Friday, February 27, 2009
Terrorist Tatics
I have to admit, I haven't really been following the issue about the Battle of the Plains... but I came across this article the other day and it really struck a cord. I am a proud Canadian with a love of history and it bothers me that is even an issue!
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Terrorist tactics win the day and the plains of abraham
By Paula Arab, Calgary Herald February 19, 2009
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Terrorist tactics win the day and the plains of abraham
By Paula Arab, Calgary Herald February 19, 2009
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Chalk one up for the separatists. They may have lost the Plains of Abraham in less than half an hour, but 250 years later, Quebec nationalists won their petty battle to cancel the reenactment. Felicitations!
The real shameful defeat belongs to the National Battlefields Commission for capitulating to the demands of a few radical separatist groups. The commission finally relented and cancelled the controversial re-enactment of the pivotal British victory that was planned for this summer, on the famous battlefield in the heart of Quebec City.
The Plains of Abraham belong to all Canadians. The park is the site of one of the most exciting moments in our modest Canadian history. It's a place all citizens should visit at least once in their lives.
In the bigger picture, though, the Battle of the Plains of Abraham was just one of numerous fights during the Seven Years' War, between Europe's colonial powers.
And contrary to what must have been taught in Quebec history classes, it was not the reason why French rule ended in North America. More on that later.
The separatists need to understand that every battle has a winner and a loser. Re-enactments occur all the time, and every time, the outcome is still the same, no matter how badly one might want to change, ignore or erase the ending.
Re-enactments are about history, not politics or revisionism. This series was organized by American military buffs, not federal politicians.
A number of other battles have already been restaged without controversy, to mark the 250-year anniversaries of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). Some are misrepresenting the restaging of the battles as celebrations. There's nothing festive about war. The re-enactments are to honour the memory of soldiers on all sides who lost their lives in the battles.
The cowardly retreat by the commission--a federal agency that runs the Plains --has left re-enactors scratching their heads.
"It's kind of mind-boggling," says Horst Dresler, president of the Quebec Historical Corps.
"I just can't believe that this handful of people are patting themselves on the back, feeling very proud of themselves. They have no idea what they're doing for the province."
What they've done is bring disgrace upon themselves, and killed an event that would have been a significant boon to Quebec tourism. It would have been a windfall to an economy that's being battered by a global recession.
Dresler, who lives in Vermont, has been planning this for 11 years. He had 3,000 people lined up, including 2,100 who were to play soldiers on the Plains.
Quebec can bid adieu to those thousands of volunteers, actors and tourists who were expected to flock to their city and province this summer, as they did in celebration of last year's 400th anniversary.
But never mind. Let's just pretend the Battle of the Plains of Abraham never happened, if that will please those who have a lesser grasp on their roots. Let's just silence the noisy few militants, for whom revisiting the battle, they believe, would be a humiliation to Quebec.
In reality, the French lost New France because France withdrew its support, stopped sending troops and sacrificed it for another colony, Guadeloupe. If separatists want to be mad at anyone, they should point their paintball guns across the Atlantic to the mother country.
The lesson in all of this, sadly, seems to be that threats of violence sometimes pay off. The federal commission's decision to cancel is akin to meeting the irrational demands of terrorists.
Andre Juneau, commission chairman, defends his decision by saying it was impossible to ensure public safety: "Given the excessive language and threats we have heard in recent days, we can't as responsible managers risk compromising the safety of families and children who might attend the event."
Responsible managers would have forged on and hired enough police and security to ensure the radical militants were arrested and charged should they break the law.
La bonne Surete du Quebec can certainly handle a few troublemakers armed with paintball guns, as the separatists reportedly vowed to bring.
Responsible managers would have insisted the show must go on. People have already spent money on airfares and hotel rooms, all of which now must be cancelled.
What's next? The same separatists opposed to the re-enactment have also demanded control of the Plains. They want it taken from the federal government, and transferred to the province.
And if that's not egregious enough, they also want the removal of "all monuments dedicated to the memory" of British General James Wolfe in Quebec City.
Make no mistake, the real loss goes to Quebec, and the biggest losers are the sovereigntists --tainted by the brush of their militant brothers.
Educated sovereigntists like Louis Valiquette not only welcomed the re-enactment, but planned on participating in it. He was going to play a French military leader on the front line. "It is a way of saying, as a sovereigntist, I am still here as a francophone," he said. "My family was there before, during and after, and we have survived."
