Brits impressed by Highway of Heroes
By Paul Dalby
NORTHUMBERLAND - Even as final arrangements are made for a rally on May 31 to support the Highway for Heroes, Canada's commitment to honouring its fallen soldiers has received special praise from Britain.
About 1,000 vehicles are expected to retrace the Highway of Heroes' journey - taken by every fallen soldier repatriated to Canada - on Saturday.
A convoy of 83 red vehicles representing the number of soldiers who've lost their lives to date will be in the special memorial procession escorted by the OPP, Durham and Metro Toronto police ..
The massive demonstration of support for Canadian soldiers will follow the Highway of Heroes along Hwy. 401 from Trenton to Downsview Park in Toronto.
Overpasses are likely to be crowded with many spectators, and fire, ambulance and police personnel.
It is precisely this kind of public display in support of Canadian soldiers that has caught the attention of one of Britain's biggest newspapers. A major story published by the mass circula-
tion 'Mail on Sunday' newspaper compares the reception given in both Canada and Britain to casu~ alties of the war in Afghanistan.
The three page article gives the highest praise to the respect shown by both the public, police and emergency services as the funeral cavalcade makes its way from CFB Trenton along the Highway for Heroes. But the British newspaper brands Britain's response as "Shameful: A shabby way to treat a hero'~
The British funeral cavalcade has no police escort and must battle its way through rush hour
traffic, completely ignored by the British public.
Both countries have suffered almost identical losses in Afghan istan although Britain maintains , three times as many soldiers. The British army, with 7,800 soldiers, has suffered 91 fatalities, while Canada with 2,500 troops has lost 83. As the British newspaper notes in its story: "They serve the same Queen, fight the same foe and lay down their lives with equal valour and sacrifice. But when the fallen heroes of Canada and Britain come home, the welcome is very different:'
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