Friday, July 31, 2015

Friday Morning Coffee Club helps Ron McFarland celebrate 90th birthday

Joel, Gerry, Brian, Antoine, Ron, Terry, MJM, Joe, Jim
Friday Morning Coffee Club, aka FMCC, helped Ron McFarland celebrate his 90th birthday by joining him at his home for breakfast.

Instead of meeting for coffee as usual, Ron invited us to gather at his home for a birthday breakfast,

Joel led us in a rousing rendition of 'Happy Birthday" and a couple of other songs.

As the old saying goes, "The food was excellent and a great time was had by all." Breakfast was prepared by Ron's wife Judy with the assistance of some of the members' spouses who then headed out for their own get together at a local restaurant.

The original plan was to surprise Ron with a special event to mark his 90th, but he turned the tables on us by hosting the breakfast. Thanks Ron as always it was an awesome time.

Joel read a special message to Ron from Gordon who was unable to attend as he is currently in the hospital, but we all hope he will back with us very soon. Mark and Bill arrived after the photo-op.

Ron is a veteran of World War II, enlisting in the Royal Canadian Navy when he was 17, and serving from 1942 to 1946. He is one of those boys from the Prairies who chose the navy.

Congratulations Ron. Happy Birthday.  All the very best to you and Judy.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Time to dump Harper government for failing on obligations to veterans

By Michael J Morris
 UPDATED August 17, 2015 Another reason to dump Harper. Vets refused admission to a Harper event. Here are the details on The Tyee  http://thetyee.ca/News/2015/08/17/Vets-Harper-Event/

Canada's veterans have not received the treatment they deserve from the Harper government

As the federal election campaign begins, citizens should remember that our veterans were put in harm's way in their service to the country. 

For example, according to the award winning Canadian journalist Michael Harris, the Harper government spent $128 million promoting the War of 1812, but for living soldiers this same government cut $35 million from Veterans Affairs and closed much needed veteran sites.

Gordon Moore, the Dominion president of the Royal Canadian  Legion, said before appearing before a Parliamentary Committee that the "legion is concerned that the government has forgotten the moral obligation to look after veterans and their families who have been injured as a result of their service to Canada.

“The government put them in harm’s way, now the government has an obligation to look after them.”

The Harper government has endured a barrage of criticism on its perceived treatment of veterans; now is the hour when Canadians have the opportunity on October 19 to vote.

Personally, among all the issues with which I disagree with the Harper government, its shabby treatment of our veterans ranks high on my list, Why, some of you may ask.

Well, for starters, my father Jim Morris was killed in the service of Canada while on active service in the RCAF during World War II. His father, my grandfather Harry Morris, served in World War I, and his brother was killed in action during that war,.

Also, two of my grandmother Morris' brothers served in World War I.

And I come from a small community in Northern Ontario, Chapleau, where the veterans of World War ! and II respectively, worked tirelessly upon returning home to make it a better community for all of us -- "They served to death, why not we?'" and they did.

In Cranbrook, as many of you know I often visit the Wall of Honour in Rotary Park where the names of those men and women from Cranbrook and area are listed -- reminds me of home where ordinary folks accomplished extraordinary things.

I have lived in five provinces and it's been the same everywhere.

In a scathing article about the dismal failure of the Harperites to properly treat our veteran, silence in iPolitics, entitled "Baffling Silence of the Backbench", Mr. Harris writes,
"Who can explain the silence of the Cons?

"I don’t mean the cabinet snake-oil parodies on the nightly news — the ones who would sell their mothers, not to mention Canada’s veterans, down the river for a chauffeur and a fat paycheque.

"Does anyone seriously believe that Conservative MPs are getting fan-mail over the atrocious disrespect the Harper government has shown to soldiers, ex-soldiers and their families? After all, the PM once said these soldiers were the best of Canadians. Is it likely these silent MPs will be greeted with brass bands when they return to their ridings?"
Here is link to complete article by Michael Harris:  http://www.ipolitics.ca/2014/02/06/the-baffling-silence-of-the-backbench/

Like Mr. Harris, I simply don't get it. Surely the Conservative MPS  Canadians  sent to Ottawa have more backbone than they show. If not, best we dump the lot of them in 2015 ...

In the interests of full disclosure, "The Chapleau Boys Go To War" which I co-authored with my cousin, Michael K. McMullen, was published recently. However, I wish to make it perfectly and abundantly clear that the above is in no way related to the book or the possible views of my co-author.... mjm

My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Thursday, July 23, 2015

'Chapleau Boys Go To War' added to Military History Research Centre collection at Canadian War Museum

Lara Andrews, Michael McMullen
The Canadian War Museum has accepted a copy of The Chapleau Boys Go To War, by co-authors Michael K. McMullen and Michael J. Morris.

Michael McMullen announced that "We are pleased that the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario has accepted the donation of our book  The Chapleau Boys Go To War." 

"One of our objectives was that our book be used as a reference for further research by others," Michael said.

"Besides personal use, having the book available in libraries, schools and museums will contribute to this objective," Michael added, speaking on behalf of his co-author.

The  book has been catalogued and added to the Military History Research Centre’s library where it will be available for consultation by staff and the general public.

Michael McMullen presented book to Lara Andrews, Librarian, Military History Research Centre, Canadian War Museum.

The Chapleau Boys Go To War is  the story of the contributions and sacrifices made during World War 1 and World War 2, at home and abroad by the people of Chapleau.

The Chapleau Boys Go To War is available on amazon.com, amazon.ca and Kindle, Key words: chapleau boys war. In Chapleau it is available at Chapleau Village Shops  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

'Living as Kingdom People' by Yme Woensdregt

By Rev. Yme Woensdregt “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” We call it the Golden Rule, and I would guess that most of us th...