Living with war

T-shirt slogan causing rift in Canada Day parade
DIRK MEISSNER
Canadian Press

VICTORIA -- The annual Canada Day parade in the seaside community of Parksville will have one less float on Saturday because a local group opposes what it calls the U.S.-dominated military theme of this year's parade.

The decision of the Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the parade, to sell T-shirts with the message "Support our troops" has started an ideological war of words in this normally tranquil tourism and retirement community about 150 kilometres northeast of Victoria.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060629.BCPARADE29/TPStory/TPNational/BritishColumbia/

..."Support what our government is using our troops for."

At least that's what's happened in the USA.

Come up with an original slogan, Parksville CoC!

Missing from the story is the fact that there is a lot of military people in the area; CFB Comox and Nanoose Bay and the district has been every shade of C.R.A.P Blue since 1980.(Nanaimo—Alberni).

So if the local CofC wants a 'support the troops' theme, then it is not that odd or out of place. (Note: the area is heavily union as well--go figure)

I disagree with this group--they took the easy way...they should have used their participation to make a statement about the war and at least given the appearance that not everyone is a jingoistic Tory supporter. I sure hope they at least do something, other than NOT showing up.