Rally makes Soldier proud

[Batgirl]

Rally makes Soldier proud
Hundreds march in chilly Edmonton to support troops in Afghanistan
By JIM MacDONALD The Canadian Press

EDMONTON — An army medic whose legs were amputated after his convoy was hit by a suicide bomber says the first Edmonton rally for Canadian troops in Afghanistan made him proud to be a soldier.

"Years ago we didn’t have this support," Master Cpl. Paul Franklin told more than 300 people who stood for an hour in freezing wind on Friday. "But now when you go on missions you don’t even have to think about how Canadians support us.

"We know. It’s a given."

A total of 42 Canadian soldiers have died in Afghanistan, including 13 who were based in Edmonton, the most from any one military base. Franklin said he acts as an unofficial spokesman for the wounded.

"After my attack and during my recovery I found it difficult to put on this uniform," he said, standing at the podium on two prosthetic legs. "But we know as we head out those gates that no matter what, Canadians across this land support what we do."

Col. Jon Vance said the images of Friday’s rally would be viewed immediately by Canadians deployed in Afghanistan and the reaction would be gratitude and a firming of their resolve.

"You are telling your soldiers today that Canada is worth fighting for, and for a soldier, it just doesn’t get any better than that," Vance told the cheering crowd, many of them wearing poppies or yellow ribbons.

"Your soldiers don’t crave pity. They don’t want you to fear for them. They need your love and unwavering support."

Several soldiers in camouflage uniforms stood among the crowd, and at one point an elderly man shook hands with about a dozen of them.

Trooper Justin D’Angelo, 24, later said he was delighted when the man approached them.

"It gives you a warm feeling" said D’Angelo, who is waiting to be deployed. "You don’t really know what people are thinking and actions like that, it’s great."

The rally outside City Hall is the first of what organizers promise will be weekly demonstrations dubbed Red Fridays, a name taken from similar rallies in the United States.

A choir of children dressed in red T-shirts opened the event with an enthusiastic rendition of O Canada.

Trooper Robert Costello, 28, said he was glad to see such a large turnout, especially given the -6 C temperature accompanied by a biting wind.

"It makes you really appreciate what you’re doing," said Costello, who has been in the military for a year and expects to see action soon.

The military had a handful of specialized vehicles and troop carriers on display. Several booths were set up to sell yellow ribbons, red T-shirts, baseball hats and coffee mugs with messages of support for the troops.

Franklin said the colour red symbolizes many things to him, including poppies and the Canadian flag.

"Today as we stand in this chilly air, soldiers are on the mountains of the Hindu Kush," he said. "They know of events like this and they know about the little yellow ribbons that signal your support."

Similar rallies have been held over the last few months in Toronto and Ottawa, but Edmonton organizers bragged that hundreds of people had to bundle up in mitts, toques and parkas to attend this one.

Chronicle Herald

[ClutterbusterNY]

Good for them! I travel to Canada frequently for business and have always been impressed at the number of Canadian flags displayed in the windows of homes enroute from the airports to the city centers; both in Toronto and Montreal.

[Grimmy]

Well done Canada!