Remembrance Day: Then and Now

I'm giving you the heads up...this post has absolutely nothing to do with The Hour.

I recently wrote elsewhere that there is no day on the calendar that I honour with as much reverence as Remembrance Day. As the grand-daughter and niece of men who served our great nation with distinction, I was raised to have a good understanding of WHY November 11th is so significant. In my house it was never just another day.

As a child (in the 70's) my mother would take me to the cenotaph at Old City Hall in Toronto. I would watch the Remembrance Day ceremonies unfold among the veterans who experienced war first hand. From my recollection, it was always cold, raining or windy. But the inclement weather never showed on the faces of our veterans. They had a job to do...honour the memory of their fallen comrades.

Fast forward to my teenage years. I distinctly remember the focus of Remembrance Day slowly switch from remembering those lost in war to the concept of "peace'. So much so, that the name of our assembly was officially changed to "Peace Day" ceremonies. This never sat well with me. We were not remembering peace. We were remembering the ultimate sacrifice of war...the loss of human life.

In my 20's I would tape the Remembrance Day ceremonies from Ottawa. Just like the images from my childhood, there were our veterans, standing at attention, proudly displaying their various medals, seemingly unaffected by the weather. I would watch the Silver Cross mother lay a wreath in memory of her child, taken too soon. Everyone seemed to be getting older and older. The numbers of veterans in attendance slowly diminishing. The crowds gathering appeared to be getting smaller too. I started to feel that sadly, the significance of Remembrance Day was being lost. Up to that point in my lifetime, war was not really a consideration. Canadian Forces were leaving our soil for peace-keeping missions, not combat.

Today...well, history has a way of repeating itself, now doesn't it? Once again our brave men and women are willing to sacrifice for a cause they so strongly believe in. Canadian veterans are no longer the older men and women I remember from my childhood. In many cases, the veterans of today, are younger than me.

As Canadians, we owe our veterans, no matter their age, living or dead, a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. Please do not let this Remembrance Day pass as just another day on your calendar.

I first heard this song while listening to CFRB a couple of years ago. It is based on the 1999 real-life experience of singer/songwriter Terry Kelly. It is not really my kind of music...but the message is clear...lest we forget.

"Gemini Cold Opener"

"Big Toronto Hippie… with his ears pierced… think he'll come and mock the Prairies, is that it?"

For the past week, the mere thought of the cold opener from the Geminis has brought random giggles into my life. So much so, that the people I work with and those nearest and dearest to me think that I've finally gone over the edge. Maybe it's the Prairie Girl in me… maybe it's growing up in Alberta and the constant rivalry between the two provinces... or maybe it's just the fact that I'm a transplant in Ontario and I miss home. Whatever it was, the cold opening at the Geminis this year had me on the floor laughing. Literally. Not just in internet terms, but physically on the floor, laughing. Why? Because in some areas of Saskatchewan… it's true!
Saskatchewan isn't totally flat… there are occasional hills and valleys… but compared to other provinces (say, Alberta)… it could easily be considered flat. And Albertans know how to milk that for everything it's worth. That said, Saskatchewan cannot be defined by it's topography… Saskatchewan has a lot going for it. It's the home of universal health care in Canada. It's economy, like it's neighbour Alberta, is booming. The Mounties call it home for their academy. The Snowbirds are based there. To be honest, Saskatchewan is a pretty cool place. Despite being flat. Or maybe, because of it.

All kudos to Saskatchewan aside, the opener was pretty slick. With fantastic writing (writer Paul Bates is a genius… I want to know, is he from the Prairies?), it was the perfect choice for the evening. It brings all that's the Toronto-Prairies "fight" together in a typically self-mocking Canadian manner. Very fitting for the boy from Toronto visiting the Prairies.

If you've made it this far, and enjoyed the cold opener at the Geminis last weekend, you'll be happy to know that the cold opener is now posted on YouTube. Enjoy!



Mich
Guest poster of the Stroumboulopouli

This week in November on The Hour

Quick notes:
The Strombo Show in it's new body debuts today Sunday Nov 04. You can listen live with a link on this page.

Here is the link from the National Post about how to host a talk show


Monday Nov 05 on The Hour
Ralph Mellanby: Executive Producer who revolutionized Sports television.
Bachman/Cummings
and Ben Harper is back on The Hour.

Tuesday Nov 06
Journalist Jan Wong
Malalai Joya talks about the Enemies of Happiness.
Your life coach Tony Robbins

Wednesday Nov 07
Ani DiFranco singer/songwriter
Also on The Hour Nigella Lawson I looked up Nigella and one result on Google search was Nigella Lawson breasts and I found the link for a Slow-Roasted Garlic and Lemon Chicken by Nigella recipe but it was for chicken thighs not breasts... in any case She is a chef...


Thursday Nov 08
Canadian singing legend ( maybe you have heard of her)Anne Murray
For Kevin of The Hour I will do my Anne Murray Applause.