ABSTRACT
In this chapter we trace how a series of socio-cultural and geo-political aspects and beliefs, particularly the mythic belief that Canada is a nation of peacekeepers, have contributed to a historically ambiguous and at times apathetic relationship between Canadians and the Canadian Forces (CF ). This has been exacerbated by a history of tense relations between the media and the military that limited the ability of both to effectively communicate with Canadians (Stoffel 2005), and led many in Canada’s pro-military community to wonder if Canadians even care about their military (Winslow 2003). Some of the more hyperbolic among them admonish Canadian complacency towards the CF as an ‘unflattering national characteristic’ (Goodspeed 2002, p. 47). Since at least 2005, however, the CF has enjoyed a resurgence in Canadian society. With the deployment of 2,200 combat-ready soldiers to southern Afghanistan, the appointment of Rick Hillier as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and the launching of an ambitious rebranding campaign, images of a CF as a down-home, no nonsense, pop-culturally savvy force have become a more prominent fixture on the television and computer screens of Canadians. Moreover, utilizing the almost instantaneous access to the operations of the CF in Afghanistan and Canada, the Canadian public has become an integral feature in pushing and maintaining this resurgence. Unlike military advocates in Canada, we find this resurgence troubling; not least because more blatant forms of militarism are being tied in new ways to socio-cultural myths and activities such as hockey. The proliferation of new militarisms is especially troubling considering broader shifts in the experience of war, where, for the majority of Canadians, war is experienced as a spectator sport (McInnes 1999). As such, we conclude by raising important questions regarding the consequences of this resurgence for the future of Canada’s military operations and civilian-military engagement in Canada.
