Canadian general to receive royal tribute

[Ed Storey]

It is too bad that whoever wrote the text for the plaque was not very well informed about the Canadian Army and it appears that the research was based entirely on a Google search.

beechwood-foulkes.jpg

For instance the text states that, "AFTER UNIVERSITY, PROVING HIMSELF BY LEADING HIS DIVISION THROUGH THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN..." This is all well an good but to the casual reader 'his' division means nothing and it should read "BY LEADING 2ND CANADIAN INFANTRY DIVISION THROUGH THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN."

Further along the sentence reads, "AND IN NOVEMBER 1944, WAS PROMOTED TO GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING OF I CANADIAN CORPS IN ITALY." General Officer Commanding is an appointment and not a rank, as Foulkes was already GOC of 2nd Canadian Infantry Division he would have been promoted from Major-General to Lieutenant-General when taking command of I Corps. Perhaps "WAS PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT-GENERAL AND GIVEN COMMAND OF I CORPS IN ITALY." would been a more accurate statement?

The plaque also states, "IN 1951, HE BECAME THE FIRST-EVER CANADIAN TO BE APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF THE CHIEFS OF STAFF,..." Technically this is correct, but again, the casual reader will have no clue what that position actually was and may mistake it for being Chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. I am proposing that "IN 1951, HE WAS THE FIRST TO BE APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF THE CANADIAN CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE,..." might be less ambiguous.

This is Canada, so perhaps there was some concern over the word count increasing the price of the plaque. I also wonder who proof-read the text before signing off on it?

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

This is Canada, so perhaps there was some concern over the word count increasing the price of the plaque. I also wonder who proof-read the text before signing off on it?

I can help with that. It would be a gaggle (platoon?), well anyway a very large number of 'senior policy analysts' (or in other words 20 year old recent poly-sci or psyc university grads...they're pumping a lot of them out lately that need work) who are well up to speed on all the recent modernisms floating about society but a little weak on what happened in the past and compelled to apologize for it in any event. Hours and months of remote covid meetings went into this. Focus groups, word smithing, consensus building, pre-approvals at umpteen levels, senior staff re-pre-approval for each word choice...oh, and of course cut and paste from google. Only then did they start the procurement process for the plaque itself. It's not easy taking years to find a government vetted contractor to make a plaque at ten times the going rate but they manage.

Our PM over in Holland for this is rich, what with his open distain for our armed forces and our county's past.

[Grant Bowker]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Our PM over in Holland for this is rich, what with his open distain for our armed forces and our county's past.

I had the impression that the ceremony took place at the Beechwood Cemetary in Ottawa. There were certainly media reports that Princess Margriet was visiting Canada/Ottawa.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Grant Bowker

I had the impression that the ceremony took place at the Beechwood Cemetary in Ottawa. There were certainly media reports that Princess Margriet was visiting Canada/Ottawa.

You are correct, but my point stands. The other giveaway (silly me for not noticing) is that our PM is even now politicizing covid masks: no wear in Europe photo ops (to make sure the cameras pick up his beauty for all the world to see) but wear in Canada as a political statement.

[David Dunlop]

Was it not Princess Margriet, for whom the Canadian Government temporarily declared the Ottawa Maternity Ward in which she was born, territory of the Netherlands, so she would be born a Dutch National?

David

[Ed Storey]

This is what Google has to say, "It is a common misconception that the Canadian government declared the maternity ward to be Dutch territory. That was not necessary, as Canada follows jus soli or citizenship of a nation, while the Netherlands follows jus sanguinis which means a person acquires citizenship through their parents. It was sufficient for Canada to disclaim the territory temporarily."

Beyond the politics of the PM and his masking, the simple fact that this plaque was delayed for two years and the mandarins in Ottawa still managed to produce an ambiguous text is I think an example of just how much lip-serve is paid to historical events. Spouting speaking points about not letting the future generations forget is commonplace at these events, but as I think I have pointed out, the most basic of details have already been forgotten and context in an unknown commodity.

[James P]

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