Editorial
Wednesday, November 12, 1997
A debt to generations past

Remembrance Day for Northern baby boomers means that, unlike their grandparents and parents, they have never had their lives, families, careers and country disrupted by a global war.

Such lasting peace can be considered a legacy from the past for the benefit of today's children and future adults.

But is it not also a debt owed to the dwindling number of veterans and the memory of those who did not survive the battlefields?

As with any debt, there must be payment. In this case, Remembrance Day offers us an annual opportunity for present and upcoming generations to carry the message of peace and the price paid for it.

Our army cadets contribute by staging their standing sentinel at the cenotaph.

Our ever-faithful Royal Canadian Legion organizes a parade that brings together representatives of civic and service organizations that have thrived on the bounty freedom brings.

In the weeks and days leading up to Nov. 11, blood red poppies appear at every counter. Affixed to lapels, the petals symbolic of Flanders Field herald the coming event and their price finances good works for veterans, seniors, students, medical research and the community at large.

Tuesday's Remembrance Day ceremonies and the cenotaph and in the auditorium at St. Patrick High drew healthy crowds of young and old to witness the laying of wreaths in the company of the city's veterans.

So the tradition of Remembrance Day remains strong in this town. Such vigilance will bring its own reward and is proper payment for lives lost in pursuit of peace.


Cinema thaw

Management at the Capitol Theatre does a respectable job of bringing a decent selection of films to Yellowknife. But like any business, it is constrained by the need to appeal to a wide cross-section of the population.

In other words, its movies must be popular. And as we all know, quality isn't necessarily associated with popularity.

The return of the Far North Film Festival, with its artistic and non-commercial Northern and southern perspectives on this part of the planet, is a welcome supplement to the regular cinematic fare.