Homelessness, hopelessness and helplessness. These three words convey the situation for a large number of young people in our society today. What is it that has afflicted so many and continues to fragment families, communities, indeed, our whole western society? Is there a solution to this issue and what are we going to do about it?
Conscription was a wartime measure undertaken to build up Canada’s military during the First World War. Prime Minister Borden, in August 1917, was able to convince enough people that it was necessary and a referendum passed which allowed him to initiate the Military Service Act.
That act allowed the government to conscript young men between the ages of 18-35 to serve in the Canadian military. Conscription was again used to build up an army during the Second World War. That was ended in 1947 and has not been used since.
However, many young Canadians continued to enlist to serve their country, providing a peacekeeping force recognized around the world. Many have made a career by using the training they learned in the military to build a career in civilian life.
We are suggesting that now may be the time to consider re-introducing conscription. The benefits would be beneficial to the individual as well as to Canada.
Individual: Serving one’s country is an honour and a privilege; Military life would provide shelter to those most vulnerable and would instil a sense of self-worth in individuals, saving them from homelessness, hopelessness and helplessness; an enlisted person has the opportunity to learn trades and training that can be a stepping stone to many opportunities beyond military life.
Canada: The additional ‘boots on the ground’ would aid in meeting NATO requirements; The military could be utilized in patrolling and guarding the border; The military could become more cohesive and self-sustaining with on-site services, e.g. servicing military vehicles, medical services on-site, food services on-site; Canada would no longer have to out-source costly government contracts; Some abandoned military bases could be repurposed to suit current requirements.
Everyone 18-35 would serve for a minimum of two years. Everyone conscripted would undergo a medical examination and there would be those who would not qualify due to chronic health problems.
Pearl Fee, Innisfail, and Jodi Wright, Calgary
