How do you remember something you’ve never experienced?
It’s a question many of us face each November as we stand for a moment of silence to remember and honour those who have served our country and died for our freedoms.
Although there were veterans among us as we stood at the cenotaph Nov. 11, for most of us, war is a foreign concept—and fortunately few of us will ever have to experience it.
We can read about the wars of the past from the comfort of our homes and keep up to date about ongoing wars online, but we, as privileged Canadians, can’t fully understand what it means to be at war. We go about our lives free from the dangers of airstrikes and bombs, each day waking up in a safe, beautiful and diverse country, enjoying the freedoms that so many men and women sacrificed their lives for.
So, it’s hard to conjure up images of what those battles once looked like and what they look like today. But, whether we can imagine them or not, it is our duty to try.
We must remember the wars of the past and the present. We must educate ourselves and take the time to talk with our family members and community members that have served. We must listen to their stories and do our best to remember and honour them.
That’s the least we can do. But we can also do more.
At this very moment, fighting is taking place around the world. We can’t see it in our picturesque mountain town, but each and every day people are dying in hopes of securing the same freedoms we’re already so fortunate to enjoy.
As well as killing thousands of innocent civilians, those wars are also leaving millions of people displaced and searching for new homes.
There are currently four million refugees outside of Syria and another seven million displaced inside its borders. These are people with very few options.
Canada has vowed to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada before Christmas. It’s a tall order, but it’s a necessary step nonetheless. Although we are unlikely to see all 25,000 refugees in the country in seven short weeks, our new government has shown that the refugee crisis is a priority and Canada is going to do its part.
With that directive coming from the top, it’s no surprise that cities and towns across the country—including Jasper—are doing their part to ensure the safety of civilians caught up in Syria’s bloody civil war.
We salute those Jasperites who have offered their time and energy to sponsor a family and we look forward to welcoming them when they arrive.
