2nd Military Father criticizes Harper

[Jersay]

) - The stinging words of a dead soldier's grieving father have moved Prime Minister Stephen Harper to take another look at one of his controversial new media policies.

Dr. Tim Goddard, the father of Nichola Goddard, the first Canadian female fighting soldier to die in combat, delivered a stirring eulogy Friday that criticized the Conservative government for its refusal to allow the media to be present at CFB Trenton when the body of his daughter was returned home.

"I would like to think that Nichola died to protect our freedoms, not to restrict them," Goddard said at the Calgary service.

"I cannot support the privacy decision. There was room on the tarmac for a military videographer and a still photographer. They did not intrude on our grief."

He's the second father to speak out about the government policy while burying his child.

At Cpl. Matthew Dinning's funeral in Wingham, Ont., last month, Lincoln Dinning criticized Harper on two fronts: for the government's banning of the media at repatriation ceremonies, and for its decision to stop lowering flags on Parliament Hill to half-mast upon the death of a soldier.

"Now I'd like to show you some of the video that Mr. Harper wouldn't let you see close up of Matthew's arrival home," Dinning said as he played a video of his son's remains arriving at CFB Trenton.

Just two weeks earlier, Dinning had penned a letter to the prime minister decrying the flag decision.

"Matthew had talked about this, it made him upset, so we wrote this letter," said his father, a provincial police officer. "I've never gotten a written response."

Harper, at a Conservative fundraiser in New Brunswick the day of Dinning's funeral, didn't respond to the remarks.

The situation was different on Friday when the prime minister suggested some type of communication problem led to the media being banned again from covering a repatriation ceremony.

"I'm troubled to hear that," Harper said Friday in Victoria. "I had given fairly clear instructions that when bodies were to come home, that families should be consulted and if all families agreed on making that particular ceremony public, then I thought our government should have no difficulty with that."

"I'm not sure what happened in this case. I spoke with Mr. Goddard this week. He didn't raise the issue with me so I didn't realize there is a problem."

He added he would try to figure out what went wrong.

"Obviously I'll look into it and find out if the family's wishes were different from what was done, why that was the case and we'll correct it in the future."

Goddard had a suggestion for future repatriation ceremonies.

"I can see no reason why a shared feed arrangement could not be made with one television camera and one press photographer allowed at the ceremony and instructed to keep within a certain area," he told mourners in Calgary. "I find it troubling that the privacy decision means we are keeping the press outside the wire, where the bad guys are."

http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/News/NationalNewsArticle.htm?src=n052661A.xml

 

[Vicious]

RE: 2nd Military Father c

Wait til next week and the letters to the editor from the other families.

 

[bluealberta]

Re: RE: 2nd Military Father c

Wait til next week and the letters to the editor from the other families.

The entire statement is on line, and is a gentle rebuke. To his credit, Harper has clarified and altered the process. Give him credit where credit is due.

Personally, I think it should be a family decision, but when a group come home together, like the previous four, it has to be a unanimous decision. From my point of view, I would not want the media intruding at such a private and emotional time, but I can also recognise where others would not have a problem.

 

[Vicious]

Re: RE: 2nd Military Father c

The entire statement is on line, and is a gentle rebuke. To his credit, Harper has clarified and altered the process. Give him credit where credit is due.

Personally, I think it should be a family decision, but when a group come home together, like the previous four, it has to be a unanimous decision. From my point of view, I would not want the media intruding at such a private and emotional time, but I can also recognise where others would not have a problem.

My first post was quite poor. The message I was trying to convey was that one relative might be against this decision but other families would appreciate the privacy in some very trying moments.

Iagree with your post entirely.

I find some reporters tend to have no idea of compassion or concern for the lives of the people involved in horrific events. They have this insane idea that when there is a tragedy that the family will want to talk about with a total stranger. It makes me very uncomfortable to watch a human in their worst moments answer a question like 'How do you feel?'.

 

[bluealberta]

Re: RE: 2nd Military Father c

The entire statement is on line, and is a gentle rebuke. To his credit, Harper has clarified and altered the process. Give him credit where credit is due.

Personally, I think it should be a family decision, but when a group come home together, like the previous four, it has to be a unanimous decision. From my point of view, I would not want the media intruding at such a private and emotional time, but I can also recognise where others would not have a problem.

