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Federal government to apologize for treatment of No. 2 Construction Battalion members – CBC.ca

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The Canadian government plans to formally apologize to members of the No. 2 Construction Battalion — the country’s first and only segregated military unit — for the treatment they endured during and following their service in the First World War.

Many Black men were rejected from enlisting during the First World War because of their skin colour, so Canada allowed them to form the No. 2 Construction Battalion in 1916. Nearly half of the battalion’s 600 members came from Nova Scotia.

The announcement of the intent to apologize in a “meaningful and respectful way” happened at a virtual event on Sunday afternoon in collaboration with the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia in Cherry Brook, N.S..

“Our country is still struggling with the insidious effects of racism,” Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said in his virtual address. “More than 100 years later, we can combat it by recognizing the failures of our past and working to correct them.”

WATCH | Daughter of battalion member hopes Ottawa commits to making real change:

The federal government says it’s planning an apology to the No. 2 Construction Battalion, an all-Black battalion that served in the First World War. A woman whose father served in the battalion says while the announcement is emotional, she hopes the government commits to making real change. 9:24

Sajjan took time in his address to recognize the late Capt. George Borden, who spent years promoting the history of Black Canadians in the military. Borden died last year.

“His leadership in Nova Scotia’s Black community was inspiring. We remember and honour his contributions to our country, and we will uphold his legacy and ensure these stories are told and heard,” Sajjan said.

A virtual event was held on Sunday afternoon to announce the federal government’s intent to apologize for how members of the No. 2 Construction Battalion were treated. (Vernon Ramesar/CBC)

Douglas Ruck, co-chair of the Black Battalion Historical Marker Society, was one of the speakers at the event.

“I’m very pleased to be here but it’s sad because of those who could not be here. Family members of the battalion, my father [former senator Calvin Ruck], Capt. George [Borden], they’re no longer with us,” Ruck said.

“They should be sitting in these seats, they should be online listening to this, they should be part of it. And because of that, we must take this, we must take the pride in it, and we must continue with this message.”

Ruck’s father is credited with bringing the battalion’s story to prominence after writing The Black Battalion 1916-1920: Canada’s Best Kept Military Secret about the members’ struggles.

Douglas Ruck is pictured at Sunday’s event. His father, late senator Calvin Ruck, wrote a book about the battalion’s struggles. (Vernon Ramesar/CBC)

“Unfortunately, that title still applies in many ways today…. If it hadn’t been for that book my father wrote back in 1987, I say to you now, with pride, they would have been forgotten,” Ruck said.

Borden also wrote about the No. 2 Construction Battalion, penning the poem The Black Soldier’s Lament which is often read during Remembrance Day ceremonies in Preston, N.S.

Borden had been pushing for an apology to the No. 2 Construction Battalion for years before his death. In 2018, he wrote an open letter to the Canadian military demanding an apology to members and descendents.

‘We pick up the mantle’

“I think it helps to keep the memory of the No. 2 alive as well, that people are hearing about it in a number of different ways and so it may resonate with Canadians in different fashions,” said RCMP Sgt. Craig Smith, Borden’s nephew, who attended the event.

Smith’s great-great-grandfather, George Whalen, served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion. Smith met several other battalion members when he was younger because the African Nova Scotian community is small and tight-knit.

But none of the battalion members lived to see today’s announcement.

“All that really means is the rest of us that are here, the descendants that are here, we pick up the mantle for our grandfathers, for our uncles, for those relatives who were members, and we carry it forward proudly,” he said.

RCMP Sgt. Craig Smith’s great-great-grandfather was a member of the No. 2 Construction Battalion. Smith says it’s crucial to educate Canadians about the battalion’s story. (Robert Guertin/CBC)

While having a relative who served in the battalion makes the announcement “all the more special” to Smith, he emphasized that breathing life into these stories is crucial for Canadians to learn about these lesser-known parts of their country’s history.

“For me now, it’s really, what does an apology look like? How do you put in place mechanisms that ensure that, number one, this won’t happen again. But number two, that you really try to lift up the memory of who the Black battalion was,” he said.

Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin, who spoke virtually at the event, called the news of the apology “long overdue.”

The event was closed to the public due to gathering limits. Descendants of the people who served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion, as well as members of the Black Battalion Historical Maker Society and the Black Cultural Society, were invited to attend.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.

(CBC)

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Florida State asks judge to rule on parts of suit against ACC, hoping for resolution without trial

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September 13, 2024

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State has asked a judge to decide key parts of its lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference without a trial, hoping for a quicker resolution and path to a possible exit from the league.

Florida State requested a partial summary judgment from Circuit Judge John Cooper in a 574-page document filed earlier this week in Leon County, the Tallahassee-based school’s home court.

Florida State sued the ACC in December, challenging the validity of a contract that binds member schools to the conference and each other through media rights and claiming the league’s exit fees and penalties for withdrawal are exorbitant and unfair.

In its original compliant, Florida State said it would cost the school more than half a billion dollars to break the grant of rights and leave the ACC.

“The recently-produced 2016 ESPN agreements expose that the ACC has no rights to FSU home games played after it leaves the conference,” Florida State said in the filing.

