Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
Gander, Newfoundland is a small town of less than 10,000 souls. On the morning of September 11, 2001 its population nearly doubled. Thirty-eight flights bound for the United States were re-routed to Gander International and 6,595 uninvited and unprepared guests were taken care of like long lost friends.
But at worse, that was a temporary inconvenience. What is more telling is the reaction since. When America looks to her northern neighbor she should be reminded of the bonds that are forged by sweat, by tears and, especially, by blood.
When the towers fell on that Tuesday morning ten years ago, they took 24 Canadians down with them. Somewhere in Saskatchewan a young man was watching television and waiting to start his first day of high school. Four years later he was on the first of his three tours of Afghanistan. Yesterday one of his parents wrote, "I (have) met a number of my son's brothers in arms, and to a man and woman they were all 'in it' because of 9/11."
On that day, our war became their war. Just as it had in Korea. Just as Americans had joined the Canadian Armed Services prior to our entry into two World Wars.
To date 157 Canadian troops have paid the ultimate price in Afghanistan. They return to Canada through CFB Trenton where each is met by their family. From there a convoy will take them to the Toronto Coronor's office and hundreds of their grateful countrymen still line the 401 and salute them as they go by on the "Highway of Heroes."
The next time you see a Canadian, whether it be here on Ricochet or in person, take a moment and say, "Nous vous sommes extrêmement reconnaissants. We are very grateful to you."
It's nice to know who your friends really are.
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Nov '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
I remember reading this story in 2001 and feeling gratification for the support of one of our allies. I thoroughly enjoyed a recent post espousing America's tendency to regard England as the motherland and Canada as the sister.
Long live the English-speaking peoples!
Dec '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
A link to this went straight to Facebook, my friend.
Jul '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
Amen.
Nov '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
Great post. As a man married to a Canadian lady, I've had the pleasure of spending a lot of time in Her Majesty's Chilly Dominion. We're very fortunate in our allies. On Sept. 11th I was living in England. Outside of the media and the usual anti-American left crowd, I found that the people of England were genuinely outraged by the attacks of September 11.
I was a student at Oxford at the time. The university gave everyone free telephone calls to America for the rest of the school year. It was a simple, decent act that I will always remember.
We're truly blest.
Mar '11
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
EJHill The next time you see a Canadian, whether it be here on Ricochet or in person, take a moment and say, "Nous vous sommes extrêmement reconnaissants. We are very grateful to you."
It's nice to know who your friends really are. ·
How this infuriates me. I suppose it is my Canadian heritage that gives this a particular sting but I look at Canada and see the corrosive effect of liberalism diminishing the citizenry and cannot help but be enraged.
As you say EJHill, this is the nation that is fighting along side us in Afghanistan, this is the nation that elected Mr. Harper Prime Minister and yet still despite the inclinations of the people this is the nation that drove citizens such as Mark Steyn from their country for daring to have an opinion contrary to the littératie. The inevitable consequence of statism run amok.
For my kindred in up north, thank you for standing with us.
May '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
Are you angry at the Trudeaupians or my use of the French?
Apr '11
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
Korea, WWI, WWII. Don't forget Vietnam. According to Wikipedia:
"During the Vietnam era, more than 30,000 Canadians served in the US armed forces; 110 Canadians died in Vietnam and seven are listed as missing in action. Fred Graffen, military historian with the Canadian War Museum, estimated in Vietnam Magazine (Perspectives) that approximately 12,000 of these personnel actually served in Vietnam."
Wikipedia adds "Most of these were natives of Canada who lived in the United States" and subject to the U.S. draft. That in itself says a lot, but the Canadians I met were Canadian residents who volunteered for the US military.
Thanks, guys. Got your back.
On the subject theme: If you you don't like the idea that Progressive, Liberal Fascists are aliens, just ask yourself when was the last time they took America's and Americans' side in anything.
Mar '11
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
I have no easy quips for you Mr. Hill, what Trudeau did to Canada will take a generation to correct. If even that is sufficient.
Yet despite that there are still men and women who are willing to fight and die for freedom. For themselves and for us all, even those not of our nation and I thank you for recognizing that Mr. Hill.
For my cousins from the north who have entered the fight, you are appreciated and you will be remembered. Thank you.
May '11
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
I'm a Canadian living in Japan, I watched in horror as the second plane struck the WTC, with me was an American friend, he said "This will change everything, we are at war" I said "Canada will be there with you" and he was happy to hear me express that feeling, even if he doubted it at the time.
EJ thank you for this post, I very much respect and love our neighbours to the South, our cousins, and I'm glad that someone notices that most Canadians do support the US in this war.
Domo
May '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
I spent some of the best days of my youth on Lake Nippissing between North Bay and Sturgeon Falls. I hold dear my Canadian friends. And I always remember that it was a Canadian doctor that penned these words:
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
How ironic that we stand, shoulder to shoulder still, in the land of the Poppies, the wretched harvest of a wretched land.
