In Ottawa, 100,000 Canadians show their support at the capital
Posted on 09/11/2006 8:08:21 AM PDT by NorthOf45
Five years later, a changed nation
The Toronto Sun
By Peter Worthington
September 11, 2006
In some ways, the 9/11 terror attack on the U.S. changed Canada more significantly than it did other countries, and certainly more significantly than most Canadians realize.
True, we are emotionally as well as geographically close to Americans, but the events of that terrible day altered us in ways that might not have been anticipated.
For starters, former prime minister Jean Chretien failed to comprehend the poignant impact of the attack on us. His initial public reaction was that there are no terrorist cells in Canada -- thus ignoring years of warnings from CSIS that we are a haven, if not an incubator of some 50 terror cells.
Second, an impromptu rally of some 100,000 Canadians at Parliament Hill in support of the U.S. immediately after 9/11, caught everyone by surprise. A "token" gesture became a pledge of sympathy, solidarity and support for our closest friend and protector.
It's fair to say that ordinary Canadians were ahead of the politicians (and media, if truth be faced) in their reaction to 9/11.
To note that 9/11 was a wake-up call for Canadians is trite, but also true. Suddenly the warnings of CSIS, the RCMP and various police intelligence agencies, as well as military intelligence, about our vulnerability to terror had substance. (Warnings the government had for years rigorously ignored and/or downplayed).
Overnight, fear and unease replaced apathy.
We started to question our immigration and refugee policies more assiduously.
CSIS warnings about funds being collected here for international terrorist groups were no longer dismissed as paranoid rantings of rightwing nutbars.
While Canada's borders are still porous, and while deportation of potential security risks is tedious, complex and slow, at least there is now pressure to tighten controls. Last week Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced border guards would carry guns.
Perhaps the biggest change in Canada is both in our military and the attitude of Canadians toward it. Soldiers are popular -- brave and heroic.
Even the previous Liberal government, whose specialty was denigrating and reducing the military, transformed itself from doves to hawks after 9/11.
Today, five years later, our military is on the path to being combat effective, and not just a nice little peacekeeping outfit incapable of ever fighting a war, as NATO's Lt.-Gen. Sir Hew Pike once remarked, causing outrage from Canada because of its truth.
Military casualties that were ignored during the UN peacekeeping years became headline stories and cause for national mourning after 9/11. Canada once again honoured soldiers it previously had been encouraged to ignore.
Forsaken allies
When the U.S., Britain and Australia decided to take out Saddam Hussein, which the UN refused to do, Canada begged off -- the first time in our history that we've forsaken allies in war.
Reality is we hadn't the military wherewithal to join in the Iraq war, even had we wanted to. Our allies understood this, and if the PM had shown verbal support for ending the tyranny of Saddam, it might have avoided acrimony. Instead, Chretien joined countries that were benefiting financially from Iraq's oil-for-food boondoggle, which also netted agent fees for the UN itself.
Those days are gone. For the moment.
In Afghanistan we are on the front line of the war against terror -- unthinkable five years ago. We also recognize the difference between militant Islamists and ordinary Muslims, where five years ago we couldn't have differentiated.
As a people, we are still tolerant. Some may say we lost our innocence after 9/11, but that's ridiculous rhetoric. What we did was gain reality, and to recognize threats to our way of life.
Although Canada today is different, life goes on. But we've become more aware that just because we feel enmity toward no one, this does not protect us from those who see our values and ethics as something that must be destroyed.
That, in essence, is what the war on terror is about, and why it must be won.
Peter Worthington Ping
I agree with you. They did not transfrom to hawks. The regular Canadians voted in a conservative government to confirm their support on the WOT.
Please send me a FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.
I don't remember the impromptu assembly at Parliament Square. I remember the official one at which Chretien would not allow any prayers or religious expression. Was that the same assembly?
9-11 made me realise how much I love our neighbours to the south.
Hmmmm, I'm not sure.
I am really p*ssed at smiling Jack and the NDP for their stupid, scurrilous stance on Afghanistan.
In Ottawa, 100,000 Canadians show their support at the capital
If I didn't know any better, I'd have said you visited my profile page. : )
Yeah, the bottom one's virtually the same as one you've got there, just cropped a bit differently, but the urls show I stole it elsewhere.
I put up The Stars and Stripes on 9/11. Although I have had to replace it twice, old glory still flys from my porch. My son was in WTC and barely escaped by the skin of his teeth. He had to organize a car pool to return the vehicles of his dead and missing friends home to their widows.
The cowards like Jack Layton and his lalaland socialist useful idiots are traitors and will be severely punished at the polls.
God bless your son. Wow. I didn't know that about you albertabound.
As for Layton, he can rot in hell.
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