They are cops, not troops!

[Easy Drifter]

One US news reporter during Obama's visit to Ottawa referred to a line of RCMP Officers in their world famous dress uniforms of Red Coats as troops. DUH!
Probably the most photographed and well known Cdn. icon is the red coated RCMP Officers' dress uniform.
Oh well.
And yes, Obama stopped and bought a famous Ottawa Beaver Tail made especially for him.

[Tazio]

One US news reporter during Obama's visit to Ottawa referred to a line of RCMP Officers in their world famous dress uniforms of Red Coats as troops. DUH!
Probably the most photographed and well known Cdn. icon is the red coated RCMP Officers' dress uniform.
Oh well.
And yes, Obama stopped and bought a famous Ottawa Beaver Tail made especially for him.Was the reporter a "bubble-headeaded-bleach-blonde" :confused: :)

[Easy Drifter]

It was CNN's Fredrika Whitfield. I wasn't watching so have no idea what she looks like. Report from Canoe News. I rarely watch CNN.
Usually A Channel Barrie, CP24, CTV or sometimes CBC for news.

[Tazio]

It was CNN's Fredrika Whitfield. I wasn't watching so have no idea what she looks like. Report from Canoe News. I rarely watch CNN.
Usually A Channel Barrie, CP24, CTV or sometimes CBC for news.

VVVVV :erm: That would be a big yes!!

[Easy Drifter]

At least she didn't call them Boy Scouts!
When I was in the Scouts many years ago our hats were very similar to the Mounties dress hats and my parents drove a Pontiac similar to what the Mounties used. I often threw my hat on the back ledge and used to laugh as people would hammer on the brakes when they were about to pass us.
The RCMP did not patrol in Ont. but they were quite a few stationed here for federal work. Still are but not as many and few in uniform now.
Of course their standard uniform is similar to any other cop and the red tunic and blue breeches are strictly dress uniform.

[Tazio]

Is Dudley Do-Right Still with the Force? :p :

[Tazio]

Actually it is an understandable mistake!
State Police(usually Highway Patrol) in the U.S. are referred to as State Troopers!!
****************** :erm: *** :erm: *** :erm:
http://www.policepoems.com/TrooperCry.htm

[leopard]

I wouldn't blame her, why do the cops use red coat, the common uniform of cops is either black or brown. That mistake is acceptable as long as she isn't mistaken identifying them as Ferrari drivers. :)

[ChrisS]

One US news reporter during Obama's visit to Ottawa referred to a line of RCMP Officers in their world famous dress uniforms of Red Coats as troops. DUH!
Probably the most photographed and well known Cdn. icon is the red coated RCMP Officers' dress uniform.
Oh well.
And yes, Obama stopped and bought a famous Ottawa Beaver Tail made especially for him.

Well the officers are grouped together in what the RCMP itself calls "troops". So depending on how she said it she could be right ;)

[Easy Drifter]

Apparently she was comletely flustered and stumbling for words.
Leopardsleeping: The original Mounties were the North West Mounted Police and their uniforms included the red coats. They were a almost a military force but there were darned few of them. They patroled thousands of sq. miles alone or in pairs. Rarely in groups. Later the name became the Royal North West Mounted Police and finally the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. They were often referred to as the Redcoats. One of my grandfathers was a Royal North West Mounted police officer ending up as an Inspector. He made Sergeant 8 times before the rank stuck. He usually got drunk and was busted back to constable. The early Mounties were often pretty rough characters. My grandfather had been a gun for hire before he joined the police.
One famous story was when Sitting Bull and his men were being returned to the US they were met at the border by a large detachment of US soldiers. There was one Mountie with Sitting Bull's band. The US commanding officer asked the mountie (a sergeant) where the rest of his men were. The response was 'Oh he is back in camp making breakfast.'
Today the Red Coat, Blue Breeches with a yellow stripe and boots with the tan Stetson is the dress uniform.
Their normal uniform on general patrol is a tan shirt and blue pants and flat hat.
With the exception of Ontario and Quebec, who have provincial police forces, they are the police force in the rest of Canada. Most cities do have their own forces in all provinces.

[Cooper_S]

The RCMP or Mounties are both a paramilitary police and mounted so the term 'Troop' was not a millions miles from being correct...