May '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
Grendel: Korea, WWI, WWII. Don't forget Vietnam. According to Wikipedia:
"During the Vietnam era, more than 30,000 Canadians served in the US armed forces; 110 Canadians died in Vietnam and seven are listed as missing in action. Fred Graffen, military historian with the Canadian War Museum, estimated in Vietnam Magazine (Perspectives) that approximately 12,000 of these personnel actually served in Vietnam."
Wikipedia adds "Most of these were natives of Canada who lived in the United States" and subject to the U.S. draft. That in itself says a lot, but the Canadians I met were Canadian residents who volunteered for the US military.
Thanks, guys. Got your back.
Joining us in our debacle in Vietnam isn't exactly the kind of solidarity that I admire. It was wise of the Canadian government to avoid major involvement in that conflict.
Aug '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
I drove along Highway 401 a few years back, long before it was dubbed the "Highway of Heroes". My passenger was a war college professor and former infantry officer.
We started seeing crowds on the overpasses somewhere between Toronto and Trenton. Mostly they were ordinary folk, but there were a few firetrucks as well.
We thought they were looking at a big car accident or something. Once we realized that every overpass was covered with people, my passenger clued in that it was the route from Trenton, and that a fallen soldier was due to arrive that day.
That's what makes this new tradition so special. Paying tribute on the overpasses was a genuinely spontaneous display of support. It wasn't started by any organization. The people who did it never promoted it. They never sent out any press releases. They didn't even have any signs or banners to promote what they were doing.
They simply did it.
My passenger was a very "in-the-know" guy when it comes to Canadian military matters, and even he didn't know that people along the route had started this tradition.
Though a very tough guy, he was in tears.
Edited on Sep 11, 2011 at 8:36pmAug '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
Grendel: Korea, WWI, WWII. Don't forget Vietnam. According to Wikipedia:
"During the Vietnam era, more than 30,000 Canadians served in the US armed forces; 110 Canadians died in Vietnam and seven are listed as missing in action. Fred Graffen, military historian with the Canadian War Museum, estimated in Vietnam Magazine (Perspectives) that approximately 12,000 of these personnel actually served in Vietnam."
The Canadian Vietnam Veterans Memorial is in Windsor, Ontario, very close to the house where I lived when I was a student at the University of Windsor.
It's on the waterfront, facing Detroit (appropriately). It's small, but poignant. There are one hundred and three names of known Canadians engraved on the center panel of the memorial, including seven people listed as MIA's/BNR.
Note: At the time, it was against Canadian law for Canadian citizens to enlist with foreign militaries or participate in foreign wars.
Edited on Sep 11, 2011 at 8:33pmFeb '11
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
Thank you, EJHill, from a Canadian ricochet member.
Aug '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
EJHill: I always remember that it was a Canadian doctor that penned these words:
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row ...
If you're ever in Ottawa, I highly recommend the Canadian War Museum. Aside from the exhibits themselves, which are quite spectacular, the building itself is a work of architecture as poetry.
For example, there are a series of windows that spell out "lest we forget" in Morse Code. The overall structure is designed to evoke impressions of a bunker as well as a warship.
However, the most beautiful aspect (IMHO) is the roof. Up on the roof, you discover that it's covered in grasses which don't appear to be native to the Ottawa area. Furthermore, if you're there at the right time of year, you'll see actual poppies growing in the grasses, and you realize that it's designed as a sort of memorial to the fields of World War One, and a sort of living homage to John McRae's poem.
Nov '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
Beautiful and brilliant post, Mr. Hill.
Our Canadian brethren merit our continual thanks for abiding friendship and support.
I hope that we are able to return the loyalty as the years pass. I know of none with whom I should prefer to hold a trench than Canadians.
Nov '10
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
Shucks, not at all, but it's nice you noticed EJ. Sometimes I think I'm more American than most Americans. But there is an awful mean-spirited, vindictive and envious anti-American streak among many of the Canadian "elite". Thank goodness for our current Conservative government, most of whom at least speak some sense on this matter and behave as the friends of our Southern neighbours that we are. The anti-American bigots in the canadian media, the two major non-Conservative parties and the schools, are our deep shame. But rest assured that there is a wide swath of people who understand and love your Freedom-loving American heart and soul. We put this conservative government in power, and if you pay attention to Canadian politics you'll see the left is in slow meltdown right now, and good riddance. And, though it is vocal, I don't think this anti-American prejudice you can find here is really any worse than a lot of self-loathing Americans ... such as BHO. But heartland Canada is with yeh. And them others, pay no attention ta them hosers!
Apr '11
Re: Finding Out Who Your Friends Are
It must have turned into our debacle sometime after the Viet Cong's debacle at Tet in 1968, and after the NVA's debacle in 1972, when the South Vietnamese army repulsed a conventional mechanized-armor invasion by the North.
You don't seem to have noticed that the discussion concerned the Canadian people, not the government. But since you bring it up, during the 1960s, some Canadian governments may have acted on ideology, some from an assessment of national interest vs. national capabilities, but none could have been so wise as to foresee that the American factions that for a decade declared Vietnam "a quagmire where we are bound to fail" would gain power and in 1975 turn success into self-justifying failure.
As for what you admire, it seems you sneer at those who choose the riskier but nobler course. Well, everyone loves a winner. Good luck with that.