November is the month to remember all the good fortune that we, as Canadians, enjoy. And when I say fortune I don’t mean money or monetary wealth, although it could include that. What I am referring to is our unbelievably good fortune to enjoy our many freedoms, like freedom of speech and religion. These freedoms, which we often take for granted, were hard fought and won for us in wartime by the brave men and women who chose to serve in our military.
We memorialize the ultimate sacrifice of our “freedom fighters” in the form of monuments and annual ceremonies. I recently had the honour to visit and experience the largest war memorial in the world — The Great Ocean Road, stretching some 250 kilometres along the southeastern coast of Australia. This road was built by returning the first world war soldiers in memory of their fellow soldiers who had died during The Great War. One of the most incredible coastal drives in the world, this monumental achievement was built by hand, using picks and shovels and explosives — no doubt the same tools used to build battle trenches. The Great Ocean Road’s stunning magnificence is about as close as man can get to mirroring the ultimate sacrifice given willingly in exchange for freedom.
In Canada, we have recently experienced tragedy and sorrow associated with our National War Memorial in Ottawa. It was in shock and horror that I learned of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, age 24, being fatally shot while standing honour guard at our nation’s tribute to the fallen. Could there be a greater form of disrespect than to shoot a member of our Canadian Armed Forces while on sentry duty like this? I think not. And while I am grateful that our Prime Minister claims we, as a country, will not be intimidated by this despicable act, I wonder at what cost he has in mind.
My grandfather, Mick McGuire, fought for King and country during World War I in the trenches of Vimy Ridge. Lucky for me and my family, he was a survivor, a veteran. He endured both physical and soulful battle wounds the rest of his life, caused by shrapnel and witnessing atrocities of such magnitude that he chose to never speak of them again. What he went through while at war I will never exactly know, but I have a pretty good sense of it thanks to historians and documentarians. Over 61,000 Canadians died in battle during the first world war. Would it be a sweeping generalization to say most of them were willing to lay down their lives for our country’s freedom? I think not.
Sadly, “the war to end all wars” wasn’t that at all. Within a few decades we were in full-on engagement with the second world War. More than 42,000 Canadians died in service as they fought against Hitler’s tyranny. Again, these men and women were willing to give up their lives so families and friends back home could live in freedom.
Today’s “war” is against the threat of terrorism, and it seems to me that everything has gone all topsy turvy. And I stand here with the greatest respect for our current-day armed forces personnel who are willing to put themselves in the face of danger as we fight against this threat.
But, I am concerned that it seems like ordinary citizens are now being asked to give up all that their forefathers (and mothers) fought so hard for. Like our freedom to privacy, which is about to be stripped away as if we honest citizens were the guilty ones. Have you noticed that every time there is some sort of crisis we, the good guys, seem to lose another freedom? Anyone who has been through airport security lately, or who doesn’t like data collection of cell phone and Internet records, knows exactly what I mean. Those who fought in the first world war and second world war believed that giving up their lives were worth our freedom. Now, however, it’s as if even just the threat of terrorism is worth giving up all that they fought for.
As a little girl I remember my grandfather reminding my mother not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. I think his words of advice are of remarkable relevance for world leaders today. Honouring the fallen by holding fast to our freedoms that cost so many lives—now that’s in our best interest.
