Icebound:
I don't mean to speak for LH, but I understand what he's saying.
For example:
I inquired about joining the RCMP and regarding my dual citizenship, I didn't have to renounce my US citizenship, only pledge an allegiance to the Canadian flag. I also believe the fed. Liberal party leader is also a dual citizen with France. I'm sure he has security clearances even with his dual citizenship.
Here in the US, no joy.
In order to hold a security clearance you need to be a sole citizen of the US. This explains why certain military occupations are hard to fill, like linguists / intel.
I hope this cleared it up a bit.
We've Run Amok in Afganistan
Moderators: North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, lilfssister
Icebound -------- the law you stated is on the books....."Yes". It was put there very reluctantly many eons ago because of the "adventures" of American Serviceman/women. Having it "on the books" makes it law, but they have been very, very uncomfortable with it for eons. If you trip or stumble one iota concerning that issue, you will find "authorities" on your front doorstep real quick wanting explanation. During WW2 the RCMP appeared at our front door, both before I was born and afterwards, because my mother was of duel citizenhip with the US and they were accounting for and listing all "Aliens" on Canadian soil. The exact same thing had happened to her on the American side of the border, but in that case her word wasn't good enough and she had to accompany FBI agents to their offices.
I have the same thing also and served two tours with the 1st Air Cav in Vietnam. I was wounded and in hospital, but had served my time and released to my home in Canada. Two days after returning home, the RCMP appeared at my parent's front door, announced that I was under arrest and I spent that night and another day in jail. The reason? There was a law on the books stating that no Canadian could serve as a "mercenary" in another country's armed forces during wartime. I escaped further actions BECAUSE I was half-American and also a citizen of that country.......and therefore allowed to join their armed forces.
The whole subject is extremely complicated and can "ruffle some feathers" with certain government departments on the American side of the border. As a result, if one doesn't "have to go there", then one doesn't because people's biasis and personal feelings sometimes invade how they do their jobs and effect their decisions on certain subjects.
Rockie ------ all understood and no offense taken. Also take note if you went to the Oka Reserve in PQ and the general area, that you would find one of the largest collections of retired Marine Corps NCO's in one spot in North America. This is because as mentioned before, they are allowed to join and their reputation in the USMC over the decades precedes them, BUT they are only allowed to rise so far in the NCO ranks and then they must "swear alleigance" beyond that point if they want further promotions.
I've always found the subject humourous and filled with humourous antedotes that would bust your gut laughing at the stupid government folks on both sides of the border. We can just roar in our family about it. See, the Liberals didn't want any part of the Vietnam War publicly, although they supplied $5B worth of war materials to the US Forces each year it continued. At the same time they professed "Neutrality" while their Saigon Embassy personnel "spotted" targets in North Vietnam for the USAF. So what they did was make the US government close down any of their Recruiting Offices in Canada. Then they passed a law forbidding any Canadians from joining the American Forces and go to war. It breaks my family up because of all the American pilots who were officially canvassed in the US by the RCAF to come up over the border at the beginning of WW2 to train RCAF pilots.........and no one got arrested. Whatever.......it's all a joke anyway and always has been because Canada has a real hard time explaining-away the 50+ Medals of Honour that Canadians have won while wearing American uniforms, in American wars and still retaining their Canadian citizenship. One of General George Armstrong Custer's closest Adjutants that died with him at Little Big Horn was a Canadian and is buried in Hamilton.
Nark ----- you didn't mean to, but you did a good job speaking for me. Dion isn't the only Canadian political person who has "ties" on both sides of the border. The former leader of the PQ in Quebec has an American-born wife as does the present Premier of Manitoba, Gary Doer. There's over 4M Canadians and Americans who are "in the same boat". I'm afraid that American semen doesn't look any different than Canadian semen.
