David Marsden is a Calgary writer and editorOops, she did it again.Our go-everywhere mayor has shot herself in the foot.Jyoti Gondek — who seldomly refuses an invitation, even when voters are booing her — made a presentation at Calgary’s The Military Museums on Remembrance Day.Remembrance Day. The name says it all.Gondek referred to Calgarians as settlers as she began her rambling speech to honour our veterans. She referenced traditional native languages in her address, as she staggered toward remembering those who fought with all their soul and heart during wartime.“Let me welcome you with Oki Dada Nastada Ambowastich, and Tansi,” said Gondek. “These are greetings in the traditional languages of the Treaty 7 Indigenous people who stewarded these lands for generations before many of us came to settle here.”This is not the manner in which you revere and respect our veterans. It’s also not how one respects our First Nations people. Tuesday was neither the time, nor the place, for such commentary.Our indigenous friends and family members can speak for themselves. They are Canadians, and do not require the meanderings of a pompous mayor. Tuesday was a day of remembrance, not faux remorse.Patronizing? Moi?Our worship, the most unpopular mayor in Calgary’s history, got around to recognizing the sacrifices of our brave men and women who protect our country. Some of the soldiers, proudly, were indigenous. They fought with valour for our country.Calgarians are not settlers. It’s time to bring the border down. There’s been enough apology. Gondek’s remarks are an insult to our soldiers — male and female, serving, retired, and dead.Canadians aren’t built to be so simply dismissed as settlers.We stand up for ourselves.Many families can share stories of hardship and achievement. The Prairies, in particular — that’s us — were sculpted by ancestors of tremendous resolve. Let’s not call them settlers, as Gondek would have us do. Let us never forget our military.Nor should we forget Canadians’ commitment to the dogged fight for freedom.November The Eleventh is an eternal date, a capsule, if you will, to remember the definitive family who showed up and fought for us.The often-quoted sentiment expressed by Sir Winston Churchill perseveres: “We shall not flag nor fail. We shall go on to the end.”What we get from Gondek is a vacuum.Canada is a strong nation; a country filled with aspiration and dedication.Gondek need not sell us short with her mealy-mouthed message. We are not a nation on our knees. There was, for example, no mention in her speech of Calgary-born Chad Horn, who was killed in the war in Afghanistan in 2008.This is what’s said about the Calgarian hero: “Chad Horn was an optimistic and caring young man with a contagious smile and a penchant for helping others. He governed his life according to his favourite motto: ‘For those I love, I will sacrifice.’”Well said..There are other Albertans, and, other fellow Canadians who gave and give their everything in sacrifice for our way of life. Fit and brave Canadians continue to represent us well.Gondek doesn’t represent us..WATCH: Gondek calls Calgarians 'settlers' on Remembrance Day.Calgarians wave the red and white Maple Leaf flag. Not the white flag of surrender and apology.We will not be brow-beaten and beg for forgiveness. We will not settle for anything, but the unabashed love of our veterans.David Marsden is a Calgary writer and editor.
David Marsden is a Calgary writer and editorOops, she did it again.Our go-everywhere mayor has shot herself in the foot.Jyoti Gondek — who seldomly refuses an invitation, even when voters are booing her — made a presentation at Calgary’s The Military Museums on Remembrance Day.Remembrance Day. The name says it all.Gondek referred to Calgarians as settlers as she began her rambling speech to honour our veterans. She referenced traditional native languages in her address, as she staggered toward remembering those who fought with all their soul and heart during wartime.“Let me welcome you with Oki Dada Nastada Ambowastich, and Tansi,” said Gondek. “These are greetings in the traditional languages of the Treaty 7 Indigenous people who stewarded these lands for generations before many of us came to settle here.”This is not the manner in which you revere and respect our veterans. It’s also not how one respects our First Nations people. Tuesday was neither the time, nor the place, for such commentary.Our indigenous friends and family members can speak for themselves. They are Canadians, and do not require the meanderings of a pompous mayor. Tuesday was a day of remembrance, not faux remorse.Patronizing? Moi?Our worship, the most unpopular mayor in Calgary’s history, got around to recognizing the sacrifices of our brave men and women who protect our country. Some of the soldiers, proudly, were indigenous. They fought with valour for our country.Calgarians are not settlers. It’s time to bring the border down. There’s been enough apology. Gondek’s remarks are an insult to our soldiers — male and female, serving, retired, and dead.Canadians aren’t built to be so simply dismissed as settlers.We stand up for ourselves.Many families can share stories of hardship and achievement. The Prairies, in particular — that’s us — were sculpted by ancestors of tremendous resolve. Let’s not call them settlers, as Gondek would have us do. Let us never forget our military.Nor should we forget Canadians’ commitment to the dogged fight for freedom.November The Eleventh is an eternal date, a capsule, if you will, to remember the definitive family who showed up and fought for us.The often-quoted sentiment expressed by Sir Winston Churchill perseveres: “We shall not flag nor fail. We shall go on to the end.”What we get from Gondek is a vacuum.Canada is a strong nation; a country filled with aspiration and dedication.Gondek need not sell us short with her mealy-mouthed message. We are not a nation on our knees. There was, for example, no mention in her speech of Calgary-born Chad Horn, who was killed in the war in Afghanistan in 2008.This is what’s said about the Calgarian hero: “Chad Horn was an optimistic and caring young man with a contagious smile and a penchant for helping others. He governed his life according to his favourite motto: ‘For those I love, I will sacrifice.’”Well said..There are other Albertans, and, other fellow Canadians who gave and give their everything in sacrifice for our way of life. Fit and brave Canadians continue to represent us well.Gondek doesn’t represent us..WATCH: Gondek calls Calgarians 'settlers' on Remembrance Day.Calgarians wave the red and white Maple Leaf flag. Not the white flag of surrender and apology.We will not be brow-beaten and beg for forgiveness. We will not settle for anything, but the unabashed love of our veterans.David Marsden is a Calgary writer and editor.
