This last week I was in Chapters when I met a remarkable man
with an intriguing story. He was an older gentleman seated at a book table. His
eyes were alive with spark and his voice was compelling as he shared the
sequence of events surrounding his own family going into hiding from 1940 to
1945. He spoke of seeing the execution of two young women who had shielded him
from danger with their own lives. He talked of Christian families who sheltered
him and moved him throughout The Netherlands and the Dutch Reform Church that
saved his life as well as the lives of most of his family. His story was unique
in that there were many survivors in his blood line. Most from that part of
Europe were not so fortunate. His was an epic tale of survival and then the
joys of living and the thrill of seeing new generations grow up in Canada
contributing to our common heritage as well.
Today I am reminded that this is a nation that is built on
efforts of our forefathers. My grandfather was one who fought in that same war.
He was a decorated paratrooper who dove into the heart of danger by leaping out
of an airplane. He survived successful missions and lost friends in unknown
lands. He was also there for the celebration that continues to go on every year
when the Canadians freed the Dutch. When I was a child Remembrance Day was a
really big deal. I watched my grandfather and my grandmother dressed in their Legion
uniforms make the public march through the center of town and then there were
the proceedings at the local hall. As a teenager I joined them as a cadet and
then as an adult I joined them again as a member of our Canadian Forces. I
never had to go to war because of the battles that my grandfather fought. I
only had to stand outside in the cold for a few minutes at attention and then
join the senior officers in the mess hall to reminisce.
There is so many documented stories of survivors, the
pictures of the death camps, video footage of the carnage and yet there are in
this modern age of information still those who use propaganda to try to tell
another story. There are people who declare in the face of all this evidence
that this holocaust never happened. That the Jews somehow deserved any ill
treatment that they got. The voices that scream for tolerance at all cost are
often also screaming that this was never a problem and we should ignore it
today. Amazing isn't it?
I was raised to remember. I hope you were too.
It is no longer about forgiveness. Much has happened and
much has been forgiven. Hopefully the world is a better place. Hopefully men
were brought to justice years ago. Hopefully there has been healing.
But we better not forget. As Prime Minister Harper pointed
out a couple of years ago there are still those in the world that involved in Anti-Semitism
only today they have new guises for their propaganda. And we are all at risk of
losing freedoms if we do not take a stand against it.
Hitler was full of hatred and he had charisma with a thirst
for power. Bullies still exist today. We need to be sure that we never forget
that and that we are vigil in our watch.
In Remembrance,
