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For those of you south of the border, the following news story has been the latest topic of discussion here in Canada:


Pissing on the Dead

Ottawa police are looking for three Canada Day revellers photographed urinating on the National War Memorial.

Police have asked anyone with information about the three to come forward.
Det. Mike Walker said police have contacted the photographer, retired Canadian Armed Forces Maj. Michael Pilon, and will ensure charges are laid.

Pilon's picture, taken around 11 p.m. on July 1 after a fireworks display ended, has prompted outrage.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper called an Ottawa radio station and said the action was "thoughtless," but "it doesn't represent the views of any segment of Canadian society, we all strongly honour our vets."

Police said they could lay charges of mischief, being drunk in a public place and performing an indecent act in a public place.

The incident has renewed calls by veterans groups for better security to protect the memorial, located in the centre of Ottawa. It honours the country's war dead and holds the remains of The Unknown Soldier, returned to Canada from France in 2000.

"We've asked for people to be stationed here so that it can be stopped. And we'll be pressing for that in the future, and I must say that we'll be pressing much harder from now on," Royal Canadian Legion's Bob Butt said.

Pilon said he saw drunken revellers pouring beer on the site in 2005, and he's written to politicians and various government agencies in the past to ask that the monument be kept off limits on Canada Day, but without success.

This time, however, he's got pictures to support his pleas.

"I just happened to have my camera, and there they were. Quite eager to pose, I may add. I guess that's just one of the symptoms of having one beer too many."

The incidents came hours after Harper and Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean hosted a huge ceremony at the site.

The Canadian National War Memorial is our tribute to the 60,000 Canadians who served and died in World War One and for the 56,000 Canadian soldiers who have served and died for their country since then. It's also the Tomb for Canada's Unknown Soldier.

What disturbs me the most isn't the three idiots pissing on the Memorial, it's the alleged crowd of onlookers who laughed and cheered as they did. Because that suggests to me a deeper issue than one of drunken hooliganism...it suggests to me that the people of this country have lost the values of altruism, sacrifice and honor.
























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