My Canada - My Country

[mrrnice2 157005]

My Country â?? My Ottawa

The recent events in Quebec and Ottawa give cause for all of us to reflect upon national and international policies, the Canada that we know now, the Canada that we grew up with and many wonder already about the Canada that is to come.

As a relatively infrequent visitor to our nationâ??s capital city, most recently in November of last year, I always stare in awe as I walk or drive past Parliament Hill and look at the majesty of the buildings and grounds and I see the symbolic nature of what they represent. I always note to myself the apparent indifference to the sight by the thousands of people who see it on a daily basis and give no apparent notice as they proceed with their daily lives, possibly taking for granted the symbol that is for them constant and routine.

It was many years in the making but finally one year a while back my family and I joined with thousands, all of us perched on our blankets and as we sat on the front lawn for Canada Day celebrations. That is a memory etched in my mind forever. I so well recall sitting in the visitorsâ?? gallery where the only security was a reminder to people to remove their hats. In the last few days and weeks I have seem images of people using the front lawn to throw their frisbees or for mass yoga classes or to hold peaceful protests. For me, even being from so very far away in this country, I always thought of it as my own, one of MY places.

In the last twenty four hours I have heard one media person after another say something to the affect that, â??This is the day that Canada changed.â?

That disturbs and scares me as much as the events that precipitated the comments. I am incredibly nervous that Mr. Harper will use these events as a springboard to further infringe upon our civil rights, our privacy and freedoms. If he does and if we condone it, then terrorists win.

Mr. Vickers is being hailed as a hero for his actions yesterday, as he certainly was. He has been widely quoted in the past as saying that he viewed his job as Sergeant-At-Arms as not only to provide for the security of Parliament but also that his other primary role is to maintain Parliament as Canadaâ??s place, a place for the everyday people. His next heroic act will be to act as the person to lead the voice for keeping our Parliament accessible to all of us. His voice will be needed.

Why is it that it took this attack to cause the three leaders to speak with a common voice? For once they spoke as one rather than play their usual political games. If there is one ray of potential positivity from all of this it would be my hope that every single MP because of the very personal nature of the events that they were a part of yesterday will for the first time recognize that their decisions are very personal to real people in our country and around the world. Itâ??s a big wish, but let our MPâ??s of ALL parties understand finally that this is not a game for trained seals to say and vote only as they are told to, but that they can and should take personal responsibility for their decisions that affect so many Canadians and global neighbors.

Ottawa and Canada stand up and let this not be the fundamental change that I see so many already accepting as inevitable and justified. Donâ??t let terrorism win by succumbing to terrorist wishes and desires. I love my Canada and do not want to lose any more of what we used to stand for.

MN2