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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Ship doesn’t represent city history

Letter writer questions HMCS Nanaimo's connection with marking 150 years since first city council meeting
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Letter writer questions HMCS Nanaimo’s place in marking anniversary of city’s first council meeting. (File photo)

To the editor,

Can anyone tell me what a Canadian Forces warship is doing docked at the Mills Landing and Marina on Cameron Island? I spoke to a naval reservist on site, who told me that the warship was there in support of the 150th anniversary of Nanaimo’s first city council meeting.

I myself see no natural relationship between a federal military asset like a warship and the first meeting of Nanaimo’s city council. I expect that the formidable presence of the warship, along with the free tours of it, together function towards the recruitment efforts of the Canadian military.

The HMCS Nanaimo has participated in numerous U.S.-led anti-drug ‘defence’ projects in the Caribbean. It has also been deployed to the Mediterranean and the Baltics, according to the naval reservist I spoke with. In 2002 and 2014, the HMCS Nanaimo was sent to participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, which is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise, hosted and administered by the U.S. military.

There is no doubt, then, that this warship has seen plenty of military duty, and it is therefore a rightful target of protest on the part of peace activists. Given the desperate state of affairs in multiple regions of the world as we enter upon 2025, there is no better time to protest its presence, and war and war-spending and belligerent organizations like NATO and the U.S. government, and to instead praise and promote non-violence and diplomacy. This is what I wish the City of Nanaimo would do.

Dianne Varga, Nanaimo


The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press Media or the Nanaimo News Bulletin.

Letters policy: Letters should be no longer than 250 words and will be edited. Preference is given to letters expressing an opinion on issues of local relevance or responding to items published in the News Bulletin. Include your address (it won’t be published) and a first name or two initials, and a surname. Unsigned letters will not be published.

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