Frankly Speaking

The First World War took place 100 years ago. Firsthand remembrances of it have faded. Most people today view it as a complete and utter waste of lives and resources – which is true enough, considering that the final outcomes included the fall of numerous European monarchies, the rise of the Soviet Union and, most ominously, the setting of the stage for the Second World War, which began just 20 years after the first war ended. Yet, as is the case with all major historical events, we ignore or forget them at our peril. The First World War shaped Canada, and shaped its people and communities. It continues to shape us today, in very subtle ways. “Many Canadians view the First World War as ancient history. Its relevance to the present is little understood. Yet, other than Confederation itself, the Great War of 1914-1918 was arguably the most important event in Canadian history. Without it, Canada and indeed the rest of the world have been far different places.” That’s the view o...

A wonderful statue of Arthur Thomas Fleetwood, in his First World War uniform, stands outside the Fleetwood Community Centre complex at 84 Avenue and 160 Street. It is one of the few public remembrances of veterans are in Surrey. Hopefully, the recent attention paid to "Charlie's Tree" in Port Kells will lead to some more recognition. The fall to the ground of “Charlie’s Tree” along Highway 1 in Port Kells has attracted a lot of attention. The 300-year-old Douglas fir came to public attention in the early 1960s, when it was scheduled to be cut down to make room for the new freeway. Highways Minister Phil Gaglardi, who had been compared to Roman road builders by his boss, Premier W.A.C. Bennett, was determined to have a straight-as-an-arrow road running into the Fraser Valley. However, he hadn’t reckoned with Charlie Perkins. The longtime Port Kells resident and First World War flying corps veteran had a special area at the rear of his 96 Avenue property that ...

Joe Smuin explains an aspect of Kettle Valley Railway history to an attentive group on Sunday. A ceremony was held on the KVR grade above the Coquihalla highway to mark the 100th anniversary of the opening of the rail line between Brookmere and Hope through Coquihalla Pass. A group of rail history and outdoors enthusiasts marked an important 100 th anniversary Sunday, with a commemorative “last spike” ceremony. The event was organized by my friend, longtime Canadian Pacific Railway railfan Brian Peters. July 31, 1916 was the day the Coquihalla line of the Kettle Valley Railway opened for traffic. The construction and opening of the railway was the final step in a lengthy political and economic campaign to link the Okanagan, Boundary and Kootenay areas of B.C. with the coast by rail. The campaign also sought to prevent American railroads (specifically the Great Northern Railway, operated by Canadian J.J. (Jim) Hill) from reaping most of the profits from the mines, smelters...

Most people born in Canada have little firsthand contact with war. Canadians have been extraordinarily fortunate, in not having a war fought on our soil for more than 200 years. Many immigrants and new Canadians, on the other hand, have had vastly different experiences. War may not be ever-present in all parts of the world, but it is far more likely to have had more of an immediate effect on peoples’ lives in many other countries. Nowhere is this more true right now than in Syria, where millions of people have been displaced. Many of them are in neighbouring countries, with a smaller number trying to find better lives in Europe. Some of them lose their lives crossing waterways in overcrowded boats, but they are willing to take the risk. The new federal government is working hard to try and get 25,000 of them to resettle in Canada, but it’s a monumental effort that involves many layers of bureaucracy. It’s an appropriate time to think about how we as Canadians can help peopl...