The show won't go on, but the battle between the French and English Canada unfortunately will.
Chalk one up for the separatists. They may have lost the Plains of Abraham in less than half an hour, but 250 years later, Quebec nationalists won their petty battle to cancel the reenactment. Felicitations!
The real shameful defeat belongs to the National Battlefields Commission for capitulating to the demands of a few radical separatist groups. The commission finally relented and cancelled the controversial re-enactment of the pivotal British victory that was planned for this summer, on the famous battlefield in the heart of Quebec City.
The Plains of Abraham belong to all Canadians. The park is the site of one of the most exciting moments in our modest Canadian history. It's a place all citizens should visit at least once in their lives.
In the bigger picture, though, the Battle of the Plains of Abraham was just one of numerous fights during the Seven Years' War, between Europe's colonial powers.
And contrary to what must have been taught in Quebec history classes, it was not the reason why French rule ended in North America. More on that later.
The separatists need to understand that every battle has a winner and a loser. Re-enactments occur all the time, and every time, the outcome is still the same, no matter how badly one might want to change, ignore or erase the ending.
Re-enactments are about history, not politics or revisionism. This series was organized by American military buffs, not federal politicians.
A number of other battles have already been restaged without controversy, to mark the 250-year anniversaries of the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). Some are misrepresenting the restaging of the battles as celebrations. There's nothing festive about war. The re-enactments are to honour the memory of soldiers on all sides who lost their lives in the battles.
The cowardly retreat by the commission--a federal agency that runs the Plains --has left re-enactors scratching their heads.
"It's kind of mind-boggling," says Horst Dresler, president of the Quebec Historical Corps.
"I just can't believe that this handful of people are patting themselves on the back, feeling very proud of themselves. They have no idea what they're doing for the province."
What they've done is bring disgrace upon themselves, and killed an event that would have been a significant boon to Quebec tourism. It would have been a windfall to an economy that's being battered by a global recession.
Dresler, who lives in Vermont, has been planning this for 11 years. He had 3,000 people lined up, including 2,100 who were to play soldiers on the Plains.
Quebec can bid adieu to those thousands of volunteers, actors and tourists who were expected to flock to their city and province this summer, as they did in celebration of last year's 400th anniversary.
But never mind. Let's just pretend the Battle of the Plains of Abraham never happened, if that will please those who have a lesser grasp on their roots. Let's just silence the noisy few militants, for whom revisiting the battle, they believe, would be a humiliation to Quebec.
In reality, the French lost New France because France withdrew its support, stopped sending troops and sacrificed it for another colony, Guadeloupe. If separatists want to be mad at anyone, they should point their paintball guns across the Atlantic to the mother country.
The lesson in all of this, sadly, seems to be that threats of violence sometimes pay off. The federal commission's decision to cancel is akin to meeting the irrational demands of terrorists.
Andre Juneau, commission chairman, defends his decision by saying it was impossible to ensure public safety: "Given the excessive language and threats we have heard in recent days, we can't as responsible managers risk compromising the safety of families and children who might attend the event."
Responsible managers would have forged on and hired enough police and security to ensure the radical militants were arrested and charged should they break the law.
La bonne Surete du Quebec can certainly handle a few troublemakers armed with paintball guns, as the separatists reportedly vowed to bring.
Responsible managers would have insisted the show must go on. People have already spent money on airfares and hotel rooms, all of which now must be cancelled.
What's next? The same separatists opposed to the re-enactment have also demanded control of the Plains. They want it taken from the federal government, and transferred to the province.
And if that's not egregious enough, they also want the removal of "all monuments dedicated to the memory" of British General James Wolfe in Quebec City.
Make no mistake, the real loss goes to Quebec, and the biggest losers are the sovereigntists --tainted by the brush of their militant brothers.
Educated sovereigntists like Louis Valiquette not only welcomed the re-enactment, but planned on participating in it. He was going to play a French military leader on the front line. "It is a way of saying, as a sovereigntist, I am still here as a francophone," he said. "My family was there before, during and after, and we have survived."
