A very "white" ceremony

Watching the Remembrance Day Service from Ottawa and it struck me.  How "white" it was.  All the vets and most attendees were white.  Why is that?  I guess we all know the answer:  Canada is a "country of convenience" for most immigrants; they don't really feel "Canadian".

How sad. 

And speaking of sad, there was our disaster of a Governor General strolling about with her son!  As I have blogged, the occupant of the office represents The Queen of Canada, Elizabeth II, who would never have brought one of her kids along when on official duty.  Ludicrous -- a 15-year-old walking the receiving line shaking hands with revered veterans!  Ludicrous.  My step-son was forced into the role of "alter husband" when B and his ex divorced.  It completely screwed him up and I see the same thing with that poor kid.  Hey, if you divorce your husband, don't co-opt your kid into being your chaperone.  You wanted to go it alone, so do. 

As a child, I remember attending the ceremony at The Cenotaph with my mother, aunts and cousins. My late Uncle Rollie was a vet and always a part of the ceremony.  The last time we took him he was very old, but gamely stood to honour his fallen comrades.  I miss him to this day.  My own father and other uncle were not permitted to join up; the former being in the midst of inventing synthetic rubber and the latter running the finance department that funded the exercise.

When our kids were little and into their teens, we always took them out of school to bring them to "Confusion Square", as my mother called it, for the service.  B's father and two uncles fought, one dying at 23 on the march to Florence. 

Watching the service today, I was reminded of my step-son, Scott Marley-Clarke (see above), who used to be proud to attend with his father.  Sadly, since he asked for yet more money last March and was finally told "no", we haven't heard a word.  It has been eight months.  I would not like to be in his shoes when his father dies because G-d help him if he shows his face at the funeral.  How you can eliminate your own father, as he has done, is beyond me.  Unforgiveable.  I would give anything to have mine back.  RIP.