Plains of Abraham

I don't understand. We Canadians often complain we don't commemorate our history. So when an occasion like the 250th anniversary of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham comes along, and we have the chance to do just that, we cancel it.... Huh?? Did I miss something?

I love Canada, and I love Quebec; it adds a little bit of European flavour the place; something exotic. But we've been giving into separatists for too long, and honestly I'm sick of it. Every time they have wanted something: distinct society status, more money for this project, more money for arts we have given to them. Jean Chretien even started the sponsorship program in an attempt to make Canada more noticeable after the referendum; look how well that one turned out.

And in the last Election when it turned out arts funding was going to be a big issue in Quebec Prime Minister Harper promised more funding for it. This coming after Harper grants the province 'nation' status within the country. It didn't help him get more seats- as a matter of fact the seat count in Quebec shrunk in comparison to previous results.

The cancellation of the re-enactment of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham should have been the final straw. Instead of giving in, the National Battlefields Commission should have said: this isn't just French or English history, it's Canadian history. The re-enactment goes ahead.

Instead they bowed to pressure, and empty threats of violence. And they successfully politicized what should have been a celebration not of the battle itself but of the fact that for over 200 years French and English have been able to coexist on a single continent.

I love Canada, and I love Quebec. But it's time for the rest of us to stop giving in and stand up for ourselves.

The fact is: The British won, French lost. The battle happened 250 years ago. Isn't it time we let bygones be bygones and moved on with our lives?