Editor:
As first brought to my attention by my Member of Parliament Blake Richards, and subsequently expanded upon in the Oct. 28 edition of the Calgary Herald, the current federal government has issued a directive to Canadian Armed Forces chaplains to replace religion-based symbols with generic chaplain's crests and to abstain from references to specific religious organizations.
To me, this is a direct contradiction of what Canada has always advertised itself as being and prided itself on being – a culturally diverse country where people can be proud to share their background culture and heritage.
Over the past several years, it has been the practice of Banff's religious community to rotate the role of lead religious representative at the Remembrance Day service, and many make a point of acknowledging those of various belief organizations not as widely represented in our community.
For me, the whole point of Remembrance Day services is to honour and remember the individual(s) who have served, those who continue to serve, and especially those who can no longer serve because they never came home.
Regardless of personal backgrounds and upbringing, these people have kept, and continue to keep Canada as one of the most free and democratic countries there is.
This is why “we will remember them”.
Les Young,
Banff
