Yet another study will explore “radicalization, antisemitism, xenophobia, and anti-black sentiments” in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF.).This year-long research project begins with the premise that “elements” of white supremacy are entrenched in the military mindset. The aim is to determine how deeply this alleged rot has infiltrated the old stock white Canadian military heart..University of Alberta Professor Andy Knight, awarded the research grant from the Department of National Defence (DND,) will investigate the “social construction of whiteness” in the CAF. He hopes to determine what attracts radicals and figure out how to weed “bad seeds” and “psychotics” with “nefarious” intentions from slipping into the ranks during recruitment..“How deep is it? How white is it within the military?” asked Knight, a respected and accomplished professor of international relations and the university’s first provost fellow in black excellence and leadership. “There are antisemites in the Forces. They might have their own reasons for being antisemites, but do they belong in the military?”.He said while exploring “institutional racism” he’ll interview people outside the CAF and within..No argument here that the “whiteness” runs deep in the Canadian military comprised of 70+% white men. Traditionally white males have predominantly signed up. For decades Canadian troops willingly entered hellish conflicts in places including Cyprus, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Canadians volunteered to serve in the Vietnam war. Be it to crush sadistic forces or separate warring factions, the mission was to protect innocents — blacks, Arabs, Asians, and Muslims alike — at immense personal sacrifice..Many of these men and women, all but a few white and many young, came home in body bags. Countless others, overcome by the horrors witnessed and endured, committed suicide. They no longer have a voice to chat about racism, or lives they saved regardless of skin shade or religion..Maybe the families they left behind could provide insight..Tens of thousands more wounded mentally and physically wait years for Veterans Affairs Canada to clear a backlog in disability benefits. On top of their PTSD and lost limbs, they endure the accusing racist spotlight on them by the DND, a Liberal government intolerant of the Canadian military, and biased media..Knight said he respects the sacrifice Canadians made, hearing about it from friends who served. “I know first-hand the quality of many of our military folks who go on these peacekeeping missions. I don’t want to tarnish that saying all military are white supremacists.”.However, the military can be forgiven for thinking this is another DND-sanctioned hit job to discredit their honour. The cowardly DND has succumbed to woke Liberal dictates promoting racial division and victimhood that weakened it and targets its members..“It’s death by a thousand cuts because it’s another thing that the military has to go through. It’s unfortunate. Here we are now going to do another cavity search on the military and hope to find a whole bunch of racists,” said retired Lt.-Gen. Michel Maisonneuve, who served 35 years. He was punished for speaking out against the woke direction the CAF has veered in..“If there are some (racists), and I think there might be some everywhere, it would be a very small minority.”.Maisonneuve has high regard for academic freedom and integrity of researchers he has long worked with. “I’m going to trust him to have academic freedom to really say what it’s like. He may be starting from a certain point, but hopefully he has an open mind. And if he finds that if there’s not very many examples or instances of racism in the military, he reports it factually.”.“I hope the conclusions aren’t already written. I hope he goes out and proves his thesis. And if he doesn’t, he reports properly.”.Academic researchers complain proposals on topics that don’t agree with Liberal ideology are rejected. But Knight insists he’s free to present his conclusions to the government. “My hands aren’t tied. I’m not a member of any political party.”.Knight was bombarded by interview requests on the heels of his announced study. Media latched onto his statement about white supremacists in last year’s Freedom Convoy. Knight said he submitted his research proposal after his interest was “piqued” by reports of Canadian soldiers participating in the protests that attracted “radical” types..Comments he made about white supremacists “infiltrating” the military were just repeats of what others said, he insisted. “That’s not my conclusion. The research is intended to find out if racists were with the Convoy. People upset with vaccine mandates are not necessarily racist.”.“When I read CP’s story, I was concerned that people may get the wrong impression about what I’m saying… I mentioned the Convoy because it was during that time certain individuals within the military were accused by the military itself of harbouring extremist views. Some happened to be taking part in the Convoy protest. But this wasn’t necessarily to do with racism as it had to do with ideologically motivated extremism.”.“I don’t have my mind made up. I was very careful to say that we are still at the beginning of the research, that we can’t come to conclusions yet about whether or not there’s an infiltration of white supremacy in the military. We might find out there isn’t, that there are maybe one or two bad people.”.“But if the problem is larger I think the government needs to know, the military leadership needs to know, and the Department of National Defence will have to try to do something about that problem.”.He noted a report last year by a panel of retired military members linking some incidents to active members involved with white supremacist or hate groups..“I want to find out if there’s something to do with the culture of military or if there’s something else. The research is going to try to illuminate what the real problems are.”.“I believe there are elements of white supremacy in our military. But there are elements of white supremacy in universities, in our governments, in our churches. I think there’s a kind of systemic element to the racism that’s not only present in the military as an institution, but also in the police force, the judicial system, and in the education system.”.Knight, who champions equity, diversity and inclusion programs, believes Canadians are guilty a “hidden bias.” It’s his “job” to separate “outright ignorance” from racism. “Sometimes people are accused of being racist and biased when they aren’t.”.“Canada was predominantly a white country once the British and the French came in. Since then, we’ve had individuals coming in from India, China, Caribbean, from Africa.”.“There are individuals who think the balance has shifted to the point where the ones that are white-skinned and come from a white race feel that they may be overtaken by people from different races. That’s a concern.”.Knight delved into the history of the “separation of races,” pointing to Apartheid in Barbados (where he hails from), replicated in the southern US and other nations including in South Africa..What does that have to do with Canadians who embrace immigration and supply all needs of refugees with generous tax dollars?.“We may not realize this but the legacy of that kind of discrimination has perpetuated itself. I don’t call individuals racist because in many cases they’re not realizing they’re part of discriminatory behaviour. If you grew up as a white person in Canada, or in the United States, or Britain, or wherever you are, you may not be treated in a negative way because of your skin color. A black person in the same environment will be treated very differently.”. Chief Warrant Officer (retd) Cy ClaytonChief Warrant Officer (retd) Clayton .One person who contacted him cited incidents of racism against Muslims from blacks. Knight hasn’t yet heard about racism against whites, although, when asked, said it exists..Nova Scotia’s Chief Warrant Officer (retd) Cy Clayton, 81, was invested into the prestigious Order of Military Merit in 1990 in recognition of his instruction, mentorship, and leadership..“People have pointed racism in the military out for 50-60 years. It is true. I am black. I’ve been in the regular forces 1958, militia before that, and cadets before that.”.“I could give you an hour of the racist things that took place with me and other people of colour and women. We had to work twice as hard. It’s only stopped being like that to a degree probably in the last 10 years.”.“I did so well because of the good white people in the military that saw me as a person and a solider.”.Clayton dismissed these studies as “useless” and unnecessary.
