[Motorcycleboy]

On every overpass, in every town in eastern Ontario, Citizens, Firemen and Cops have come out en masse to salute the processions along the 401 as Canada's dead soldiers have been brought to the Centre for Forensic Science in Toronto for autopsy from CFB Trenton.

It's not until the processions reach the City of Toronto till the impromptu salutes have become controversial.

In places called Belleville, Trenton, Port Hope, Clarington, and Bowmanville, thousands of ordinary Canadians have lined up, without benefit of government grants, nose rings, blue hair or Doc Martin boots, to wave Canadian flags and cheer the troops on their final journey.



It's touching.

$1:

Warren Kinsella, National Post
Published: Thursday, July 12, 2007
It was shortly past 5 p.m. on a muggy Sunday evening when we spotted them. They were hard to miss.
On all of the overpasses that straddle Highway 401, from near Belleville, Ont., right into Toronto, people stood -- dozens of them, hundreds of them. Many held Canadian flags, and some had laced the flags to the sides of the overpasses. Along the highway's route, these people -- average, everyday people, by the looks of them, unused to giving speeches or reciting talking points -- stood above the 401, waiting. Keeping vigil.
They had gathered to glimpse six black hearses. Speeding westward through the night, the hearses carried the bodies of Captain Jefferson Francis, of Manitoba; Captain Matthew Dawe, of Ontario; Master Corporal Colin Bason, of British Columbia; Corporal Jordan Anderson, of Nunavut; Corporal Cole Bartsch of Alberta; and Private Lane Watkins, also from Manitoba. All of them killed last week in Afghanistan.

The six fallen soldiers, in flag-draped caskets, arrived at CFB Trenton at about 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, where they were met by their families and various dignitaries. A couple hours after that, police cruisers escorted the men along the 401 to Toronto, for autopsies. In the Ontario farming community of Grafton, according to one report, more than 10% of the town's population crowded onto an overpass to see them.
On many of the overpasses were fire trucks, police cars and ambulances, their flashers flashing, their crews standing on the hoods, and waving to the traffic down below. None of the people, from what I could see, were urging anyone to defend the war in Afghanistan. They were there,instead, to support these young men, and their families, too. Some of the people were crying.
James Cruz, serving in the U.S. Navy and visiting family in Toronto's east end, marvelled at what was happening on Conlins Road. "I've never seen anything like this before," he told a reporter.
How long has it been going on, these overpass vigils? The news data bases do not reveal much about them. For weeks, months, possibly years. I recall seeing something similar in October,. 1995, when we all drove up from Ottawa into Montreal to the big pro-Canada rally before the referendum. It had that kind of feeling to it.
One blogger seems to recall that the Highway 401 vigil happened back in April, 2002, with Private Marc Leger, one of the first Canadians to be killed in Afghanistan. But they are happening every time a soldier makes the trek from Trenton to Toronto, now. Word gets out, and the people line up, waiting.
Unlike most everything else, these days, the overpass vigils were not the product of focus groups and polling, nor branding, nor backroom spinning, nor even geo-demographic advertising. No politician organized them, no editorial board called for them and nobody is sure who thought of them first. They just happened.
The most powerful things, still, are the things that happen spontaneously. Things like this: under skies threatening rain, overpasses crowded with ordinary people -- all quietly awaiting the parade of the dead, to salute, to wave a flag.
Why does it matter? Because it does, that's all. Because it is important; because it is real. Because it shows these young soldiers --and their families, there to witness it with their own eyes -- that the country hasn't forgotten their extraordinary sacrifice. Because it reminds some of us that, even on sad days, wonderful things can happen.
Sometimes you lose sight of it, the real Canada, but then, every so often, something happens to remind you what a great country this is, and how lucky we all are to be here. This was one of those times. - Warren Kinsella blogs for the Post and at www.warrenkinsella.com

© National Post 2007

But once the troops bodies reach Toronto, it's become a political football.

