Posted on 09/24/2006 10:09:12 AM PDT by RDTF
The Parliament Hill rally grew from an idea by two military wives.
OTTAWA -- The subdued colours of official Ottawa were replaced yesterday with blazing displays of red as thousands of people jammed Parliament Hill in an unprecedented outpouring of pride and tears for Canadian troops fighting in Afghanistan.
"First off, all I'd like to say, 'Wow,' " said Lisa Miller, wife of a Canadian soldier, surveying the crowd of up to 10,000 from a platform at the base of the Hill.
"We never dreamed it would be this good," she said, wiping away tears. "It's heart-warming you came together to support our soldiers."
Miller and another military spouse, Karen Boire, were the architects of a campaign to wear red on Fridays as a show of support for the soldiers. It started in Petawawa -- home of the Royal Canadian Regiment's 1st Battalion, which is currently overseas.
The idea of a rally took on a life of its own as local radio stations in Ottawa -- spearheaded by CFRA -- pumped it up.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper made an impromptu appearance, telling the rambunctious, upbeat audience that they owe their freedoms to soldiers just like the ones who are fighting terrorism in Afghanistan.
Throughout the lunch hour yesterday -- by foot, by cab and by bus -- supporters of the troops and the war in Afghanistan streamed on to the front lawn, all wearing or carrying something red.
There were red shirts, red ties, floppy red hats, red jackets, even flashes of red thongs among the crowd.
Both spouses said they believe they've tapped into an unseen reservoir of pent-up emotion that's been building as casualties in the conflict mount and the debate over the merits of the mission becomes more shrill.
(Excerpt) Read more at lfpress.ca ...
ping
Saw the report on the CBC National.. IT was a big turn out and was positive...
Canada is rapidly dumping the suicidal lib mindset, seems like. Or so I hope.
Great to see
There are more pictures and info. at http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/
Hat tip to Radar101.
bump
I didn't see this, but when discussing the sign remnants with another troop supporter, I was told that the cops were about 10 feet away, but turned their backs on the whinny protester.
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Leaving the rally, one 20 year old woman heard a man yelling that our troops were war mongers.
She told him to "say that to my face!"
He did.
She decked him.
He fell on the side walk bleeding, got back up, and ran away.
That's my Canada!
My mom always said to look for the red flags in a gathering and you know it was organized by communists.
Just WOW!
May I borrow that occasionally?
;-)
The front lawn of parliament turned red when between twelve and fifteen thousand people showed up at noon, dressed in red, to show their support for Canadian troops serving overseas.
That seems about right.
God Bless them all who support the brave men and women.
Freepers share. 8^)
Bravo!
Here in America the man would get an ACLU attorney and sue the woman. God Bless her for her actions.
Thank you so much Sand Rat.
You're a good man, and FWIW, I respect you very much.
:-)
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