My first post was quite poor. The message I was trying to convey was that one relative might be against this decision but other families would appreciate the privacy in some very trying moments.

Iagree with your post entirely.

I find some reporters tend to have no idea of compassion or concern for the lives of the people involved in horrific events. They have this insane idea that when there is a tragedy that the family will want to talk about with a total stranger. It makes me very uncomfortable to watch a human in their worst moments answer a question like 'How do you feel?'.

As do I. It kinda makes me squirm in my chair to watch that. Now, however, if the families want to include the media in the funerals and/or memorials, then that is fine, at least some time has usually passed to make it a bit more palatable, and it is then totally that families decision. The thought of media tripping all over themselves to show people in the worst kind of grief I can imagine is disgusting, IMO.

 

[elevennevele]

Re: RE: 2nd Military Father c

As do I. It kinda makes me squirm in my chair to watch that. Now, however, if the families want to include the media in the funerals and/or memorials, then that is fine, at least some time has usually passed to make it a bit more palatable, and it is then totally that families decision. The thought of media tripping all over themselves to show people in the worst kind of grief I can imagine is disgusting, IMO.

No. The attempt by politicians to try to cover up the consequence of war is what’s disgusting. There was no need to stir up everyone’s emotions on a prior approach that wasn’t broken to begin with.

Also, ever notice that when a police officer is killed it seems ok then to show our respects via the media and the Conservative government hasn’t complained yet about that. Killed in the line of duty with the ceremony televised. Why not the same consistency from the Conservative Government? Are you now going to speak out about that too?

An officer died a short while back and NOBODY complained that the media covered the event and ceremony which in essence is really not different.

 

[Mogz]

RE: 2nd Military Father c

In my will that is currently being held by the Department of National Defence, I clearly state that I want no media coverage of my repatriation process if i'm killed overseas. Furthermore there is to be no media coverage of my funeral and/or my grieving family. It's a question of simulacrum. I do not want my death whored out for the nation. If i'm killed doing my job, I don't care if people know about it, I just refuse to be tarted up and paraded in front of television cameras for the folks eating their dinner in front of the TV. Harpers decision is a wise one, if you understand the TRUE reason why he did it.

When Robert Costall was killed, his coffin was taken off of the CC-150 Polaris in Trenton and loaded on to a hearse. His widow, flanked by her family approached the coffin, threw herself on it, and cried. The media zoomed in like vultures, not even affording her a moments dignity to say goodbye to her husband. I personally saw a repeat a week later here in Edmonton. 1 PPCLI held a farewell ceremony for Costall at the Lecture Training Facility. I was sitting three rows behind the family. As they came in, the media was in their face. As his widow broke down and cried, a photographer was taking rapid-fire pictures of her. As the sullen family filed out, there was the media again. It angered me when I saw it in Trenton, and it really angered not only me, but everyone I was sitting with at the LTF. I was flanked by Tankers, Infanteers, Medics, Signallers, Vehicle Techs, and even MCpl Paul Franklin (who as an aside; asked my RSM to help him stand for the national anthem on his two prosthetic legs which he'd just received the day before). Every one, including Franklin mumbled something to the affect of the "media should lay the fuck off". My point to all this? The media is enjoying this too much, and they don't need to be there for every stage of the grief that not only the family stews in, but the rest of the Canadian Forces. I don't like seeing my fallen comrades whored out for the media, and I most certainly don't think any of you has stopped ofr one second to consider WHY Harper did what he did. To say he's trying to hide casualties is moronic, the news will still report on it, the body count will still be counted. All Harper, and this soldier, is asking for is some simple dignity for the fallen. Is that too much to ask ladies and gentlemen?

 

[Jersay]

I forget what I put in my will. All I know it is going to the Cpl now. Who took it.

 

[Vicious]

Re: RE: 2nd Military Father c

No. The attempt by politicians to try to cover up the consequence of war is what’s disgusting. There was no need to stir up everyone’s emotions on a prior approach that wasn’t broken to begin with.

Also, ever notice that when a police officer is killed it seems ok then to show our respects via the media and the Conservative government hasn’t complained yet about that. Killed in the line of duty with the ceremony televised. Why not the same consistency from the Conservative Government? Are you now going to speak out about that too?

An officer died a short while back and NOBODY complained that the media covered the event and ceremony which in essence is really not different.

