One day last week I was sitting in the lunch room where I work. I was on my break when I over heard a conversation. Now I don't normally eavesdrop on conversations but this one peaked my interest. The people sitting in the next booth were discussing the recent death of a Canadian soldier. This soldier fell from a communication tower while on duty in Afghanistan.They went on to say that the whole mission in the "The Sand Box" was a waste and that our soldiers are dying for nothing. Needles to say I disagree with this. First, the death of a Canadian soldier while in the performance of his or her duty to this nation and to the people that live here is never a waste.
My next point will be a little more long winded, so bare with me. Canada's soldiers have never been sent to foreign lands with the purpose of domination, destruction, genocide subjugation of a race or the manipulation of a government. Canada's soldiers have always been used in large part to bring peace and stability to different parts of the world. Just ask the people of France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Cyprus, Hong Kong. The list goes on and on. Instead of spewing nonsense people should do a little more digging to find out what it means to be a Canadian Soldier. Where ever they go, Canadian soldiers take with them those core Canadian values we all hold dear. We do not try to impress those values on other nations. But what we do try to accomplish is to spread hope to people that have lost all hope and we have a tradition of fighting for people who cannot fight for themselves. When Canadian troops go abroad in time of war or peace we bring with us an attitude that is distinctly Canadian. This is an attitude of respect for all others. This respect is recognizable by other nations and has been repaid ten times over by these countries . How has this been repaid you ask? Well, I will tell you.
Everyone talks about how Canadians are loved all over Europe and other parts of the world, and also that we are respected as a country. Well all that love and respect gained the world over was won off the backs of Canada's soldiers. It was won by the young boys slogging in waist deep mud advancing against enemy machine guns and artillery. In was won in places like Ypres, Vimy and The Somme. It was won by our troops in the Second World War advancing up the beaches on D- day and in the battle for Ortona in Italy. It was won by our Peace Keepers and by our soldiers in Afghanistan. Canada's place in the world as a free nation was won off the backs of Canadian men and women who dared to wear a uniform.
So to say that the death of a soldier while doing his or her duty is a waste is wrong and an insult to all who have served and are currently serving. It is a tragedy and was an accident but he died as a volunteer and in a place he wanted to be. He was not forced or drafted, he wasn't a conscript or a reserve soldier forced into active duty. He was a volunteer as all Canadian forces are.
