BUT IT SHOULD BE THEIR DECISION TO MAKE!
York, Guelph drive off army
Guelph policy to ban Canadian Armed Forces from on-campus recruiting
By: Ian Denomme
With Remembrance Day on Friday, this is generally a time to honour Canadian war veterans, and take pride in the Canadian military. But two Ontario universities appear to be doing the opposite.
Last week at York University, a group of students confronted the Canadian Armed Forces (there to recruit students for jobs), driving them off campus. Meanwhile, the University of Guelph’s student council, the Central Student Association, is drafting a policy that would ban military recruiters from campus, as well as oppose any research done on campus that would benefit military organizations.
“We don’t think a university campus is the right venue for the military to be recruiting,” said CSA communications commissioner Hannah Draper. “We have a code of conduct around suppliers and which employers and recruiters we want on campus.”
The CSA’s “Policy Against the Militarization of Research” also says, ‘The CSA opposes military research and research on behalf of military organizations at Canadian universities. Research that benefits military-related organizations involved in, or closely tied to, war crimes will be opposed by and campaigned around by the CSA.’
However, Draper said there has not been any objection to Remembrance Day ceremonies, and the CSA will be participating in events on Friday.
York Federation of Students president Omari Mason said the students were not happy with military policies, and students should have a right to debate or challenge anything on campus, as long as it’s peaceful.
Here at Western, University Students’ Council president Ryan Dunn said the USC has no such policy and does not intend to implement one any time soon.
“We know that students are grown up enough to decide what they want to do with their futures,” he said. “Military recruitment just adds another life choice. It’s the same as any other corporation.”
The Canadian Armed Forces rely heavily on university recruiting because of a policy that new officers must be in a program leading to a degree.
“Because of increases in technology, and because the average soldier is more aware of current events than in the past, universities have become an important recruiting ground,” said Canadian Armed Forces Captain Scott Smith.
The Canadian Armed Forces have a display in the University Community Centre atrium today, but are not there to recruit.
“It’s mainly a commemoration of the year of the soldier, and their role in Canadian history,” Capt. Smith said. “Western really understands that role in history. In University College there is a long list of [Western students] who served in World War I.”
In light of what has taken place at York and Guelph and the contrasting views at Western, the question of the military’s role is often asked.
“The main focus of Canada’s Armed Forces is one: the security of Canada, and two: providing resources to assist the community of nations to improve stability around the world,” Capt. Smith said.
http://www.gazette.uwo.ca/article.cfm?s ... &year=2005
