Power to the People

We've mentioned before that this blog acts as our journal and photo album of the past 3 years. We plan to get it professionally printed and bound when we get back and then add it to the kids' photo album collection. This entry is for Kyla and Cody; let's jump ahead 10 years, when you are both in college. December, 2008: hundreds of thousands of people protested in Bangkok, Thailand, demanding the resignation of their Prime Minister because of government corruption and human rights issues. We arrived in the city less than a week after the people forced the ruling party to resign. We saw some of the remnants of the (mostly) peaceful, but vehement, protest.

April, 2010: hundreds of thousands of people protested in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (less than 200km's from our home) demanding the resignation of their Prime Minister because of government corruption and human rights issues. Countless people died and thousands evacuated, including two Americans and their baby who stayed with us for a few days until order was restored after the PM was forced to resign. We stood in the square above one year earlier.

February, 2011: hundreds of thousands of people protested in Cairo, Egypt, demanding the resignation of...well, you get the idea. Details in this case are not required, except to say that we cancelled our tickets for the pyramids this Spring Break. In all these cases, the people were forced to throw rocks, endanger their lives, and ruin the economy in order to prepare a better future for their kids.

Kyla and Cody: to be Canadian is an under-appreciated matter for some Westerners but it is, paradoxically, highly envied by other people in the world. I hope I never have to throw rocks at my government, but I would for you.

February 15th, Flag Day in Canada.