Concepts of Professionalism in the Canadian Army, 1946-2000

Regimentalism, Reaction, and Reform

Bibliographic Data

ID2340726
AuthorsPeter Kasurak (0000-0003-4071-4537, 437 Hatfield Cr., Orleans, ON, Canada, K1E 1M9, corresponding author)
Year2011
Volume37
Issue1
Pages95-118
Publication date2011-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArmed Forces & Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0095-327X • E-ISSN: 1556-0848
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0095327x09356167
OpenAlexW2170073302
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited10

During World War II the Canadian Army was a small cadre force augmented by citizen volunteers. It was a colonial institution, dependent on the British Army for doctrine and staff training. After the war, the army became involved in a lengthy struggle to define its concept of professionalism. Modernizers aimed for a well-educated officer corps that was integrated with other elites and able to influence national security policy. Traditionalists wished to preserve regimental traditions and leadership based on social class. Contention between these factions resulted in stalemate, with modern management undercut by internal politics. The result was the failure of professional norms in the 1993 Somalia operation. Subsequent reforms have put a modern 'constabulary-realist' model of professionalism in place

Doctrine · Institution · Management · Military doctrine · Officer · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Stalemate · World War II · Canadian Identity and History · Law · Military History and Strategy · Military, Security, and Education Studies · Public Administration

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