The Toronto Fire Dept was recently prohibited from joining in such displays, while their counterparts in Pickering, Ajax and other smaller centers have been doing so for months.

There's nobody on the overpasses east of the Pickering border.

Toronto City Council just attempted, and lost, in an attempt to remove support the troops stickers from City Fire and Ambulance vehicles.

The Toronto Police Dept just had to jump through hoops to get the authority to place yellow support the troops stickers on their cruisers (the OPP, who actually police areas inhabited by real Canadians, have been doing so for over a year without controversy.)

Canada should hold a referendum deciding on whether or not Toronto deserves to remain a part of us.

[westmanguy]

lol, but your right.

I honestly believe the Toronto region should become a different province....

[ryan29]

the city of toronto seems to be in a world of its own . its city council seems to be out to lunch and this is the casue of many of its problems.

i'm not sure there is much hope for this city , and i'm sure it will get crazier in years to come unfortuently.

[Dayseed]

edited by moderator

[DerbyX]

Motorcycleboy Motorcycleboy:

On every overpass, in every town in eastern Ontario, Citizens, Firemen and Cops have come out en masse to salute the processions along the 401 as Canada's dead soldiers have been brought to the Centre for Forensic Science in Toronto for autopsy from CFB Trenton.

It's not until the processions reach the City of Toronto till the impromptu salutes have become controversial.

In places called Belleville, Trenton, Port Hope, Clarington, and Bowmanville, thousands of ordinary Canadians have lined up, without benefit of government grants, nose rings, blue hair or Doc Martin boots, to wave Canadian flags and cheer the troops on their final journey.



It's touching.

$1:

Warren Kinsella, National Post
Published: Thursday, July 12, 2007
It was shortly past 5 p.m. on a muggy Sunday evening when we spotted them. They were hard to miss.
On all of the overpasses that straddle Highway 401, from near Belleville, Ont., right into Toronto, people stood -- dozens of them, hundreds of them. Many held Canadian flags, and some had laced the flags to the sides of the overpasses. Along the highway's route, these people -- average, everyday people, by the looks of them, unused to giving speeches or reciting talking points -- stood above the 401, waiting. Keeping vigil.
They had gathered to glimpse six black hearses. Speeding westward through the night, the hearses carried the bodies of Captain Jefferson Francis, of Manitoba; Captain Matthew Dawe, of Ontario; Master Corporal Colin Bason, of British Columbia; Corporal Jordan Anderson, of Nunavut; Corporal Cole Bartsch of Alberta; and Private Lane Watkins, also from Manitoba. All of them killed last week in Afghanistan.

The six fallen soldiers, in flag-draped caskets, arrived at CFB Trenton at about 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, where they were met by their families and various dignitaries. A couple hours after that, police cruisers escorted the men along the 401 to Toronto, for autopsies. In the Ontario farming community of Grafton, according to one report, more than 10% of the town's population crowded onto an overpass to see them.
On many of the overpasses were fire trucks, police cars and ambulances, their flashers flashing, their crews standing on the hoods, and waving to the traffic down below. None of the people, from what I could see, were urging anyone to defend the war in Afghanistan. They were there,instead, to support these young men, and their families, too. Some of the people were crying.
James Cruz, serving in the U.S. Navy and visiting family in Toronto's east end, marvelled at what was happening on Conlins Road. "I've never seen anything like this before," he told a reporter.
How long has it been going on, these overpass vigils? The news data bases do not reveal much about them. For weeks, months, possibly years. I recall seeing something similar in October,. 1995, when we all drove up from Ottawa into Montreal to the big pro-Canada rally before the referendum. It had that kind of feeling to it.
One blogger seems to recall that the Highway 401 vigil happened back in April, 2002, with Private Marc Leger, one of the first Canadians to be killed in Afghanistan. But they are happening every time a soldier makes the trek from Trenton to Toronto, now. Word gets out, and the people line up, waiting.
Unlike most everything else, these days, the overpass vigils were not the product of focus groups and polling, nor branding, nor backroom spinning, nor even geo-demographic advertising. No politician organized them, no editorial board called for them and nobody is sure who thought of them first. They just happened.
The most powerful things, still, are the things that happen spontaneously. Things like this: under skies threatening rain, overpasses crowded with ordinary people -- all quietly awaiting the parade of the dead, to salute, to wave a flag.
Why does it matter? Because it does, that's all. Because it is important; because it is real. Because it shows these young soldiers --and their families, there to witness it with their own eyes -- that the country hasn't forgotten their extraordinary sacrifice. Because it reminds some of us that, even on sad days, wonderful things can happen.
Sometimes you lose sight of it, the real Canada, but then, every so often, something happens to remind you what a great country this is, and how lucky we all are to be here. This was one of those times. - Warren Kinsella blogs for the Post and at www.warrenkinsella.com