The show won't go on, but the battle between the French and English Canada unfortunately will.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Au Pair - Linn
August 25th 2008 - February 20th 2009
Birthday: May 4th
Birthday: May 4th
I remember first reading Linn’s profile on Au Pair World... I had become frustrated with the process. I had spoke to so many girls and was becoming inpatient. Having sent what felt like hundreds of emails out, I was surprised to receive the initial email from Linn. She had so many questions – the first being about Ryan. She came across as very eager and in the days that followed Brad and I read through her emails and we knew that we had found the perfect match. Once we told Linn that we wanted her to come stay with us we agreed that a phone call was in order. So we calculated the time in Sweden and called. Linn and I both giggled nervously through most of the conversation trying to find the right words and ask all the right questions. And then we agreed – Linn was to become our au pair.
I have to admit the first few days were awkward as I am sure they were for Linn. It was strange to have a new family member, but it began to seem normal very quickly. The moment Brad and I found ourselves able to walk out the door at 7 or 8 am, kissing our still sleepy, pajama-clad Ryan goodbye and knowing that he’d have a good day, full of playing and learning; knowing that he would have a good lunch, clean teeth, and a good nap in his own bed, all under the watchful eyes of an instant big-sister, the awkwardness faded. Coming home from work each day to a tidy house and seeing them laughing and chasing each other around, allowed me to breath a sigh of relief.
We realized that having an au pair had really allowed us to be a more relaxed family, and had contributed to us being hassle-free enough to cook and sit down happily to family dinner every night instead of tossing a hurried pot of Kraft Dinner on the table. We realized that having a new family member forced us to be on our best behaviour—during her first few weeks we make a point of everything from eating healthier meals; being more patient when before we would have been more free to succumb to annoyance; to lessening the Ryan’s TV time because we didn’t want her simply plopping him in front of Backyardigan wherever possible. We lived these good habits because of her, and then we began to embody them. We began to have more patience for life, each other, Ryan and family.
Linn has lived with us for almost six months now. I can’t imagine her not being here. She is a member of our family. I know that in a few days she’ll go home, and on to another adventure, and I worry about the space she’ll leave behind when she goes. I wonder if the ease with which she has entered our family can be reproduced.
Knowing that there is someone home with Ryan that cares as deeply for him as Brad and I do has been one of the greatest gifts I have ever received!
Linn, you are simply the best Au Pair ever!!
Thank you for all that you do.
I have to admit the first few days were awkward as I am sure they were for Linn. It was strange to have a new family member, but it began to seem normal very quickly. The moment Brad and I found ourselves able to walk out the door at 7 or 8 am, kissing our still sleepy, pajama-clad Ryan goodbye and knowing that he’d have a good day, full of playing and learning; knowing that he would have a good lunch, clean teeth, and a good nap in his own bed, all under the watchful eyes of an instant big-sister, the awkwardness faded. Coming home from work each day to a tidy house and seeing them laughing and chasing each other around, allowed me to breath a sigh of relief.
We realized that having an au pair had really allowed us to be a more relaxed family, and had contributed to us being hassle-free enough to cook and sit down happily to family dinner every night instead of tossing a hurried pot of Kraft Dinner on the table. We realized that having a new family member forced us to be on our best behaviour—during her first few weeks we make a point of everything from eating healthier meals; being more patient when before we would have been more free to succumb to annoyance; to lessening the Ryan’s TV time because we didn’t want her simply plopping him in front of Backyardigan wherever possible. We lived these good habits because of her, and then we began to embody them. We began to have more patience for life, each other, Ryan and family.
Linn has lived with us for almost six months now. I can’t imagine her not being here. She is a member of our family. I know that in a few days she’ll go home, and on to another adventure, and I worry about the space she’ll leave behind when she goes. I wonder if the ease with which she has entered our family can be reproduced.
Knowing that there is someone home with Ryan that cares as deeply for him as Brad and I do has been one of the greatest gifts I have ever received!
Linn, you are simply the best Au Pair ever!!
Thank you for all that you do.
Hej då och vi älskar dig. (Goodbye and we love you.)
Monday, February 9, 2009
Introducing...
I would like to introduce our next Au Pair.
Clémentine of France.
Clémentine of France.
Arriving February 17th 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Our Sympathy
Although it's difficult today to see beyond the sorrow, May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow.
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To the Duffields during their time of need... our thoughts and sympathy are with you.
xoxoxo
xoxoxo
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
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