Tales of Animals in War - 2017 Edition
A year to remember
“Woof! Hey everyone, it’s me Gandy the dog. It’s July 1st and we Remembrance Clubhouse animals are here in Ottawa for the celebrations marking our nation’s ses·qui·cen·ten·ni·al. That is a fancy name for the 150th birthday of Canada. It is so nice here and there are so many people. It reminded us of the last time we were on Parliament Hill and saw an amazing outdoor show called Northern Lights— Lumières du Nord.”
“It was like an awesome movie with cool historical photos, drawings and bright lights projected right onto the Parliament Buildings. This larger-than-life show took us on an amazing journey through Canada’s history,” neighed Bonfire Jr. the horse.
“I loved it,” Win the bear happily growled. “The sound and light show highlights many stories of our country growing and changing through the years. Watching it made me so proud of Canada. My fur was standing on end!”
“We all decided that our favourite part of the show was the chapter called ‘Valour’ which means bravery,” meowed Simone the cat. “It was about remembering the men and women who have served our country in military conflicts since the First World War, one hundred years ago. I purred during the whole show because my friends and I all have ancestors who served in times of war.”
“I agree! My trunk was proudly trumpeting when it was over,” exclaimed Ellie the elephant. “It was a real tribute to those who have served and died for our country. Canada’s 150th birthday is a time of celebrating the achievements in our history and also remembering the sacrifices. This year marks the 100th anniversaries of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the Battle of Passchendaele, as well as the 75th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid during the Second World War. We will never forget.”
“Tonight, on this very special Canada Day, fireworks lit up the sky of our nation’s capital. It was spectacular… so many colours and sparkles. I am lucky that I could fly up to take some pictures,” squawked Squeaker the pigeon. “As I looked down on my friends in the crowd below, my feathers ruffled with mixed emotions. Even though it makes us sad to think of Canadians having to go to war, we are thankful that they helped make the peaceful country we have today. Because of what they did, we are able to enjoy the fireworks and honour their achievements. We are proud of our past and look forward to the future.”
Let’s make 2017 a year to remember.
O Canada!
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