Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Let us be done with him
This perfectly reflects how civilianizing the influence human rights has been on the military in recent years. Because just how in the hell does a Canadian Forces officer with the Queen's Commission, who took an oath faithfully swearing allegiance to Her Majesty, who teaches at the Royal Military College of Canada, carry on an eight year challenge against his Commander-in-Chief, is allowed to even question the central tenet of the Canadian Constitution as a serving officer, even to the point of appealing the decision of the Chief of the Defence Staff (the CDS!) to the Federal Court, without getting thrown out on his ear for disobedience and court martialed for flagrant disloyalty.
At the very least, if Capt. Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh (formerly Harold Kenny) cannot force himself to toast the Queen over a pint in the Officers Club, the military should send him off to Afghanistan where he may find he has more pressing things to occupy his thoughts. We can be thankful that a judge has finally put an end to his treasonous chutzpah shennanigans:
Officer’s lawsuit against allegiance to Queen dismissed
A member of the Canadian military who launched a court case around his refusal to pledge allegiance to the Queen had his Federal Court application dismissed Monday.
Capt. Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh argued that he was subjected to a form of "institutional harassment" by having to pay respect and show loyalty to the Queen or the Union Jack.
He launched a grievance in 2001 with the military which was later rejected by the Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier. He then asked the Federal Court to review Gen. Hillier's decision. In the decision released Monday, Justice R.L. Barnes wrote that the military was "both correct in law and reasonable" to reject his grievance.
"I cannot think of any Canadian institution where an expectation of loyalty and respect for the Queen would be more important than the Canadian Forces," Judge Barnes wrote in the 27-page judgment. "Whether Capt. Mac Giolla Chainnigh likes it or not, the fact is that the Queen is his Commander-in-Chief and Canada's Head of State. A refusal to display loyalty and respect to the Queen where required by Canadian Forces' policy would not only be an expression of profound disrespect and rudeness but it would also represent an unwillingness to adhere to hierarchical and lawful command structures that are fundamental to good discipline."
Indeed. Let us be done with him. Justice Barnes deserves a firm handshake, a pat on the back, and a pint on the house.
God Save the Queen!
Cross-posted at The Monarchist
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