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| From my Father's WWII Archive Somewhere in Europe |
I can't seem to get enough of the poetic words of Charlie Angus. He is fast becoming the voice I hear in my head when I think of one who speaks for Canada. One particular story he shares has special meaning.
Fortunately for me, my father wasn't part of the Algonquin Regiment or Regina Rifles who were to first in the clear the Nazis out of Scheldt, Netherlands. My father was part of Red Deer's own 13th Field, 78th Battery, his journey overseas took him from the beaches of Courelles-Sur-Mer, France through Northwestern Europe to Utrecht, Netherlands where he celebrated VE Day. Old friend, William Skeeter Stephens, of Halifax, celebrated a little further northwest at Sneek.
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| From the WW2 Archives of My Father |
As Charlie so eloquently points out, the Dutch remain good friends with Canada. On the 50th Anniversary of VE Day, a host of Canadian veterans returned as guests of the Netherlands. My father never did but Skeeter returned no less than 3 times and, had it not been for Covid, would have celebrated his 99th birthday in the Netherlands with all four of his children.
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| My Father in Utrecht, Netherlands on VE Day |
The reason this bond continues is simple; those who entered the War willingly, understood the price that would be paid to fight fascism. They understood what it means to be loyal. They understood the need to be committed to a cause that was bigger than themselves. They didn't wait until they were attacked but went of their own accord to make the World safe again.
Americans have lost their way. It has elected a convicted felon and rapist to the most important position in the country who has quickly surrounded himself with a self aggrandizing oligarchy and greedy sycophants and who plan to hold power and control on the backs of its citizens and its neighbouring countries. The official opposition, meant to operate as a system of checks and balances has thrown up its hands in despair, apparently willing to sacrifice Democracy. Most of the party members have lost their bluff and swagger and turned to cowardice. It has left it to past war veterans and the American people to show the World what it looks like to have valour and to stand up for the People. Canadians have made a serious mistake in assuming that the United States had moral integrity. In its own words, it has no friends, it only has strategic partnerships. It knows no loyalty; it has no honor. The American government is rotten. It needs a good dumpster fire to clean out the refuse and let the American people start again.
Fortunately, Canada has something the United States doesn't. It has the respect of every free country in the World. We understand the importance of allegiance, faithfulness and duty. We do not desert; we do not betray.
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| Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly: 'it was a wake-up call for Europeans" |
Resources:
https://charlieangus.substack.com/p/canada-knows-who-our-friends-are
https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/02/19/were-the-canary-in-the-coal-mine-jolys-wake-up-call-to-europe-as-canada-looks-to-co-ordinate-a-trump-response-with-allies/451701/
