Tim Horton's for the troops - Tims responds (en francais)

Seems like Tims received a few complaints on this issue and has decided to respond. If this article can be taken at face value, the ball in now in the Canadian Forces court. I guess we can start here:

The General Inquiries services are offered by the Assistant Deputy Minister (Public Affairs). For general inquiries about the Department of National Defence or the Canadian Forces, please fill in the following form:

or this email - information@forces.gc.ca

First letter is on the way!

Doughnut icon pokes hole in Forces furor
No request for Afghan store, Tim's says

Bill Mah, The Edmonton Journal; with files from National Post
Published: Thursday, February 02, 2006

EDMONTON - Facing a public relations backlash that has hit it like a splash of scalding double-double, Tim Hortons says it would be willing to consider opening an outlet for Canadian troops in Afghanistan -- but there have been no discussions about doing so.

"If it were feasible and it could work -- this is a war zone -- we would try and look at doing something but it's never been requested," said Greg Skinner, a spokesman for the iconic doughnut shop chain.

Skinner was responding to a CanWest News Service story last week in which a Canadian Forces official said his agency was in negotiations with the chain to set up a franchise in Kandahar. But Skinner said there are no negotiations.

"It was just the comments from some guy on the ground in Kandahar and I'm sure troops do want Tim Hortons there, but he doesn't represent the Forces," Skinner said, referring to the comments made by Frank Cleyson, director of the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency for Task Force Afghanistan.

In last week's story, Skinner was quoted as saying he wasn't aware of discussions with the Canadian Forces, but said the company has turned down such offers in the past and was "focusing on opening in Canada and the U.S. only."

Enraged customers, who thought the company should be in Afghanistan, swore off their Timmies in letters to the editor, e-mails and telephoned complaints to company headquarters in Oakville, Ont.

Tim Hortons is responding to them all, saying the published report got it wrong.

"Tim Hortons unequivocally supports the Canadian Forces and our troops around the world," the company responds. " Up until today there has been no discussion between the forces and Tim Hortons head office about putting a store in Afghanistan."

Skinner said CANEX, the retail arm of the Canadian Forces, hasn't asked Tim Hortons to put a store in Afghanistan.

While the military and Tim Hortons have contacted each other to discuss the ensuing controversy, there are still no talks about opening a store in Kandahar, Skinner said.

More than 2,000 Canadian soldiers are being deployed in Afghanistan this month as part of an international security force fighting the Taliban.

Canadians have sent the company about 100 complaints on the issue -- a large number for such an issue, Skinner said.

"We understand the emotion behind it. We got instant feedback and we responded to every single call, e-mail or letter that's come in."

Tim Hortons stresses that CANEX operates six Tim Hortons stores on military bases across Canada and donates hundreds of kilograms of tinned coffee for troops at Christmas, and also sent additional shipments to Pakistan, areas hit by the 2004 tsunami and Afghanistan.

A CANEX spokesperson could not be reached for comment.

Lieut. Paul Pendergast, of the media liaison office at National Defence headquarters in Ottawa, said he was unaware of any plan to set up a Tim Hortons in Kandahar.

"We don't endorse one company over another or commercial product," he said.