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Alberta

Honouring Canada’s Military History – Veteran’s Week

Published

4 years ago

6 minute read

“November 5-11 is Veteran’s Week, honoring those who have served Canada, past and present, in times of war, military conflict, and peace.” 

Veteran’s Week is dedicated to promoting the education and understanding of Canadian military history, and preserving and honoring the memory of those men and women who dedicated themselves to protecting and fostering freedom and peace. This year, Veteran’s Week recognizes the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, where more than one million Canadians served in the military and countless more on the home front, supplementing industry and agricultural efforts for the war. 

“Veterans Affairs Canada encourages all Canadians to learn more about the sacrifices and achievements made by those who served our country, and to help preserve their legacy by passing the torch of Remembrance to future generations of Canadians.” 

Veteran’s Week is a reminder to those of us who have experienced the violence and devastation of war only through textbooks or television to never take for granted the rights, freedoms and institutions we access on a daily basis in Canada. The men and women who selflessly stepped up to serve their country were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, friends and loved ones whose lives would be forever changed by their service. Those who survived face lifelong battles of physical and mental trauma, and those who were lost, many of them young soldiers, would never return to enjoy the peace and liberty they had sacrificed everything to defend. 

Every year, Veterans Affairs Canada encourages public engagement and participation in Veteran’s Week by sharing the stories of those who served, hosting public events and remembrance ceremonies, and commissioning commemorative Veteran’s Week posters.

“Veterans want Canadians to understand the price of freedom.” (1)

One of this year’s Veteran’s Week posters features the story of retired Sergeant Norman Harold Kirby, who enlisted to serve in the Second World War in 1943 at just 17 years old. During his time as a soldier, he stormed Juno Beach on June 6, 1944 as a part of the D-Day assault, served in the Battle of Normandy, and fought in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. He was discharged in September of 1945 having led a distinguished military career, and was eventually awarded the Field-Marshal Montgomery Award for Gallantry and the Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur and a knighthood from the French Republic.
After his discharge in 1945 he returned to his home in North Vancouver, still very much a young man. “I was only 19 years old when I got home,” he says, “not even old enough to vote or have a beer with my father” (2).

The second 2020 Veteran’s Week poster features the retired, married veterans Corporal Anne McNamara and Flying Officer Howard McNamara.
Howard enlisted in December 1941 and graduated senior flying training in Windsor Mills, Quebec, with his younger brother. He flew in the North African Campaign in 1942, after which he transferred from Egypt to serve in the Italian Campaign. He retired in March of 1945 at the plea of his remaining family, after learning of the death of his younger brother, who had been shot down while flying over Europe.
Anne joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943 as a member of the Entertainment Unit, a traveling show of 30 or so people who performed on the Allied bases almost every night to keep spirits and morale among soldiers high. Anne traveled across North America and to Great Britain with the Entertainment Unit, where she witnessed the severe damage done by German bombing raids and experienced the fear of the air raid sirens herself. She retired in March of 1946 following the end of the war, after which she met her future husband Howard. The two were married in May of 1948, and currently reside in St. Laurent, Quebec (3).

“Remembering and reflecting on the significance of the contribution they made, and continue to make, strengthens the commitment to preserve the values that they fought and died for – truth, justice, peace, freedom and knowledge.” (4)

These stories offer just a glance into the lived experiences of thousands of Canadian veterans who aided military and industry efforts during some of the darkest times in our national and global history. This Veteran’s Week, explore opportunities to engage with Canadian military history at the local and national levels, and pay respect to our Canadian veterans and active service members as we approach Remembrance Day on November 11. 

For more information on Veteran’s Week, visit https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/get-involved/veterans-week.

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Alberta

Alberta mother accuses health agency of trying to vaccinate son against her wishes

Published on November 22, 2024

By

From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

 

Alberta Health Services has been accused of attempting to vaccinate a child in school against his parent’s wishes.  

On November 6, Alberta Health Services staffers visited Edmonton Hardisty School where they reportedly attempted to vaccinate a grade 6 student despite his parents signing a form stating that they did not wish for him to receive the vaccines.  

 

“It is clear they do not prioritize parental rights, and in not doing so, they traumatize students,” the boy’s mother Kerri Findling told the Counter Signal. 

During the school visit, AHS planned to vaccinate sixth graders with the HPV and hepatitis B vaccines. Notably, both HPV and hepatitis B are vaccines given to prevent diseases normally transmitted sexually.  

