I was honoured to be able to speak about a Calgary war hero to the folks gathered at the Aero Space Museum in the northeast of the city. Ian Bazalgette is a hero of mine. The young Canadian was killed in August of 1944 while trying to land a damaged Lancaster bomber to save two injured crew members. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour.
Thank you to our Deputy Mayor Al Henuset for representing the Village at the Acme Ceremonies.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the large numbers of Calgarians who came out to take part in the Remembrance Day Ceremonies around the city. Even the outdoor ceremonies were well attended despite the cold weather.
But I was most distressed to hear that some school boards in Canada have decided to permit students to avoid taking part in Remembrance Day Ceremonies held in their school! Their reasoning is that the ceremonies glorify war and some parents object to that.
I disagree. The dignified ceremonies I have witnessed over the years do not glorify war but recognise the huge sacrifices many young Canadians have made to ensure we have the freedoms we enjoy today. Those Canadians who fought in those conflicts lived and died in a nightmare so that we might live our dreams!
