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Canadian military ad blitz hits D.C. subway stations TIM HARPER - The Toronto Star \|\| April 05, 2006 WASHINGTON—They're the new Canadian signs of the times, but this advertising blitz has nothing to do with a weekend in Toronto or skiing in B.C. Instead, huge signs and banners posted in seven strategic subway stations in the District of Columbia and suburban Virginia tout the Canadian contribution in Afghanistan, showing that the fight Stephen Harper calls "our war" is also meant to curry favour in Washington. The poster features a Canadian soldier, weapon in hand, standing alongside Afghans, with the words, "Canadian Troops in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Boots On The Ground. "U.S.-Canada Relations. Security is Our Business." Lt.-Col. Jamie Robertson, the counsellor for military outreach at the Canadian embassy, says it is key to Canadian interests that there be an awareness Ottawa is involved in global security. "In this town, there is a lot of competition for attention," he said. "This is the only way to raise the profile because, at the end of the day, it is all about tangible co-operation and it doesn't get any more tangible than this. "We're doing some heavy lifting there. It's all about security, and Afghanistan is the sharp edge of that stick." There has been scant U.S media attention paid to the 2,300 Canadian troops in Kandahar, so the embassy decided to spend $18,000 to get the message out at Washington Metro stations that serve downtown, Capitol Hill and the Pentagon. Some 700,000 commuters use the city's metro system each day and Metro Center, where two Canadian signs are placed, is the second busiest in the city, acting as a transfer point like the Yonge/Bloor station does in Toronto. Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com Robertson said official response — from the U.S. Army, Pentagon officials and Capitol Hill aides — has been positive. One Pentagon official told him the other "coalition bubbas" — as U.S. allies are sometimes known here — should be as smart. But on the ground, a totally unscientific study by the Star this week gave the posters a mixed grade for efficiency. Like subway riders everywhere, the Washington commuter crowd seemed intent on studying their shoes as they rode escalators toward the ads. Some said they didn't notice the posters, while others said they looked ... but didn't read. "I'm just against all our wars, no matter where they are," said one man, admitting he looked at the Canadian poster then looked away. Julian Gudger said that, as a former U.S. marine who'd served in Kosovo, he is attuned to noticing military messages. "I knew there was supposed to be a coalition in there, but I didn't know who was there until I looked at the poster," he said. "Now that you mention it, yes, but when I first looked at it, I thought of Iraq and I thought, `Canada is in Iraq?'" said Willis W. Jourdin, Jr. "I think Canada in Afghanistan is good, that is commendable. The action there is one thing from the George W. Bush administration which is also commendable." Dcist, a popular website dealing with all things Washington, offered this comment: "We're not ones to question the allegiances of our neighbour to the north," it said. "But we are curious as to why they are looking to promote their security policy and close alliance to the U.S. to Metrorail passengers transferring from the Red Line to the Orange and Blue Lines. "Has that ever been in doubt? We do suppose it's good to know they're there if we need them, unlike, say, those spineless Mexicans. They haven't even bothered to buy an ad and pretend." About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Weekly Features Archive
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Canadian military ad blitz hits D.C. subway stations

TIM HARPER - The Toronto Star || April 05, 2006

WASHINGTON—They're the new Canadian signs of the times, but this advertising blitz has nothing to do with a weekend in Toronto or skiing in B.C.

Instead, huge signs and banners posted in seven strategic subway stations in the District of Columbia and suburban Virginia tout the Canadian contribution in Afghanistan, showing that the fight Stephen Harper calls "our war" is also meant to curry favour in Washington.

The poster features a Canadian soldier, weapon in hand, standing alongside Afghans, with the words, "Canadian Troops in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Boots On The Ground.

"U.S.-Canada Relations. Security is Our Business."

Lt.-Col. Jamie Robertson, the counsellor for military outreach at the Canadian embassy, says it is key to Canadian interests that there be an awareness Ottawa is involved in global security.

"In this town, there is a lot of competition for attention," he said. "This is the only way to raise the profile because, at the end of the day, it is all about tangible co-operation and it doesn't get any more tangible than this.

"We're doing some heavy lifting there. It's all about security, and Afghanistan is the sharp edge of that stick."

There has been scant U.S media attention paid to the 2,300 Canadian troops in Kandahar, so the embassy decided to spend $18,000 to get the message out at Washington Metro stations that serve downtown, Capitol Hill and the Pentagon.

Some 700,000 commuters use the city's metro system each day and Metro Center, where two Canadian signs are placed, is the second busiest in the city, acting as a transfer point like the Yonge/Bloor station does in Toronto.

Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com

Robertson said official response — from the U.S. Army, Pentagon officials and Capitol Hill aides — has been positive. One Pentagon official told him the other "coalition bubbas" — as U.S. allies are sometimes known here — should be as smart.

But on the ground, a totally unscientific study by the Star this week gave the posters a mixed grade for efficiency.

Like subway riders everywhere, the Washington commuter crowd seemed intent on studying their shoes as they rode escalators toward the ads. Some said they didn't notice the posters, while others said they looked ... but didn't read.

"I'm just against all our wars, no matter where they are," said one man, admitting he looked at the Canadian poster then looked away.

Julian Gudger said that, as a former U.S. marine who'd served in Kosovo, he is attuned to noticing military messages.

"I knew there was supposed to be a coalition in there, but I didn't know who was there until I looked at the poster," he said.

"Now that you mention it, yes, but when I first looked at it, I thought of Iraq and I thought, `Canada is in Iraq?'" said Willis W. Jourdin, Jr. "I think Canada in Afghanistan is good, that is commendable. The action there is one thing from the George W. Bush administration which is also commendable."

Dcist, a popular website dealing with all things Washington, offered this comment: "We're not ones to question the allegiances of our neighbour to the north," it said. "But we are curious as to why they are looking to promote their security policy and close alliance to the U.S. to Metrorail passengers transferring from the Red Line to the Orange and Blue Lines.

"Has that ever been in doubt? We do suppose it's good to know they're there if we need them, unlike, say, those spineless Mexicans. They haven't even bothered to buy an ad and pretend."

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