Posted on 07/08/2006 9:23:49 AM PDT by fanfan
Three young men who found themselves at the centre of a national controversy after being photographed urinating on the National War Memorial on Canada Day have apologized to "veterans and all Canadians" for their actions that night.
One of the men, a youth from Ottawa who cannot be identified by law, wrote in a letter that he did not realize he was violating a national monument and that he was "ignorant" in doing so.
In the letter, obtained by the Citizen, the youth wrote in French, "I am sorry for my actions and their repercussions, and if I had known what this rock represented before the incident, you would not need to be here now, reading this letter. I apologize not just to all veterans, but to each Canadian citizen I have offended."
The Ottawa police say the other two young men involved in the incident -- another Ottawa youth who cannot be identified and 23-year-old Stephen Fernandes of Montreal -- have also written letters of apology to the police, expressing remorse for their actions.
Yesterday, Ottawa police charged Mr. Fernandes with mischief. He will make his first court appearance Aug. 1.
Stephen Fernandes says he was so intoxicated he doesn't remember urinating on the National War Memorial. Photograph by : Peter McCabe, The Gazette
"I was embarrassed," Mr. Fernandes said yesterday about the incident and the ensuing publicity.
Two days after the incident, a friend called to tell him that his photograph had been on the front page of the Citizen. "I was in complete and utter shock," he said, adding he felt immediately remorseful.
He said he didn't intend to disgrace anyone -- war veterans or his family -- and he will take responsibility for his actions. "I want to formally apologize to anyone I may have offended."
Mr. Fernandes said that not only did he not intend to desecrate the war memorial, but he was almost embarrassed to admit he didn't know how significant the monument is to veterans, and revealed he once volunteered at a veterans' hospital in Quebec.
As to what happened the night of July 1, Mr. Fernandes said, "I know this sounds ridiculous, but I have no recollection of what happened that night. I drank about 26 ounces of vodka and some beers."
He said he drove from Montreal to Ottawa on the afternoon of July 1 and met with some friends. They began partying immediately, he said, and he remembers nothing after 11 p.m. "I don't even remember when the picture was taken."
Mr. Fernandes said he doesn't know the two Ottawa youths who were also photographed urinating on the memorial.
The photos, taken by retired army major Dr. Michael Pilon shortly after 11 p.m. last Saturday, sparked outrage among veterans, residents and politicians.
Dr. Pilon said earlier this week he doesn't think the young men should be fined, saying he holds government officials responsible for not protecting the memorial.
Yesterday, lawyer Lawrence Greenspon said that the two youths have made arrangements with the Royal Canadian Legion to perform community service. Mr. Greenspon brokered the deal after he was contacted by the parents of one youth who said their son wanted to "make things good and apologize."
Mr. Greenspon arranged for the youth to visit the Legion and meet with veterans. The youth then offered to work with the veterans by way of restitution, a plan that was approved by the Crown and police, said Mr. Greenspon.
"He and his buddy went went to Parliament Hill to see the fireworks," he said. "They really had to go (to the bathroom), they did their business and they didn't realize it was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," he said. "They just didn't realize the significance of the place where they were doing their business."
Bob Butt, director of communications for the Royal Canadian Legion, said veterans welcomed the apology. "We believe that the apology was contrite and that the young man knows what he did wrong after all the publicity that they gained," he said. "He's come and apologized, and he volunteered of his own free will to take on work with a veterans' organization."
And that, said Mr. Butt, is the silver lining -- the chance for the youth to learn more about the role veterans played in Canada's history. "From the two young men, I don't believe it was an act of blatant disregard; it was probably an act that demanded a lot of education," he said.
On Thursday, the young man and Mr. Greenspon went to the police station, where the youth wrote his apology. In it he said that at the moment of the incident, "I was not under the impression I was urinating on a monument, but rather on a simple rock," he wrote. He had felt the urge to urinate for some time, even before the fireworks display. But afraid to miss the show, he waited. And after the 20-minute wait to leave Parliament Hill, he wrote, he simply couldn't wait.
"I therefore decided to find an isolated spot in the midst of the crowd of people. I found the rock (which I now know to be the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier). ... I'm sorry for my actions and the repercussions."
Meanwhile, Mr. Fernandes said he knows being drunk does not excuse his actions and that he would gladly do community work and pay a fine. He said he called Ottawa police on Wednesday to identify himself and drove there on Thursday to turn himself in.
He said the publicity surrounding the incident has been humiliating. "It's not easy knowing the entire country thinks you're a dim-wit."
I guess we can't all be perfect. Please tell us how you manage it.
yupper..and that causes a "shrivel factor" faster than ice cold water in a swimmin pool..:-)
His apology is admirable, and it's more than Cynthia McKinney did... or William Jefferson.... or Sandy Berger... etc...
Not only that, but they had parents who made them face the results of their actions.
These boys, in all probability, will have a new attitude about the law and public drunkenness, and personal responsibility.
Here, we seem to bail our children out, which falls under the category of 'spare the rod-spoil the child'.
The adversity these boys experienced from facing this, builds characer.
Totally agree with you. Too bad there are so many of our own dim wits who would never think to apologyze but blame everyone but themselves for their stupidity.
Freeper HairOfTheDog imbibes adult beverages? No?!
You might have, if you've ever been that drunk before, and wandering around in public, unless you're the only person on the planet who can claim to be sober and cognizant while being comatose drunk.
Maybe your implication that they knew they were pissing on a War Memorial is true.
What do you bet these boys never do anything like this again?
I think they 'matured' a bit since this happened.
Taking responsibility is the first sign of maturity.
Much more mature than, (place name of any democratic politician or MSM figure here).
The worst thing is the public scorn...do you remember the kid who got caned in the Philipines? Do you remember what he was most upset about? He was upset that his parents were making a big deal about it. Part of the punishment is the public ridicule...the kid got it, his American parents didn't.
Nice try but I know better.
"It's not easy knowing the entire country thinks you're a dim-wit."
...try the North American hemisphere dim wit! And 30 years from now you will still remember yourself as a dim wit and so will we. Some things people will never forget......LOL!
It was Singapore, but the point is the same.
Yes...you do. At the age of 42 (I read your bio) I certainly hope so. But do you remember being a teenager? Sometimes you do stupid things...and if you do, hopefully you realize it, make the proper amends, and learn from it. Hopefully, this young man will be a better MAN because of this incident.
I'm just glad none of my adventures when I lived in New Orleans ended up on the front page of the paper.
Yes, it was Singapore. When the kid finally spoke, he said he wished his parents would stop making such a big deal about it. It was very, very interesting.
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