God, the king, the country and ME!

As I wait for the Harper government to present its budget in the House of Commons today, my mind wanders back to a much simpler time in my life. At least as I look back 60 years or so, it sure seems that way. Notwithstanding the reality that my father was killed while on active service with the Royal Canadian Airforce in World War II, life was pretty good for me growing up in Chapleau, a small community in Northern Ontario.

I had a wonderful Mom, and grandparents. along with my aunt and uncle on Mom's side and cousins who constantly bugged me, and my other aunt, my Dad's sister who fascinated me because she had moved from home and lived in such exotic places as Calgary and Toronto.

I had my friends with whom I spent countless hours playing children's games often centred near the huge rock on the "back river" across from our house on Grey Street adjacent to the Roman Catholic Cemetery. I also had my tricycle which enabled me to patrol the streets of Chapleau, and head off to visit Maw and Grandpa, my Dad's parents who lived on the "other side of town."

Enough already, you say. What does all this have to do with the Harper budget, and God, the king, the country and me. In a way everything, because back then despite great differences on political and religious issues, we knew where we stood. I don't recall ever hearing that Canadians did not trust the prime minister, to me a very serious allegation indeed.

For example, family came first of course, and by extension that included all members of the community when any were in need. I think it was Cervantes who first noted about the small community that people cared about each other! And they did. And I am sure they still do.

In my home, after I was all growed up so to speak I could look back and say unequivocally that God, duty to serve country and community, love of family and friends were the guiding principles in my early life. This also meant support of the Anglican church, the Progressive Conservative party, and loyalty to the king (George VI at the time.)

All these years later I am a lapsed Anglican, (although God certainly remains), no longer a Conservative and after Stephen Harper, in my view abused power by going to the Governor General to have parliament prorogued rather than face a vote of non confidence in the House of Commons, a convert to the abolition of the monarchy in Canada. I still love my friends and family.

I think of the poem 'The Second Coming' by William Butler Yeats as I sort out where I stand today

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming!

Link to the poem: http://classiclit.about.com/library/weekly/aa031701a.htm

Please feel free to post your comments or email me at mj.morris@live.ca