Among the chief concerns about the HPV vaccine has been the high number of adverse reactions reported after taking it, including a case where a 16 year-old Australian girl was made infertile due to the vaccine.  

Additionally, in 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received reports of 28 deaths associated with the HPV vaccine. Among the 6,723 adverse reactions reported that year, 142 were deemed life-threatening and 1,061 were considered serious.   

Children whose parents had written “refused” on their forms were supposed to return to the classroom when the rest of the class was called into the vaccination area.  

However, in this case, Findling alleged that AHS staffers told her son to proceed to the vaccination area, despite seeing that she had written “refused” on his form. 

When the boy asked if he could return to the classroom, as he was certain his parents did not intend for him to receive the shots, the staff reportedly said “no.” However, he chose to return to the classroom anyway.    

Following his parents’ arrival at the school, AHS claimed the incident was a misunderstanding due to a “new hire,” attesting that the mistake would have been caught before their son was vaccinated.   

“If a student leaves the vaccination center without receiving the vaccine, it should be up to the parents to get the vaccine at a different time, if they so desire, not the school to enforce vaccination on behalf of AHS,” Findling declared.  

Findling’s story comes just a few months after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith promised a new Bill of Rights affirming “God-given” parental authority over children. 

A draft version of a forthcoming Alberta Bill of Rights provided to LifeSiteNews includes a provision beefing up parental rights, declaring the “freedom of parents to make informed decisions concerning the health, education, welfare and upbringing of their children.” 

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Alberta

Alberta’s fiscal update projects budget surplus, but fiscal fortunes could quickly turn

Published on November 21, 2024

By

From the Fraser Institute

By Tegan Hill

According to the recent mid-year update tabled Thursday, the Smith government projects a $4.6 billion surplus in 2024/25, up from the $2.9 billion surplus projected just a few months ago. Despite the good news, Premier Smith must reduce spending to avoid budget deficits.

The fiscal update projects resource revenue of $20.3 billion in 2024/25. Today’s relatively high—but very volatile—resource revenue (including oil and gas royalties) is helping finance today’s spending and maintain a balanced budget. But it will not last forever.

For perspective, in just the last decade the Alberta government’s annual resource revenue has been as low as $2.8 billion (2015/16) and as high as $25.2 billion (2022/23).

And while the resource revenue rollercoaster is currently in Alberta’s favor, Finance Minister Nate Horner acknowledges that “risks are on the rise” as oil prices have dropped considerably and forecasters are projecting downward pressure on prices—all of which impacts resource revenue.

In fact, the government’s own estimates show a $1 change in oil prices results in an estimated $630 million revenue swing. So while the Smith government plans to maintain a surplus in 2024/25, a small change in oil prices could quickly plunge Alberta back into deficit. Premier Smith has warned that her government may fall into a budget deficit this fiscal year.

This should come as no surprise. Alberta’s been on the resource revenue rollercoaster for decades. Successive governments have increased spending during the good times of high resource revenue, but failed to rein in spending when resource revenues fell.

Previous research has shown that, in Alberta, a $1 increase in resource revenue is associated with an estimated 56-cent increase in program spending the following fiscal year (on a per-person, inflation-adjusted basis). However, a decline in resource revenue is not similarly associated with a reduction in program spending. This pattern has led to historically high levels of government spending—and budget deficits—even in more recent years.

Consider this: If this fiscal year the Smith government received an average level of resource revenue (based on levels over the last 10 years), it would receive approximately $13,000 per Albertan. Yet the government plans to spend nearly $15,000 per Albertan this fiscal year (after adjusting for inflation). That’s a huge gap of roughly $2,000—and it means the government is continuing to take big risks with the provincial budget.

Of course, if the government falls back into deficit there are implications for everyday Albertans.

When the government runs a deficit, it accumulates debt, which Albertans must pay to service. In 2024/25, the government’s debt interest payments will cost each Albertan nearly $650. That’s largely because, despite running surpluses over the last few years, Albertans are still paying for debt accumulated during the most recent string of deficits from 2008/09 to 2020/21 (excluding 2014/15), which only ended when the government enjoyed an unexpected windfall in resource revenue in 2021/22.

According to Thursday’s mid-year fiscal update, Alberta’s finances continue to be at risk. To avoid deficits, the Smith government should meaningfully reduce spending so that it’s aligned with more reliable, stable levels of revenue.

Author:

Tegan Hill
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