Florida State is asking a judge to rule on the exit fees and for a summary judgment on its breach of contract claim, which says the conference broke its bylaws when it sued the school without first getting a majority vote from the entire league membership.

The case is one of four active right now involving the ACC and one of its members.

The ACC has sued Florida State in North Carolina, claiming the school is breaching a contract that it has signed twice in the last decade simply by challenging it.

The judge in Florida has already denied the ACC’s motion to dismiss or pause that case because the conference filed first in North Carolina. The conference appealed the Florida decision in a hearing earlier this week.

Clemson is also suing the ACC in South Carolina, trying to find an affordable potential exit, and the conference has countersued that school in North Carolina, too.

Florida State and the ACC completed court-mandated mediation last month without resolution.

The dispute is tied to the ACC’s long-term deal with ESPN, which runs through 2036, and leaves those schools lagging well behind competitors in the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten when it comes to conference-payout revenue.

Florida State has said the athletic department is in danger of falling behind by as much as $40 million annually by being in the ACC.

“Postponing the resolution of this question only compounds the expense and travesty,” the school said in the latest filing.

The ACC has implemented a bonus system called a success initiative that will reward schools for accomplishments on the field and court, but Florida State and Clemson are looking for more as two of the conference’s highest-profile brands and most successful football programs.

The ACC evenly distributes revenue from its broadcast deal, though new members California, Stanford and SMU receive a reduced and no distribution. That money is used to fund the pool for the success initiative.

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Australia’s Michael Matthews earns third win at Quebec cycling GP

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September 13, 2024

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QUEBEC – Australian road cyclist Michael Matthews raced to victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec on Friday.

Matthews earned a record third career victory in Quebec City. He was previously tied with Slovakia’s Peter Sagan with two wins.

The Jayco-AlUla rider won the fastest edition of the Quebec race on the UCI World Tour calendar.

Matthews, who claimed titles in 2018 and 2019, edged out Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay and France’s Rudy Molard in a thrilling sprint.

Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar, the heavy favourite, was unable to follow through with his attack launched just over two kilometres from the finish line. He finished in seventh place.

Pogacar will look to redeem himself at the Montreal cycling Grand Prix on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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Whitecaps loan Herdman to CPL’s Cavalry, sign two reserve players to first-team deals

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September 13, 2024

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VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps have loaned midfielder Jay Herdman to Cavalry FC of the Canadian Premier League and rewarded two Whitecaps FC 2 players with MLS contracts.

Midfielder Jeevan Badwal signed as a homegrown player through 2027, with options for 2028 and 2029, while forward Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau signed an MLS contract through 2025, with club options for 2026 and 2027.

Both have been playing for the Whitecaps’ MLS Next Pro team along with the 20-year-old Herdman, the son of Toronto FC coach John Herdman.

The moves were made before Friday’s MLS and CPL roster freeze.

Born in New Zealand while his father was working for the New Zealand Football Federation, Jay Herdman was also part of the New Zealand soccer team at the Paris Olympics with three appearances including two starts. Herdman’s loan deal runs through the end of the CPL season.

“Jay is an important signing for us, who will provide another attacking option for the run-in,” Cavalry coach and GM Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said in a statement. “He’s a player that we’ve been tracking since we played against Whitecaps in pre-season and he has very good quality, with terrific energy and the ability to contribute to goals.

“With the recent injury to Mael Henry, Jay’s positional profile and age helps us with on-field options and minutes that count towards the league’s required 2,000 U-21 domestic minutes during the regular season.”

Badwal, an 18-year-old from suburban Surrey, is the 26th academy player to sign an MLS contract with the Whitecaps.

“Having joined our academy in 2019, Jeevan continues to progress through our club and takes every challenge in stride,” Whitecaps FC sporting director Axel Schuster said in a statement. “He is comfortable on the ball, positionally sound, and does the simple things very well. We are excited for Jeevan to make the next step in his young career.”

Badwal has made 19 appearances with Whitecaps 2 this season, scoring two goals and adding three assists. A Canadian youth international, he started all three matches for Canada at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup

Badwal made his first-team debut off the bench in the first leg of the Canadian Championship semifinal against Pacific FC.

Chateau was originally selected 74th overall by the Whitecaps in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft after spending two years at St. John’s University.

The 22-year-old from Ottawa signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Whitecaps FC 2 in March. He leads Whitecaps FC 2 in goal-scoring this season with eight goals across 21 appearances (including eight starts).

“Nicolas leads MLS NEXT Pro in shots on target, has a very strong work rate and willpower. We are looking forward to seeing his growth as he builds on his young professional career,” said Schuster.

Chateau made his first-team debut as a second-half substitute at CF Montreal on July 6.

Herdman, who joined the Whitecaps academy as a 13-year-old, has made 19 appearances for Whitecaps FC 2 in 2024, scoring six goals and adding three assists. He made his MLS debut in April as a second-half substitute in a 2-0 victory at the Seattle Sounders.

Internationally, Herdman has represented New Zealand 29 times across the U-19, U-20, and U-23 sides. He was part of New Zealand’s squad at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, starting three matches at the tournament and scoring against Uzbekistan.

The Whitecaps host San Jose on Saturday while Cavalry entertains Atletico Ottawa on Sunday.

—

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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