Tales of Animals in War - 2018 Edition

"Arf! Hey everybody, my name is Gandy the dog. My Remembrance Clubhouse friends and I are setting up our Heritage Fair project in the school gym. We are calling it the ‘Road to Peace.’ Did you know that it has been 100 years since the end of the First World War?”

“Yes, back then they called it the Great War. People believed it would be the war to end all wars but, unfortunately, it was not. Sadly, there have been many other conflicts since then,” cooed Squeaker the pigeon.

“Over the years, different countries have had arguments—just like people do. However people sometimes decide to fight wars when they cannot think of better ways to settle their differences,” neighed Bonfire Jr. the horse.

“Canadian soldiers have often travelled far from home to try to restore peace,” Simone the cat mewed. “We are so proud that our men and women in uniform have helped others live peacefully together,” trumpeted Ellie the elephant.

“Unfortunately,” growled Win the bear, “this can be a very difficult goal to achieve. There are still conflicts in troubled lands around the world. Canada is sometimes called upon to help stop those who are acting like bullies and taking away the human rights of others.”

“Over the years, we clubhouse members have visited many of the places where Canadians and animals have served,” barked Gandy. “For our project, we have each brought in something to remember these travels. We realized on our journeys that thousands of Canadians have risked their lives on threatening waters, in dangerous skies and on harsh battlefields, fighting for peace and freedom. We also learned that there are serious consequences to war.”

“For more than a century, Canadian service members have been travelling on the ‘road to peace’ and standing up for freedom. But our project is trying to show that this path is rarely easy and peace is fragile, neighed Bonfire Jr. “Thankfully, we have the ability to make a better world, and it starts with each of us! By helping others, being kind and working together, we can make a positive difference one person (or animal!) at a time.”

How will you help peace grow in your family, school or community?