She said that Canadians pay their respects once a year then go back into day to day mode.
Our Veterans from WW1, Are no longer with us. The Veterans of both WW2 and Korea are getting fewer and fewer. The Veterans who served during the Cold War are slipping away as well as our early Peacekeepers.
We do have a new group of Veterans, from Bosnia, Kosovo, and indeed Afghanistan. These are the men and women that now need services from our Government. Groups like the NATO Veterans of Canada are working very hard to insure that each and every Vet gets assistance, when needed. Whether medical, psychological, financial. Perhaps just a shoulder, to lean on, with someone to speak to.
If you are aware of any Veteran that need help please contact me at baconburner@gmail.com
I will endeavour to put you or the Veteran in touch with the right people.
NATO veterans is one organisation that really cares for the welfare of our military Veterans.
Please feel free to visit their Web Site, and sign up. http://natoveterans.org/
Now a few musings of this past Remembrance Day. How many lowlife louts, swiped Poppy Fund boxes from shops across Canada. TOO MANY!!
These criminals should be sentenced to spend 60 days with the military perhaps Boot Camp, or as we say in Canada. Basic Training. Let them sleep in the great outdoors in all weathers, spend time on a Naval Vessel in tempestuous weather, bouncing around like a cork. Then they may learn that men and women who served are in receipt of programs funded by the Poppy Fund.
Next the Poppies. I do personally feel that the Royal Canadian Legion has to change with the times. Many people including Veterans place a small Cdn pin in the centre of the Poppy to insure that it doesn't fall off. The Legion used to have the Poppies made by Veterans, now they are produced by secret contract.
The Lapel Poppy
The lapel Poppies that are worn in Canada today were first made, beginning in 1922, by disabled veterans under the sponsorship of the Department of Soldiers Civil Re-establishment. Until 1996, Poppy material was made at the "Vetcraft" sheltered workshops run by Veterans Affairs Canada in Montreal and Toronto. The work provided a small source of income for disabled ex-service persons and their dependants, allowing them to take an active part in maintaining the tradition of Remembrance.
When it no longer became practical for Veterans Affairs Canada to maintain the "Vetcraft" operations, the Legion volunteered to take on the continuing responsibility for the production of Poppies. In so doing, Dominion Command has awarded a production contract to a private company to produce the Poppies but all operations are conducted under strict Legion control and oversight.
With this in mind perhaps, the head shed of the Legion can, prepare a new decree, that allows poppies to have a centre of a national flag. To replace this dangerous little pin. Children get pricked and sometimes arthritic fingers do not work so well. Something to think about.
Meanwhile let's Remember, our Veterans their families and loved ones. As well as our serving troops each and every day, not JUST Nov 11th.
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
