It's been seven months since the wildfire they called "The Beast" came roaring out of the woods and threatened to consume Fort McMurray.
It was Canada's biggest story of the year, and the costliest disaster in Canadian history.
And who can forget what a hellish beast it was?
Firefighters from all over Alberta, and all over Canada, finally beat back the monster, and saved most of Fort Mac...
It was a heroic effort and an inspiring sight. Canadians from all over fighting side by side...
But many homes went up in smoke along with the jobs and dreams of thousands and thousands of people...
And many in Fort Mac are still struggling to recover from that catastrophe.
So I was glad to see that some of them at least got some early Christmas presents, courtesy of West Jet.
And I really love the way they were delivered...
Oh sure, I know it's just a fancy ad.
But you know, this big beautiful country is sometimes made to look small and ugly by some of its little leaders and nasty little people.
Who squabble endlessly about nothing, are petty and provincial, and take all we have going for us for granted.
When the truth is we are never bigger, or more beautiful, or more truly Canadian, than when we come together to help those of us in trouble...
The Fort McMurray fire was for me both the worst, and the best Canadian story of the year.
Here's to the people of that battered but still proud town. Let's hope they are still getting the help they need to rebuild.
And may 2017 be at least a million times happier for them than the hellish year 2016...
4 comments:
Nice post Simon.
Through all the devastation I believe there was but one fatality. That was a miracle in itself.
The outpouring of support from across the country was enormous and proves that Canadian goodwill and generosity will always outweigh petty politics.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Fort Mac.
JD
My thoughts and prayers are with the folks in Fort Mac.
I was listening to The Rebel's rally in Calgary yesterday. You may not like conservatives but these are good hard working people who attended.
Whenever I hear Trudeau speak all I hear is politically correct BS. Not once has me made me feel patriotic in any of his speeches. He makes me feel alienated if anything. When I heard Kellie Leitch speak yesterday I felt a sense of pride in being a Canadian I havn't had since... well this year's Canada Day Parade in Montreal.
Call me deplorable, call me a dumb con, whatever you want. But that's genuinely how I felt.
-MC
I actually bumped in to our fire chief Darby Allen when I was running errands today. An odd feeling to see someone in person who I had only ever seen before on the news and who became the face of our community. And you are very right, this event was the both the worst and best Canadian story of the year. You always see things like this on the news so it's a very odd feeling knowing that I was actually caught up this big mess. It really did bring out the best in so many people.
I'm one of those hard-working Albertans myself but I don't see how chanting silly slogans really helps us to be taken seriously. I suppose I could bleat out "lock her up!" if I really wanted to but I don't see how that really helps my situation.
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