I have the same thing also and served two tours with the 1st Air Cav in Vietnam. I was wounded and in hospital, but had served my time and released to my home in Canada. Two days after returning home, the RCMP appeared at my parent's front door, announced that I was under arrest and I spent that night and another day in jail. The reason? There was a law on the books stating that no Canadian could serve as a "mercenary" in another country's armed forces during wartime. I escaped further actions BECAUSE I was half-American and also a citizen of that country.......and therefore allowed to join their armed forces.
The whole subject is extremely complicated and can "ruffle some feathers" with certain government departments on the American side of the border. As a result, if one doesn't "have to go there", then one doesn't because people's biasis and personal feelings sometimes invade how they do their jobs and effect their decisions on certain subjects.
Rockie ------ all understood and no offense taken. Also take note if you went to the Oka Reserve in PQ and the general area, that you would find one of the largest collections of retired Marine Corps NCO's in one spot in North America. This is because as mentioned before, they are allowed to join and their reputation in the USMC over the decades precedes them, BUT they are only allowed to rise so far in the NCO ranks and then they must "swear alleigance" beyond that point if they want further promotions.
I've always found the subject humourous and filled with humourous antedotes that would bust your gut laughing at the stupid government folks on both sides of the border. We can just roar in our family about it. See, the Liberals didn't want any part of the Vietnam War publicly, although they supplied $5B worth of war materials to the US Forces each year it continued. At the same time they professed "Neutrality" while their Saigon Embassy personnel "spotted" targets in North Vietnam for the USAF. So what they did was make the US government close down any of their Recruiting Offices in Canada. Then they passed a law forbidding any Canadians from joining the American Forces and go to war. It breaks my family up because of all the American pilots who were officially canvassed in the US by the RCAF to come up over the border at the beginning of WW2 to train RCAF pilots.........and no one got arrested. Whatever.......it's all a joke anyway and always has been because Canada has a real hard time explaining-away the 50+ Medals of Honour that Canadians have won while wearing American uniforms, in American wars and still retaining their Canadian citizenship. One of General George Armstrong Custer's closest Adjutants that died with him at Little Big Horn was a Canadian and is buried in Hamilton.
Nark ----- you didn't mean to, but you did a good job speaking for me. Dion isn't the only Canadian political person who has "ties" on both sides of the border. The former leader of the PQ in Quebec has an American-born wife as does the present Premier of Manitoba, Gary Doer. There's over 4M Canadians and Americans who are "in the same boat". I'm afraid that American semen doesn't look any different than Canadian semen.
Icebound ------ don't even "go there" with me on that subject. You can phone the US Embassy and get an answer to a question. Now you go there to follow-up on that item and get to meet a new person. They tell you that you have misunderstood the first person you talked to and this is the situation. After being jerked around like that two or three more times, you finally arrive at some place "where the buck stops" and find out that those you've been talking to are ALL wrong and are really just new at their positions and please consider that. You'll have similar experiences at a Canadian Embassy also. Americans don't have a monopoly on that either damnit.
The US Federal government not truthful you say? You don't honestly think that they care do you? They are members of "The Liar's Club" and that Club has facilities in Ottawa and London, England also. That "Club" was at it's zenith when I served in Vietnam, but they're still pretty good at what they do.
The US Federal government not truthful you say? You don't honestly think that they care do you? They are members of "The Liar's Club" and that Club has facilities in Ottawa and London, England also. That "Club" was at it's zenith when I served in Vietnam, but they're still pretty good at what they do.
^ ^
| crusty |
Please keep in mind that I attach no negative connotation to that, LH. I commiserate with you on your frustration and disgust at the miserable excuses for human beings that all too often sit behind desks in embassies (and other government buildings).
That didn't stop me from grinning while nodding in agreement with your comments.
| crusty |
Please keep in mind that I attach no negative connotation to that, LH. I commiserate with you on your frustration and disgust at the miserable excuses for human beings that all too often sit behind desks in embassies (and other government buildings).
That didn't stop me from grinning while nodding in agreement with your comments.
Please don't tell my mother that I work in the Oilpatch...she still thinks that I'm the piano player at a whorehouse.
