The Conservative Defence Minister intervened personally to stop the Royal Military College of Canada from awarding an honorary degree tomorrow to a retired American general who has been highly critical of the Bush administration.
Gordon O'Connor ordered officials at RMC, the Canadian Forces' training academy for officers, not to award a doctorate in defence studies to U.S. General Anthony Zinni. "Our original plan was to give an honorary degree to Gen. Zinni at this week's convocation ceremonies," John Cowan, the principal of RMC, told the National Post. "That plan has since been revised.... There were concerns in Ottawa about the timing."
Mr. Cowan confirmed that Mr. O'Connor, who as Defence Minister is also chancellor of the college, made the decision not to confer the degree on the retired Marine Corps general. "The Minister was concerned that doing this would appear to be taking sides in a domestic political dispute in the United States," he said.
Instead, two retired Canadian soldiers, both former RMC professors, will be given honorary degrees at the ceremony. |