© National Post 2007

But once the troops bodies reach Toronto, it's become a political football.

The Toronto Fire Dept was recently prohibited from joining in such displays, while their counterparts in Pickering, Ajax and other smaller centers have been doing so for months.

There's nobody on the overpasses east of the Pickering border.

Toronto City Council just attempted, and lost, in an attempt to remove support the troops stickers from City Fire and Ambulance vehicles.

The Toronto Police Dept just had to jump through hoops to get the authority to place yellow support the troops stickers on their cruisers (the OPP, who actually police areas inhabited by real Canadians, have been doing so for over a year without controversy.)

Canada should hold a referendum deciding on whether or not Toronto deserves to remain a part of us.

Just a short time ago the same cry was against all of Ontario.

It seems that when you want to dump on Ontario or Toronto all you need is the actions of a few.

Quoting the National Post was a nice touch. They are more right wing then the Star is left and wouldn't know honesty and integrity if it threw a wrench in their presses.

Still waiting for that apology. You did say you would render it.

Since you aren't at Ivor Wynne you have no distractions or excuses.

[sandorski]

Just had to turn an uplifting inspiring story into a weak Toronto Bash?

[Mr_Canada old]

sandorski sandorski:

Just had to turn an uplifting inspiring story into a weak Toronto Bash?

I was annoyed by it too,

I was like "YAY CANADA" until he started using the damn positive story to bash Toronto desperately.

The haters are running out of things to hate T.O. for.

Motorcycleboy, The story is great but your argument SUCKS and reeks of incredibly desperate bias, You are just digging though newspapers and shit to find this stuff just for a way to bash Toronto.

It always starts with Hockey or Politics.

With Hockey, well, anyone who's not a proud Leaf Fan, well, hates Toronto. Duh. Eh, their all jealous.

Now, politics is because the town is Liberal.

So, other then having a hockey team and views you don't agree with, there isn't much to bitch about, honestly.

Claiming the city is Anti-Canadian and out of step with the country because the council thought of doing something about Troops stickers on Fire trucks... Is just stupid...

It reminds me of our own town council here in Medicine Hat. The council (which everyone fucking hates now) tried to Nazi the town up real fuck bad by BANNING adult Magazine's because "we must think of the children". Please note, only the council came up with this. Everyone else was screaming "HELL NO". The council voted on it. Lost. Good.

Medicine Hat doesn't SUCK now because of a choice the COUNCIL (12 old idiots) chose to VOTE on. It ended as in a "No", and the issue was put to bed. So it really doesn't make any sense to bitch about Medicine Hat sucking because of a proposal by the city council which the people did not support and the council lost. Why? because the issue died. Nothing about Medicine Hat was changed.

Same with Toronto. Toronto's City Council made a decision to VOTE on the issue, which the PEOPLE widely disagreed. The council voted, lost, and moved on. The city moved on.

What happened?

NOTHING.

Toronto said no. Nothing changed in the city.

Just because the council voted on it doesn't mean the people did.

Like I said. Desperate for Anti-Torontonian garbage.

