Canada’s flag turned 50 this year, with very little fanfare. Nothing compared to the blitz of television ads about wars that Canada won before it was even a country, warships making tight turns, zooming jet fighters, and soldiers bristling with armament jumping out of airplanes. All this propaganda promotes present Conservative government policy, thinly disguised as public service information, and is even narrated by people that sound remarkably like Stephen Harper.
Things were different when Lester Pearson’s government brought us our new flag. (As well as the Canada Pension Plan, universal health care, student loans, and keeping us out of the Vietnam war). Pearson involved Canada greatly in international affairs, supported and promoted the United Nations, and won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to resolve the Suez crisis. Travelling Canadians sewed flags to their packs, knowing Canada had a positive global reputation, happy to be recognized as Canucks.
My grandchildren are of prime cannon-fodder age.
If they were to take risks in the service of our country, I would much prefer they were wearing the blue helmet of the United Nations, keeping the peace somewhere, rather than adding another puff of wind to the hurricane of death and destruction that we are now helping the United States inflict on the world.
Reid Fowler