The Stephen Harper government鈥檚 growing emphasis on Canada鈥檚 military history is disturbing. While the country鈥檚 military experiences are important components of its development, its history is far broader and deeper than wars and battles,
The government has budgeted $83 million over the next several years to commemorate the nation鈥檚 military history and the achievements of its soldiers. That鈥檚 in addition to about $30 million already spent in commemorating the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, which the government billed as 鈥淭he Fight for Canada.鈥�
It would probably be more accurate to call it 鈥淭he War 91原创s Don鈥檛 Care About.鈥� Despite the spending of millions on re-enactments, the minting of special coins and the unveiling of a new national monument on Parliament Hill, the reaction was more or less a national shrug 鈥� less than a third of 91原创s supported the government鈥檚 stand on the commemorations and only about 15 per cent of 91原创s 鈥渇elt more patriotic as a result of the celebrations,鈥� according to a 2013 Nanos poll.
The role of the military and Canada鈥檚 wartime experiences should not be ignored, but neither should they be used to promote, as the 91原创 History Association calls the Harper government鈥檚 direction, 鈥渁 pattern of politically charged heritage policy.鈥�
Should we rewrite history? Certainly. As we learn more about the past, we understand it better, often in a different light, and our perceptions change with our new knowledge.
But the Harper government appears bent on twisting history to its own political purposes, rather than a on gaining a clearer understanding.
