A CBC interview of “Sergeant Franck Gervais” during Tuesday’s Remembrance Day ceremony aroused suspicion from many Canadian veterans and soldiers. According to the Department of National Defence, Franck Gervais, who claimed to be a decorated soldier during Tuesday’s the ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, is not a member of the Canadian Forces. Three red flags—his facial hair, the way he wore his sash on the wrong shoulder, and the maroon beret reserved for soldiers serving in parachute units—gave him away, but not before he could interview with the CBC. With all this in mind, Canadians might be wondering who this mysterious self-proclaimed sergeant is. Here are four (seriously questionable) theories that will get you thinking.
That beard’s not fooling anyone but the CBC.
CBC
Theory 1:
Gervais might actually have been a sergeant in Afghanistan. He could have suffered a brain injury there, causing him to forget the specific details of his past. With an ailing veteran support system from the Conservative government, Gervais may not have received the medical attention necessary to recover. He now wanders the streets as “Sergeant Franck Gervais,” living with a feeling of purpose, but without an externally recognized identity.
Theory 2:
Gervais is a government-hired promotional speaker. With so much flack coming at the Conservative government for their treatment of veterans, such as a rant from Rick Mercer and powerful articles from various national newspapers including the National Post, the Conservatives probably need a plan to turn the tide. In comes Gervais, a veteran with positive messages who really cares about the historical roots of the Canadian Forces, instead of the current issues those angry veterans are always yapping about. He offers general statements to remind us of our past, rather than make us focus on the present. When asked what it meant for him to be there on Tuesday, Gervais answered, “well, for me, it’s first to remember what people have done for us.” Some say the only thing wrong with this theory is that it doesn’t explain Gervais’s improper uniform.
Theory 3:
Gervais is a Chinese spy. We already know China thinks Canada is spying on them, which might, in fact, be the case. We also know China has been hacking and spying on Canada. Why not send Gervais to infiltrate the Remembrance Day ceremony and uncover Canadian state secrets? The only flaw was in the mission’s uniform-design phase.
Theory 4:
Gervais owns a costume shop in the Ottawa area that aspires to produce the best military costumes in the country. With the new income-splitting tax break, it only makes sense for Gervais to earn more money and pass it over to his wife. He was probably all over Twitter the other day bragging about how the CBC mistook him for an actual sergeant. Sales have now skyrocketed, and this tax break means he’s making big savings. He’ll probably have made the move to Mexico before anyone takes legal action against his imposter act.
Hopefully, further investigation can clear up all this confusion. Until then, we probably shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Rushing to judgements hasn’t been working for Parliament lately.