Respect For Our Fallen — Not Political Gamesmanship

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
This last week has made me extremely glad I am not a resident of the City of Toronto. As three young Canadians, including one from Scarborough, were giving their lives in service to this country the boys and girls who are supposed to be in service to the people of Toronto were voting on whether to leave the ribbon decals on the emergency vehicles or not.

Sunday night, when those three young men were returned to Canada, firefighters were called off the bridges in Toronto just in time to stop them from paying their respects. Fire Chief Bill Stewart calls the decision a matter of ‘public safety’. That is a crock of the highest odour available. ...more

We Will Remember Them

They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them

In memory of our fallen Canadian:

Cpl. Stephen Bouzane -- Afghanistan June 20, 2007
Pte. Joel Wiebe -- Afghanistan June 20, 2007
Sgt. Christos Karigiannis -- Afghanistan June 20, 2007

Always Caring -- Always Canadian -- Never Defeated

Support Our Troops -- Wear Red on Fridays

Deaths in Afghanistan

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
On the day that their comrade in arms, Trooper Darryl Caswell, was being laid to rest in Bowmanville, Ontario three more young Canadians have met their deaths in Afghanistan. Three more caskets will make their solemn way onto a transport plane for the journey to Trenton, Ontario, just east of me. Three more families will wait heartbroken on the tarmac in Trenton as their fallen family member is returned home. ....more

We Will Remember Him

They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them

In memory of our fallen Canadian:

Tpr Darryl Caswell -- Afghanistan June 11, 2007

Always Caring -- Always Canadian -- Never Defeated

Support Our Troops -- Wear Red on Fridays

Smog Has a Hundred Year Old History

Post on: Out of the Shadows
Most Canadians would think of smog and smog days as something that originated in the late 20th century. In fact, the term ’smog’ was coined back in 1905. Back then Dr. Henry Antoine Des Voeux delivered a paper to the Public Health Congress in London, England about the air in London. He noted there was a health threat inherent in urban living due to the pervasive presence of a "smokey fog" or "smog"

Canadian Passport System to be Simplified

Post on: Out of the Shadows
Now that our American neighbours have decreed that Canadians will be required to have passports to enter the US likely by 2008 (air passengers into the US are required to have them now) the Canadian government is experiencing a backlog of passport applications. The response is to ’streamline’ the system by changing the requirements to make the process easier.

Mosque Rigidity

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
Sadia Zaman, award winning journalist and broadcaster currently Director of In House Productions for Vision TV, has written an interesting piece in the Toronto Star today. We need articles like hers to remind us occasionally that not withstanding the awareness of Muslims which we see on our TV screens, usually via the media, there is a diversity of beliefs and views within their faith.

Don’t Expect Spam to Change

Posted on: Out of the Shadows
US authorities are busy high fiving themselves over the arrest of Robert Alan Soloway who is reportedly one of the world’s top spammers. A federal grand jury last week returned a 35-count indictment against Soloway, charging him with mail fraud, wire fraud, e-mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering.