Mr. Speaker, I rise today to protest a recent decision by the Department of National Defence concerning the status of pipers in the bands of the 15 highland regiments of the Canadian militia.
The removal of pipers from the militia role and the likely damage caused by this to many fine bands like that of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in Winnipeg or the Black Watch in Montreal is a sad and infuriating attack on a good tradition and on the morale of these regiments and their supporters.
No such requirement has been laid on brass bands. I call on the Minister of National Defence to reverse this discriminatory foolish decision. The Black Watch Pipe Band is a well loved Canadian institution in Montreal. Liberals should protect it instead of being up to their old tricks and trying to eliminate anything that smacks of British tradition.