Amidst the ugly backstabbing of a competitive election campaign, it’s easy to forget what is truly important in life: Ethics. Fairness. Dignity.
Canadian soldiers, while human, exemplify our nation’s values in a quiet way, rarely attracting attention to their gift to our democratic society. They make Canada one of the best countries in the world, and few of them receive the medals they deserve for what they do for us. They put themselves at risk in their daily lives while collecting salaries barely adequate for their selfless contribution.
Our soldiers endure an anti-military sentiment that is baffling and seems to wane only on Nov. 11 or when a handsome soldier like Cpl. Nathan Cirillo dies in front of us, on the streets of Ottawa, in an attack that was shockingly cowardly.
Now that Nov. 11 and the ceremonies for Cpl. Cirillo and fellow soldier Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent have passed, and the flimsy poppy pins have been discarded in our trash bins, we should not forget the sacrifices of the many thousands of military personnel who lost their lives, their limbs or their minds in military combat to protect our way of life. While some do this in public ways like Cpl. Cirillo standing on guard at a national war memorial, many others quietly contribute to our democracy in Canada and overseas, and their efforts are rarely recognized. Unless they die in combat, you will never read their names and you will never hear of their contribution. No crowds will form on the bridges of Ontario’s Highway of Heroes to wave flags to thank their families for their sacrifice.
But they are protecting our right to vote in the election in Squamish this Saturday, our right to walk the streets freely and our freedom to pursue our dreams. What we need are more durable poppy pins, ones we can pin to our coats that will stay there all year so that we never forget the sacrifices of our military.
And what we need to do this Saturday is to vote in the municipal elections. Soldiers have died to protect our democratic, fair, dignified society. The least we can do in return, to respect their contribution, is to vote.
