Western Canada

On Friday (November 3rd), more than 300 people stood outside in temperatures dipping below -6 C. in Edmonton, Alberta. Some wore poppies and others yellow ribbons. There was a group of children in red shirts enthusiastically singing "O Canada". This was not a peace rally, nor was it a political march. These people were standing freezing for over an hour recognizing the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers in an extremely controversial conflict, the fight for Afghanistan. "Years ago we didn't have this support," Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, a army medic wounded in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber, began. "But now when you go on missions you don't even have to think about how Canadians support us. We know. It's a given."
The number of Canadians in support of the war is just a bit over half (six out of ten) leaving this issue split in the opinion of the nation. Many believe that Canadians should not be involved in this war. That it is America's war. "I would think the majority of Canadians know that the troops have no say in why Canada is in Afghanistan -- it is the politicians trying to appease the Elephant to the South that brought us to Afghanistan," says an expatriate canadian now living in Atlanta. This is the opinion supported by many MP's on the left, including the liberal and new democratic parties and the Bloc-Quebecois. As of November 3rd, the Canadian casualties have reached 42, 13 of those soldiers being based in Edmonton. The opposition to the conflict grew much stronger when in May of 2006, Parliament, pushed vehemently by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, agreed to extend the length of Canada's responsibilities in Afghanistan until 2009. This came sudden and as a surprise to many Canadians, and those in opposition tend to feel as though Harper was pushing the act with too much speed and fervor to be considered reasonably thought through.
On the other side, the conservative government supports "staying the course" in Afghanistan until the mission is completed. The right tends to believe that we have an obligation to both our allies and the international community to fight the war on terrorism, and Afghanistan is very much a center of terrorist activity. In response to the accusations of American-influenced politics, the Conservative party denies any direct influence, yet admit that because of the close camaraderie of the two largest North American countries (who share the longest unprotected border in the world), there is quite a bit of trade and talk back and forth. The majority of Canadians do not support the government handling of the conflict, yet feel as though a direct pull out could be harmful to the country of Afghanistan. Many also just support the troops, no matter. "I have enough faith in my fellow countrymen to think that any Canadian would step in and stop the violence or tyranny and help the weak. If we choose to walk by, we condone the violence. If Canadians believe we should not help the weak, then let them stand up and say it. Otherwise step forward and loudly lend the troops your full support." (quote from letter from Canadian soldier overseas)
The War in Afghanistan is a controversial issue, one of the more talked about in Canada today. And as with many Americans, who find themselves torn between personal ethics and patriotism, Canadians find themselves asking, "Should we stay or should we go?"
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/11/03/2220574-cp.html
http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Burnett_Thane/2006/11/03/2219907.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/afghanistan/canada.html

Questions are continuing to arise regarding the accident last March. Eight months ago the Queen of the North sank off the east side of Gil Island. Ninety-nine passengers and crewmembers survived, another two were lost and later reported dead. The details of the ferry’s course are lost as well, since the mysterious disappearance of a major clue, the boat’s logbook. According to CBC’s report, this is the course they were on:
“On March 22, the ferry left Prince Rupert on a routine run down the protected waters of Grenville Channel, emerging at the southern end of the channel into Wright Sound, near Hartley Bay. At that point, the crew was supposed to make a left turn around the east side of Gil Island, then continue south.”

The Queen of the North didn’t make the turn; instead it continued straight and collided with the island. Why didn’t it make the turn? Crewmembers have kept silent about the occurrence - only adding to its mysteriousness. And now, without the logbooks, we may not find out what actually happened. Another interesting detail is that the GPS system had been turned off. The Transportation Safety Board reported that the crew had not been properly trained to use the system.
Whatever happened, it is an interesting story, especially to parallel Eden Robinson’s short story “The Queen of the North”, and “Monkey Beach”.

Information:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2006/11/17/ferry-logbooks.html

Photos:
http://www.mjtrekkers.com/user_pass/images/queen_of_the_north.jpg
http://www.shilsholecommunity.org/wp-content/princeruperttowrightsound.PNG

Calgary, Alberta is a fine choice for anyone looking for a fun and interesting stop during their travels. Be one of the 5 million guests who enjoy all that Calgary has to offer annually. This city of over 3 million people Calgary has many great opportunities to offer their tourists and even habitants of the city. Three different itineraries are included on the online source of www.tourismcalgary.com. One idea is to experience Calgary's transit system. This includes the Calgary Zoo, Grain Academy Museum for fun and intellectual value. Shopping in this area can also be done and the Chinook Centre is suggested among a few other shopping areas. The unique part of this destination is that you use Calgary's bus system or the LRT, which stands for the light rail train. These two systems are very important to the city of Calgary so it allows tourists to experience it for themselves. Lets take a slightly deeper look into the "Calgary Stampede" which is a popular event. The Calgary Stampede occurs for ten days in July annually where the "Old West" is recreated. Activities include rodeos, rides, Grandstand shows, chuck wagon rides, etc. This is the perfect extravaganza for anyone that wishes that the cowboys still ruled the west. This itinerary is perfect for anyone that's hoping to get a little taste of southern hospitality and fun while visiting Calgary.

Another option is what they call a "Downtown Excursion." Some highlighted stops on this trip would be the Devonian gardens, Glenbow Museum, and the Calgary Police Service Interpretive Centre. Many activities can be found downtown to help visitors appreciate the true greatness of Calgary, one of which is the Art Gallery of Calgary, full of contemporary art. Another good choice is “Art Central” that is especially important for all artists and art lovers. Art Central includes artist’s studios, galleries, arts and crafts boutiques and even places to dine. The architecture of Calgary's downtown is worth the trip itself. One may find historical sandstone buildings that have been there for over a century including The Stephen Avenue Walk National Historic District. These are just two of many options when wondering where to begin when planning your visit to Calgary. A visit to Calgary is highly recommended, I hope to get there soon myself!

Sites Used:
http://lodging4vacations.com/calgary/1111calgaryview.jpg
http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server.pt?
http://www.tourismcalgary.com/

Bottom two sites may also be found helpful when planning your own trip!