But even so it was not said with malice and hardly insulting so why all the fuss...?

[Eki]

And yes, Obama stopped and bought a famous Ottawa Beaver Tail made especially for him.
That may have been the end of the Detroit River beaver.

[Cooper_S]

LOL.... It can't be as it clearly said 'Ottawa' Beaver

[schmenke]

...the most photographed and well known Cdn. icon ....

I thought it was this...

[Easy Drifter]

The RCMP are no more a paramilitary force than any other police force now.
About the only horses they have now are in the Musical Ride.
Cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, small ships, snowmobiles, planes and helicopters yes. Oh yes and dogs.

[Cooper_S]

Indeed... very modern and while I accept the 'mounted' aspect as being largely ceremonial, it was in that guise that the reporter was comment upon.

And moderN as it is it is still in structure a paramilitary force... BUT all these are semantics and do not get us closer to the understand as to why the use of the term Troops should cause such consternation, as I said earlier It was not completely wrong to use that expression... It was not said with any malice... and could not be classed as an insult.

I still don't see what all the fuss is...

[Easy Drifter]

In my case not really a fuss. I just thought it funny when if Canada is known for anything it is usually the red coated Mounties.

[Cooper_S]

In my case not really a fuss. I just thought it funny when if Canada is known for anything it is usually the red coated Mounties.

I'd love to visit Canada, there are so many extremes I doubt a simple vacation would begin to cover it.

[Easy Drifter]

You are so right. I have lived here most of my life. Came to Canada at age 1 (Cdn. parents) and at 70 I have not come close to seeing it all although I have been in every province but PEI. Even in Ontario where I live and have travelled extensively there are things I have not seen.
Same with the US. I have been in about half of the US and there is a tremendous amount I haven't seen in those states, let alone the other 24 or so.
Actually a lot of my travels were to race tracks so in many cases there was no sightseeing time. I started to count the tracks I had been to but gave up at around 70.

[Griffon]

The RCMP are no more a paramilitary force than any other police force now.
About the only horses they have now are in the Musical Ride.
Cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, small ships, snowmobiles, planes and helicopters yes. Oh yes and dogs.

The most famous Mountie and dog.

[Cooper_S]

The most famous Mountie and dog.

before my time... this is more what I watched...

http://www.tour-de-france.cz/duesouth/images/foto/merchandise/officialguide.jpg

[Tazio]

This is my favorite personification!!! :p :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFyAJhueDJA&NR=1

[Tazio]

Aha!! Some controversy!! :erm:
Why was this episode pulled :confused: :laugh:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFJxpOEhK7c&feature=related
:p :

[Mark in Oshawa]

Cooper....I had a lady friend From Australia that came to Canada because of that show. She saw it down there and had a thing for Paul Gross. She flew up here and wasnt happy until we found a Mountie for her to have a picture taken with!

AS for your coming to Canada, as someone who has seen 9 out of 10 provinces (I too haven't seen PEI) if you ever decided to come, I could steer you into how to see the most territory economically. AS someone who has driven from one end to the other, I can tell you where the spots to be missed are..lol.

[Cooper_S]

Cooper....I had a lady friend From Australia that came to Canada because of that show. She saw it down there and had a thing for Paul Gross. She flew up here and wasn't happy until we found a Mountie for her to have a picture taken with!

AS for your coming to Canada, as someone who has seen 9 out of 10 provinces (I too haven't seen PEI) if you ever decided to come, I could steer you into how to see the most territory economically. AS someone who has driven from one end to the other, I can tell you where the spots to be missed are..lol.

You bet... my family is still a bit too young to take it in but they grow quick and I have a big anniversary coming in a few years... better start saving.

[donKey jote]

of course no thread about Canadians could ever be complete without this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zey8567bcg&feature=related
:D

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_3_166.gif

[markabilly]

All this debate....I remeber being in Russia a few years ago, and they were these folks dressed up as soldiers (so they appearred to me, complete with AK-47's or whatever, pulling over cars by walikng out and pointing a white stick at them.

Why I asked the driver, he said they were cops. I said, how do you know, I did not see a badge, and he responded, "when you have a machine gun, you do not need a badge...."