I'm slowly starting to like T.O. more and more every damn day with Anti-Torontonians struggling to come up with anything other then "Leafs Suck!" and shit like this.

Long Live Toronto.

[RUEZ]

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

sandorski sandorski:

Just had to turn an uplifting inspiring story into a weak Toronto Bash?

I was annoyed by it too,

I was like "YAY CANADA" until he started using the damn positive story to bash Toronto desperately.

The haters are running out of things to hate T.O. for.

Think about that the next time you bash Alberta.

[Mr_Canada old]

RUEZ RUEZ:

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

sandorski sandorski:

Just had to turn an uplifting inspiring story into a weak Toronto Bash?

I was annoyed by it too,

I was like "YAY CANADA" until he started using the damn positive story to bash Toronto desperately.

The haters are running out of things to hate T.O. for.

Think about that the next time you bash Alberta.

When was the last time I bashed Alberta...

I know I've bashed Medicine Hat many many times... But Alberta was atleast a few months ago.

This province isn't so bad. I'll still crack a stereotype once in a while, but won't stoop to idiotic levels anymore, I have to get used to it.

Cause I'm here for 3 more years.

*puts on Cowboy hat*

[RUEZ]

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

RUEZ RUEZ:

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

sandorski sandorski:

Just had to turn an uplifting inspiring story into a weak Toronto Bash?

I was annoyed by it too,

I was like "YAY CANADA" until he started using the damn positive story to bash Toronto desperately.

The haters are running out of things to hate T.O. for.

Think about that the next time you bash Alberta.

When was the last time I bashed Alberta...

I know I've bashed Medicine Hat many many times... But Alberta was atleast a few months ago.

This province isn't so bad. I'll still crack a stereotype once in a while, but won't stoop to idiotic levels anymore, I have to get used to it.

Cause I'm here for 3 more years.

*puts on Cowboy hat*

It's one thing to bash your town, hell everyone does that. But to generalize a whole province with stereotypes isn't cool. Glad to hear you're changing your ways.

[Mr_Canada old]

RUEZ RUEZ:

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

RUEZ RUEZ:

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

sandorski sandorski:

Just had to turn an uplifting inspiring story into a weak Toronto Bash?

I was annoyed by it too,

I was like "YAY CANADA" until he started using the damn positive story to bash Toronto desperately.

The haters are running out of things to hate T.O. for.

Think about that the next time you bash Alberta.

When was the last time I bashed Alberta...

I know I've bashed Medicine Hat many many times... But Alberta was atleast a few months ago.

This province isn't so bad. I'll still crack a stereotype once in a while, but won't stoop to idiotic levels anymore, I have to get used to it.

Cause I'm here for 3 more years.

*puts on Cowboy hat*

It's one thing to bash your town, hell everyone does that. But to generalize a whole province with stereotypes isn't cool. Glad to hear you're changing your ways.

:lol:

Cool.

...

So... Do you say the same stuff to Anti-Ontarians...? Anti-Quebecers?

Just wondering... *cough*

By the way.... Stereotypes are fun, It's kinda like racist jokes. Their rude, but funny as hell.

[Mr_Canada old]

avro8 avro8:

MrCanada MrCanada:

It's kinda like racist jokes. Their rude, but funny as hell.

They are not.........

........yes they are.

;)

Oh, tip for everyone...

The joke about how Chinese people name their kids?

Yeah, don't tell it at the local Chinese Food Buffet...

[RUEZ]

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

Cool.

...

So... Do you say the same stuff to Anti-Ontarians...? Anti-Quebecers?

Just wondering... *cough*

By the way.... Stereotypes are fun, It's kinda like racist jokes. Their rude, but funny as hell.

No I do not, but I haven't met many who judge a province like you do. The ones that do(and we know who they are) are beyond any help from me. I'm trying to show you the error of your ways. I've lived in both Calgary and Edmonton and area and it's a great province. The only downside for me was the scenery was not like BC.