There is a petition floating around to to re-name that stretch of highway "highway of heroes" 
Posted on 08/21/2007 2:54:03 PM PDT by Clive
SHAWINIGAN, Que. -- The day after news was released that a member of the Quebec-based Van Doo regiment had been killed in action in Afghanistan, the mission and Quebecers' view of the war came into sharp focus yesterday.
Premier Jean Charest offered a spirited defence of the mission, even though support in the province has consistently rated as the weakest in Canada.
"We, as citizens of Quebec, have a duty to support the men and women who are there and who are doing this work in our name and are making the biggest sacrifice that can be asked of a human being," Mr. Charest said, noting Canada was committed to remain in Afghanistan until 2009.
"We have to continue. We must not politicize [our] presence in Afghanistan. We must, on the contrary, especially at this time, remind all the soldiers that Quebecers are behind them in the mission they are conducting in our name."
Private Simon Longtin of Longueuil became the first member of the Quebec-based regiment to be killed in action -- other Quebecers have died in Afghanistan but while serving with regiments from outside the province.
Mr. Charest said all of Quebec mourns Pte. Longtin and honours him.
"This young soldier was only 23. It gives us an idea of the sacrifices of the Canadian soldiers in the name of their country, in the name of democracy."
Pierre Martin, a professor of political science at University of Montreal, said the death is unlikely to change entrenched opinions on the war.
"This won't have an impact on the distribution of opinion," he said. "Quebecers' opinions sway like the rest of Canadians', it's just more staunchly against the war.
"This is a historic pattern when it comes to the use of force, ever since the conscription crises, except in cases of peace missions," Mr. Martin added.
Stephen Saideman, Canada research chair in International Security and Ethnic Conflict at McGill University, said "there seems to be more pacifism here [Quebec] than in the rest of Canada.
"So when Canadians are out there shooting people, Quebecers ask, 'Why can't we be in Darfur; Why can't we do traditional peacekeeping?' "
Remi Laundry, a retired lieu-tenant-colonel who has 34 years of service with the Van Doos, said there is a schism in Quebec over the war.
"I have met Van Doo families. I have a nephew over there," he said. "What I'm surprised to see is the dichotomy between what the families' opinions are and what the general public's opinion is.
"I can only think that it's because the families have been in contact with more information."
Pte. Longtin's body will arrive at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Ontario tomorrow for repatriation ceremonies.
It is expected to be transferred to Quebec for funeral services, but military officials had few details yesterday.
"In these cases, we follow the wishes of the family and try to support the family as best we can," said Lieutenant Ginette Champagne, a spokeswoman with the Royal 22 Regiment, as it is officially known.
The family has asked that their privacy be respected. Pte. Longtin was living in the Quebec City region with his girlfriend. His parents were still in Longueuil, just south of Montreal.
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Hmmmn. I thought they were citizens of Canada.
As a UN job with deference being paid to African sensitivities, it would not have ROE sufficiently robust to enable it to succeed.
It would be Rwanda on stereoids.
It would be mission creep ab initio.
The butcher's bill would be much bigger than the Afghanistan job.
I have been saying this all along.
In any event, of it is so, in Quebec terms such a beau geste is frought with meaning.
“I am not sure that it is just a beau geste. “
Dang it, maybe I’ve really messed up.
BUT, I thought it meant something like “beautiful gesture”, as in
the act of self-sacrifice against overwhelming odds.
However...it may simply be the name of a character in a series of films
(and remakes) about a French Foreign Legion soldier.
If I really screwed this up (in terms of the fine meaning of the
French Language) I apologize.
Actually,, the term “beau geste” fits the honored and departed soldier
from Quebec...fighting and dying in a foreign field.
But, here are some URLs to the “Beau” Geste I’ve hear of before:
http://www.imdb.com/find?s=tt&q=Beau+Geste
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beau_Geste
If I’ve really made a major error with the meaning of “beau geste”...
I’ll take my platter of crow (with a lot of BBQ sauce, please)
We have to keep saying it, especially to our liberal and socialist friends.
But when we say it, we are most often met with blank stares and the impression that we are speaking what, to them, is a foreign tongue.
Most suffer from what one of my professors liked to describe as "my mother's theory of geopolitics"
I read it as a gracious gesture, but if it is just a gracious gesture it may be form without substance.
All and I mean all who sing the virtues and values of the "League of Nations," er, I mean the U.N., are abject DOLTS.
What I usually say is this: So, you don’t want our soldiers fighting and dying in Afghanistan, but you don’t mind if they fight and die in Darfur. (To me this makes no sense).-—and, as you, I am met with blank stares.
There is a petition floating around to to re-name that stretch of highway "highway of heroes"
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