November 11th - Remembrance Day

This coming Wednesday is Remembrance Day. Perhaps with the ongoing war in Afghanistan, there will be a few more people at the various services taking place in communities all over Canada on that day. With the recent deaths amongst the men and women who serve our country and ourselves, maybe there will be a little more motivation this year to show that we not only support those wearing the uniform today, but of course remember the many who made the supreme sacrifice so we may enjoy the freedoms we posses.

Dare I expect that on this Remembrance Day, we will act as one nation and show that minority of nay-sayers that we do indeed stand besides the sailors, soldiers and air force personnel as a unified Canada. Perhaps the newspapers will set aside, for at least this one day, the endless stories of how some POW might have been treated poorly, ignoring of course the likelihood that that same POW may be directly responsible for a Canadian death, and instead use the entire front page of their broadsheet to honour our dead. Oh, and not with a number please. This is not a lottery. There is no prize for the 500th person killed. Do not destroy their honour by calling them by a number! Ever! They have names, families, people who loved and cared about them. When you refer to them, use their rank and names ONLY! Save your statistics for the sports page.

Dare I hope that the leading news item on television that day might not be yet another story on who received the flu shot first, but rather on the incredibly proud history Canada possesses as a nation and how terrible the cost was for that achievement? There will be no more important story that day, for the television station’s mere right to exist was bought with those sacrifices.

Dare I dream that some of the media’s regulars, especially one in particular who oddly enough, has a recurring column in Halifax’s (one of Canada’s largest military towns) newspaper, will pen a story about how incredibly proud he is of all those whose sacrifice made it possible for them to hold the jobs they do. Just this one day, set aside your endless whining about our government, our military leaders, and Canada’s foreign policies, and instead, say thank you for those who gave all, and to those who still serve.

Dare I demand that this recent, foolish thought pattern of changing Remembrance day to ANYTHING but what it is now will just go away and never rear its ugly head again? An article in my local paper this week regurgitated that concept and I would love to take the author to a Legion and say, ‘There! Convince these men and women of that idea, and I will consider it!’

Dare I even imagine, a move in the House of Commons, to make November 11th, a statutory holiday? By that I mean essential services ONLY (And no, Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire are not essential services). Coffee shops could open, after noon, because what a great opportunity for all of us to buy a cup for that veteran, or service person who might happen to be in the line in front of us, which is something we should all be doing the entire year. Surely the entire House would vote ‘yea’ to this! With the possible exception of members from that party who in half the countries of the world would be hung for treason. Then again, what more obvious sign than their existence is there, that we are indeed a free nation?

This coming Wednesday is Remembrance Day…don’t forget.