Fitch, Edward: my Vancouver 2010 Olympic Security recollections (March 23, 2011)

An interview/narrative of Edward Fitch's experiences during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Interview took place on March 23, 2011.

Interviewee: Fitch, Edward, b. 1949

ABSTRACT: Major General Edward Fitch opens his interview detailing the area in the Greater Vancouver and Whistler area where the Canadian Forces were stationed during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Fitch discusses the way in which the security was handled with the Integrated Security Unit during the 2010 Olympics and his role within the CF’s portion of the planning. The overall strategy for the CF’s contribution to the Olympics including Red teaming and the Afghanistan mission were discussed, along with the role the CF played in interdepartmental affairs during the Games. The Paralympic Games were discussed in brief followed by reflection on the effectiveness of the Games, the impact that previous domestic security events had on the Games, and the effect of the Vancouver 2010 Games on future Olympic Games security pursuits. 0:00 – 12:30 – Area in which the CF (Canadian Forces) and the ISU (Integrated Security Unit) were stationed and the basic roles the RCMP and CF played during the Olympic Games. 12:30 – 45:18 – CF planning strategy for the Vancouver Olympic Games including Red Teaming and embedding officers. 45:18 – 47:50 – Reflection on Beijing and Turin Olympic Security 47:50 – 52:30 – Logistics for the implementation of the Games Strategy including the Afghanistan mission. 52:30 – 1:02:30 - Strengths of the CF at the Olympics and CF training at the Olympics within the context of the ISU and interdepartmental relations. 1:02:30 – 1:07:15 ‘Trust relationships’ within the ISU and future interdepartmental endeavours. 1:07:15 – 1:08:45– Paralympic Games Security 1:08:45 - 1:17:14 – Reflecting on the success of the Games and how Vancouver 2010 will affect future Olympic Games Security. Audio Track 2 into Track 3 Track 2 (whole of) 2:39 (Track 3) – Prior domestic security endeavours and their effect on the Olympics (Pan Am Games and G8 Conference in Kananaskis) 2:39 – 3:30 – Montreal Olympics 3:30 – 10:50 – Military intervention versus RCMP intervention in the current political situation and during the Olympics. 10:50 – 12:31 – Concluding Remarks and Thanks.

Interviewer: McCarthy, Rebecca N.

Rank: Major-General.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Fitch, Edward, b. 1949
• McCarthy, Rebecca N.

Subject

• Military history
• Canada. Canadian Armed Forces
• Afghan Wars

Language

• eng

Keyword

• Domestic terrorism
• Terrorism
• Olympic Games--(29th : 2008 : Beijing, China)
• Intervention (International law)
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police--Integrated Security Unit
• Civil-military relations--Canada
• National security--Canada
• Red teaming
• Security, International
• Olympics--Security
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• Simulation games
• Hosting of sporting events--Security measures
• Olympic Games--(21st : 1976 : Montre?al, Que?bec)
• Olympic Winter Games--(22nd : 2014 : Sochi, Russia)
• Olympic Games--(30th : 2012 : London, England)
• Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Personal narratives
• Olympic Winter Games--(21st : 2010 : Vancouver, B.C.)
• Fitch, Edward, 1949- --Interviews
• Paralympic Games--Security
• Canada--Canadian Armed forces--Civic action
• Weapons of mass destruction
• Integrated operations (Military science).
• G8 Summit (2002 : Kananaskis, Alta.)
• Canada--Canadian Armed Forces--Security
• Integrated logistic support
• Group of Twenty (Organization)--Summit (4th : 2010 : Toronto, Ont.)
• Olympic athletes--Protection
• Olympic Winter Games--(20th : 2006 : Turin, Italy)

Date created

• March 23, 2011

Relation

• Part of the Military Oral History Class collection of interviews.
• Title of paper: "Canadian Forces in Domestic Olympic Security Initiatives: Past, Present and Future". Link:  http://rusiviccda.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Canadian_Forces_in_Domestic_Olympic_Security-Initiatives_Past_Present_and_Future.pdf

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 3 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic coverage

• Afghanistan
• Canada

Coordinates

• 60.10867, -113.64258
• 33, 66

Additional physical characteristics

• Original sound recordings (WMA) also available.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• reminiscences
• oral histories (literary genre)
• interviews
• sound recordings

Archival item identifier

• FE_685

Fonds title

• Military oral history collection

Fonds identifier

• SC141

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection

Date digitized

• March 30, 2011

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 192 kbps and 44 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2011. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

Rights

• This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/w3ac-pa61

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