I disagree with your first paragrapg. In the recent deaths in Afghanistan the media has almost quickly reported the details surrounding the death and often included background picture of the scene. I'm ok with this. Canadians have a right to know when a soldier dies. And I agree with not releasing the soldiers name until his family has been properly notified.

Your point about Police deaths is a little more difficult for me. You are right that I haven't been as disturbed by the reporting. I wonder if it's because of the timing. By the time a police officer's funeral is held the family has likely had some time to come to terms with it. I think it may be that the first time a family can physically touch the coffin that they tend to have their most difficult time. In the case of the Police Officer, they may have had there difficult moments in the funeral home.

It is a very good point and has forced my to think about this issue from a different perspective.

 

[bluealberta]

I don't think there is any need to rethink your position about police officers. There is a major difference, that being the repatriation of the body from a war zone for soldiers. That is the event I think the media should stay away from unless the family wants the media present. The funeral or memorial ceremony days later is a different issue, and I have seen no difference between media coverage of a soldiers funeral and a police officers funeral.

I will bend to the words and sentiments of Mogz, though. He is a soldier, and from his comments, would seem to reflect the thoughts of many armed forces.

Simply put, when the remains come home, that should be a private event with the families if that is there wish. Plain and simple. The comments about trying to cover up the body count are, as Mogz says, totally ridiculous. There is enough news coverage both in the field and at home.

I think respect for the families wishes should be paramount, and if the families wish privacy, respect that, and if they wish the media present for either the repatriation ceremony or the funeral, so be it as well. How tough is that to ask for? Mogz has made his decision, and certainly we should respect his wishes, should we not? But not for a good many years, okay???

 

[FiveParadox]

I think that the point here, though, is that this decision should be at the discretion of the loved ones of the repatriated persons, and not the prerogative of the Prime Minister of Canada. I think that this is something quite appropriate that each of the parties here could agree to.

 

[bluealberta]

Re: RE: 2nd Military Father criticizes Harper

I think that the point here, though, is that this decision should be at the discretion of the loved ones of the repatriated persons, and not the prerogative of the Prime Minister of Canada. I think that this is something quite appropriate that each of the parties here could agree to.

.................and as Stephen Harper has also agreed to. The family will have the choice. I give him much credit for clarifying and/or changing the position of the government. More kudos to Steve.

 

[LittleRunningGag]

Re: RE: 2nd Military Father criticizes Harper

I think that the point here, though, is that this decision should be at the discretion of the loved ones of the repatriated persons, and not the prerogative of the Prime Minister of Canada. I think that this is something quite appropriate that each of the parties here could agree to.

.................and as Stephen Harper has also agreed to. The family will have the choice. I give him much credit for clarifying and/or changing the position of the government. More kudos to Steve.

Obviously this wasn't made clear enough from the start, eh? I am glad that he has chosen to amend himself, and allow the families to make the decision, instead of unilaterally deciding for them.

Mogz, the only thing that I would say, is that there is a difference in allowing media coverage, and allowing the ugly display that has been the current media coverage. Would it not be possible for the national media to take a feed from the military video stream that is already being taken? Would that work better? At least that way proper respect can be ensured.

 

[bluealberta]

LRG, I agree, and I too think that the media coverage of this gets very uncomfortable after a while. What I really don't like is news outlets getting so called experts to act as glorified color commentators for any of this, I find that totally disgusting.

I reiterate, good for Steve, I think that was the perfect decision.

 

[Mogz]

RE: 2nd Military Father c

Mogz, the only thing that I would say, is that there is a difference in allowing media coverage, and allowing the ugly display that has been the current media coverage. Would it not be possible for the national media to take a feed from the military video stream that is already being taken? Would that work better? At least that way proper respect can be ensured.

I can't say i'd have a problem with that. The Military tends to shoot tasteful footage and doesn't go out for the "glory shots". My main beef, as with many soldiers, is the fact that the media swarms all over a body count. To see photographers snapping photos of a coffin carrying a man/woman that has lived the life I live, that bothers me. I'm a patriot, utterly, and I feel emense pride in serving this Nation as I feel this is the best place on Earth. Therefore it bugs me when the very freedoms a soldier died to enforce are spun around and used by the media to tart him/her up for the public. By all means let the Canadian people know what's going on, but do so with some degree of respect. Some form of control would suit me fine as opposed to utterly abolishing media coverage. However, sadly, the press won't reach a middle ground.