Court Martial

The three times they threatened me with Court Martial.

By Tony Keene

“You can face court martial for this!”

The staff officer stood in front of me, trembling with outrage. His teeth were clenched, his face florid. In his hand, he clutched a sheet of paper, which I had just recently minuted back to Toronto Militia District Headquarters, ordering me to attend a Christian church service, and I had replied that I would not attend, in accordance with Queen’s Regulations, which forbade any such order.

It was the 1970s, pre-Charter, and a member of the Royal Family had just been murdered by a terrorist group. The local Anglican diocese had issued an invitation to all military officers to attend a memorial service, and since the victim was one of only three royals I have spoken to, I decided to go. After ensuring that my dress uniform and sword were in good order, I put on my working uniform and drove into Moss Park Armoury for my regular evening as a reservist. (I am a writer and journalist in civilian life.)

On my blotter was a memo reminding us of the invitation, followed by “All officers of this HQ will attend.” The above regulations stated emphatically, and still do, that “Officers and non-commissioned members shall not be ordered to attend a parade that is primarily religious or spiritual in nature.”

Since this was going to be a civilian church service held in an Anglican cathedral, I felt it met the criteria. And when they went to the military legal officer to discuss the charges, he told them I was right and refused to take action.

But of course, the rest of my time with that organization was not pretty. I was frozen out, subjected to sneering contempt and vile jokes. But it was only a foretaste of things to come.

“You can face court martial for this!”

The headquarters staff officer facing me was outraged. I had just refused an order to attend a Christian church service being run by another nation’s military. As before, it had been an invitation, specifically stating that it would be a Christian service, and that attendance was purely voluntary, and, as before, I had planned to attend.

Then I was ordered to go, and I balked.

It was 2002, two decades post-Charter, and I was serving as the head of public relations for a multinational division in Bosnia. It was made up of British, Canadian, Dutch, and Czech troops, with a smattering of New Zealanders, Australians, and Americans. It was November, and the British were organizing the Remembrance Day ceremony. Because the Brits have a state religion, the invitation stressed that because it was a Christian religious service, attendance was not compulsory. However, as the grandson of a Great War soldier and the son of a Second World War soldier, I was quite prepared to go.

Then I was ordered to go and threatened with punishment for refusing. Once again, the Canadian legal officer politely explained things to them. The matter was dropped, but for the rest of the tour of duty, I experienced ostracism, contempt, and ridicule. 

(I did go, but stood outside and with my back turned, only coming up to the salute for The Last Post and the Royal Anthem.)

“You could face court martial for this!”

It was 2004, and I was coming to the end of my fourth overseas tour of operational duty. Because of several incidents of family violence involving members returning from deployment, DND had decided that before going home, we would all have to take family counselling. And that counselling would be directed by a Christian minister.

I was 57, on my fourth operational tour, and happily married for more than 30 years. The padre who was to do the counselling was 27, single, and on her first tour. As the New York cabbies say: “Go figure!”

I said no. The threat was immediate. Again, the Canadian legal officer backed me up. But of course, there were consequences. At a reception shortly afterward, I was introduced to a visiting British dignitary as “Our resident heathen.” I had first been subjected to this in 1968, and then many times in between.

Canadian army regiments almost all have official ties to Christian churches, embedded prayers, blessings, and benedictions. It is the only government agency in which your boss at work can force you to listen to him ram Christian prayer down your throat. Or pressure you into marching through the streets to an imposed service at a Christian church.

They say it’s voluntary. It isn’t. It can’t be.

In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the government must be neutral towards religion. The Forces have ignored it. Each Easter, the Black Watch parade through the streets of Montreal and up the steps of a Christian church. You can watch the annual videos posted on YouTube. Many other Reserve units do this, all across the country.

And we pay for it. In many ways.

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