No, the Canadian Army hasn’t been called in to quell rowdy tuition protests. It is Armed Forces Week at the U of C, and the Society for Strategic and Military Studies has sponsored several military displays and talks by distinguished academics from across North America.
The free events ranged from talks by experts in the field of strategic studies to an armoured personnel carrier rolling into the middle of campus. However, this event isn’t limited to loyal supporters of the military.
“The SMSS wants to involve all students on the campus and that means all opinions too,” said SMSS president Mercedes Stephenson. “Prestigious and expert guest speakers are available for students to ask questions to and discuss issues with, in a field that has traditionally been restricted to old white guys in suits.”
Some have questioned the timing, however, considering the current situation in Iraq. SMSS Vice-President Andrew Keeping maintains that these events have been in the works for months and that the club neither supports nor condemns any current military actions.
“As a club, we have no official stance on current events,” said Keeping. “All we want to do is raise awareness of defense and security issues.”