It has been the sort of week that demands reflection. Not one but two good men, were cut down for no other reason then doing their duty. The first, run down for daring to wear his uniform to get a coffee. Injuring a second man in the process, who will, thankfully, live. Sparking a second even more vicious attack, that ended with a Hollywood style leap into the air, twist and firing before Kevin Vickers landed to kill the suspect, worthy of John McCain of Die Hard fame. And all the praise thus forth received. Why did he feel such a need to risk his own life? In past times, they would have waited for a surrender, but a suicide vest and he would take out half of the house of Parliament. The Threat had to be stopped at any cost. Another man, and his team, who risked his life to save others. Sadly the first man, doing his duty, was not so lucky.

At the Ottawa War Memorial, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, was shot in the back and killed in a cowardly ambush. Let us shed no tear for him, he would ask for none but let us offer all praise and celebrate him and his life of duty. For this was what he wanted to do. What he was most proud of doing, and to his his end, he died doing his duty. Guarding fallen comrades that he would all too soon join was his post. He stood his post to the last. When told he was selected to be there, I am very sure, that he leaped for joy, This is the kind of duty that is given only to the best of the best. Getting it, said in the eyes of his superiors, he was worthy of such an assignment. Basically getting the military gold medal. An honour in itself to be selected to serve in this fashion, to guard, all compete fiercely for the honour. Yet with all duty, they bring a burden. His post was to guard and so he did, to the end of his life. A life now fitting to be the first name added to our Hall of Hero’s, where his gunman met his end, not soon enough for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, but his end did come.

The assailant, Michael Zahaf-Bibeau, bipolar, self medicating his condition with drugs saw the earlier events and snapped. He was not getting help or treatment so he would force them to treat him. In a very destructive version of a child acting out, one man was killed and a nation in shock. Yet some conclusion must be drawn.

First, in what can only be seen as the greatest irony since John Lennon, “Happiness is a warm gun” was killed by said gun violence. The open question is where did he get such a weapon as the long gun he carried. The irony is, the answer might well be in the long gun registry abolished by the same government that he may have been trying to kill.

ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed him as their revenge. So as I understand they wish to send bipolar, self medicating druggies, to ambush and back shoot in the most cowardly of ways as their harbinger of vengeance? I suspect that says more about their methods and organization then anything about Canada.

Lastly, the repercussions of it all upon our nation. First, all the grand theater and Churchillian Rhetoric, “We shall stand on the back bencher’s, we shall stand in the Red Room, We shall never surrender,” left aside. This was no attack upon Canada. This was no vengeance mission from a far off place. This was merely a tragedy for all involved. Keven Vickers, took a life. Never a burden one would want to carry. Cpl. Nathan Cirillo killed before his life could fulfill its promising start and last Michael Zahaf-Bibeau, a life devastated from his start by his malfunctioning mind.

The Canadian military has ordered that no persons should wear uniform unless on official business, to prevent further attacks. Uniformly, (SIC) they have obeyed their orders but expressed defiance of it.
So I declare that this Remembrance Day, November 11, 2014, all people wear Camouflage of any sort to say, we will not be cowed, we will not run, and we will not be intimidated.