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Remembrance Day should be a paid holiday and elections held that day.
Recent events have really reminded me how much I appreciate our soldiers who work so hard to protect us.
I am probably a little more sensitive than some my age and younger, because both of my grandfathers served and I was lucky enough to know them as an adult. The one grandfather as actually born American and served with the RCAF as an American navigator. He later chose to become a Canadian Citizen. You should have heard him during FLQ!
My other grandfather was a Sergeant Major in the Canadian Army. I always found it interesting how the Air Force grandfather would talk about the war but the Army grandfather would try to avoid the subject. I asked him why one day and he told me that he preferred not to dwell on the fact that, in his words, he trained boys to die.
I believe when you strike from the air, you’re not as close and it doesn’t seem as real. When you’re on the ground, it’s up close and personal. Easy for me to say, I never had the experience and I thank my grandfathers for that.
Listening to CBC radio after the municipal election, they were discussing the low voter turnout and a couple of callers made comments about not feeling it was important enough to make voting a priority. It was too far or inconvenient.
Just days before, the focus was on our recent fallen soldiers and those who continue to put themselves in harms way to serve this country. These men fought and continue to fight to protect the right to freedom and the right to a democratic society. Our soldiers today are once again doing the same. I believe this is World War III.
What if we made Remembrance Day and international holiday and legislated that all elections be held that day? Personally, I would give up labour day to make that happen.
This means everyone would have a paid day off to recognize the efforts of these great men who have protected our lives and freedoms and those who continue to do so. At the same, it would acknowledge the importance of the vote.
Lest we forget,
Barry Clermont
P.S. I would love to hear what others think on this subject. Please leave a comment.
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