Indigenous activists are uncomfortable admitting the close ties between the Mohawk Warriors and organized crime (specifically cigarette smuggling and casino/bingo … Continue reading Supplemental Reading: Oka: A Political Crisis and its Legacy.
Battle Procedure (or why you have to trust and delegate)
***Just to note in advance, the process called ‘Battle Procedure’ is something that has gone through a bunch of reincarnations over the years in the CAF, and exists under various other names in various other armies. So what I’m going to be discussing here should sound familiar to most military readers, even though the terminology … Continue reading Battle Procedure (or why you have to trust and delegate)
19-Meet General Bishop
When we last saw our intrepid command staff, they had just concluded a briefing. The Prime Minister was to be notified! So was the Privy Council's Office and the RCMP. Things were moving far too slowly but they were moving and there was a real possibility of seeing something happen next time these characters appeared on … Continue reading 19-Meet General Bishop
18-The devil’s not in the ‘big picture’
***This next post is actually covering two short sections dealing with Will Boucanier as he conducts his Recce of the road leading into the James Bay region. Since they bracketed Bill Whitefish’s briefing and were relatively short, I’m dealing with them together right here.*** So we’re back in Radisson with Bill the Pirate as he … Continue reading 18-The devil’s not in the ‘big picture’
Kanehsatake (3) – Face to Face
***A couple of points before I begin, this post is a difficult one to write, not only because of the subject matter (which includes PTSD, drug abuse and self-harm) but the fact that a lot of the details surrounding the events are not officially know. As such, I am going to speculating somewhat. For civilian … Continue reading Kanehsatake (3) – Face to Face
Kanehsetake (2) – The .50-cal at Oka…
***A quick note on historical sources before I begin. There is at least some confusion amongst the main sources I’m using (Harry Swain Oka: A Political Crisis and its Legacy, Geoffrey York & Loreen Pindera's People of the Pines: The Warriors and the Legacy of Oka, and Timothy Winegard's Oka: A Convergence of Cultures and … Continue reading Kanehsetake (2) – The .50-cal at Oka…
Film Studies – Kanehsetake: 270 Years of Resistance
***Fair warning for any military readers! The documentary film Kanehsetake: 270 Years of Resistance by Ojibwe film maker Alanis Obomsawin is hard to watch. This is a film made by the people on the other side of the wire and they are not fans of the army or the Canadian government as a whole. This makes … Continue reading Film Studies – Kanehsetake: 270 Years of Resistance
Putting Down Uprising 