Curtis: Why commemorate the War of 1812?

By:

, /

24 October, 2011

Adjunct Professor at Queen's University and Chair of Statistics Canada's Advisory Committee on International Trade Statistics

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As a continuing element of highlighting Canadian history, be it of people (eg. the Famous Five), legislative events (the Diefenbaker Bill of Rights or the Trudeau Charter), or military matters (such as the War of 1812), this celebratory noting of the War is fine. None of these commemorations should glorify any one theme (the military, gender equality, etc); it should be balanced and not given over to myths as in the US, England, Nazi Germany…South Africa, for example, has done a wonderful job in how it treats the Mandela legacy….his strenths, weaknesses, victories, and failures….a very good example of history as it should be told and celebrated.

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