State of the union

Re: Unionize The Military, Robert Smol, May 21. Consider this possibility: the Canadian Forces are poised to invade an enemy stronghold whose military is unionized. The enemy will defeat our attack without firing a shot. They will simply set up a picket line our soldiers will not cross because it is contrary to their union constitution.

In another scenario, we face non-union terrorists who are coming at us with kitchen knives. The Canadian commander yells, “Fire!” Then our soldiers look at their union steward to find out if killing an enemy armed with knives is a breach of the collective agreement or some other regulation. Waiting for the answer, our troops are decapitated.

We do not need soldiers who must look elsewhere for confirmation they are doing the right thing. Their circumstances are not one-sided, as Robert Smotl suggests, and they are not children. They know the terms of employment when they enlist. To suggest our military are mindless automatons because they do not need a den mother to consult insults the men and women of our armed forces who serve to protect Canadians and our freedom.

Larry Sylvester, Acton, Ont.