home  Vote to remember the sacrifice Saturday is Remembrance Day. While it honours those who fought because Canada asked them to, it is worth looking deeper into why they fought. Canada has been involved in five major wars since we became a nation. We fought along side the British against the Boers in South Africa and twice against the Germans in Europe. We fought with the United Nations in Korea and with NATO in Afghanistan. In addition we have been involved in peacekeeping efforts in many countries. We can be proud that our country moved away from fighting for imperial powers and towards stopping aggression. Canada's place in the world should always be as a peacemaker. That is a goal worthy of asking our citizens to put their lives at risk. To bring our version of democracy to its current level, flawed as it may be, was a process that took a millennium. During that time, untold numbers of people struggled, faced imprisonment and died to give us the freedoms we currently enjoy. World War II is particularly noteworthy because it was the first time we fought as a nation, against imperialism and to protect our democracy. I doubt anyone even wants to imagine what the world would be like if the fascists had won. The best way we have to honour those who fought for Canada is to exercise the freedoms they won for us. Monday, November 13 is election day in municipalities across Ontario. We owe it to those who fought and died to not only get out and vote, but also to do your research ahead of time. Learn about the various candidates and what they propose. Find out how much is empty rhetoric and how much is a well thought out proposal to tackle the tough issues we face. Saturday, November 11, pause for two minutes of silence, then on Monday, get out and cast an informed vote! Gary Dale, West Hill |