War Museum

 I headed for the Canadian War Museum for a November visit that actually turned into two visits- one some days prior to Remembrance Day, and then on Remembrance Day itself to continue where I left off. The current building is out at Lebreton Flats, designed to look like a bunker, very fitting for its subject matter. As one of several national museums in the region, its mission is to tell the story of Canadian military history- at home and abroad.

The Barney Danson Theatre is a lecture hall and theatre used regularly in the Museum. Outside its primary entrance is this plaque, along with a display case featuring a medal set. Barney Danson enlisted in the military in 1938, anticipating the coming Second World War. He was wounded in action in Normandy, blinded in one eye by shrapnel. Danson went on to a business career before going into politics, serving as the Minister of National Defence. He would be instrumental in advocating and fundraising for a new War Museum to replace the original one, and so the theatre is named in his honour.

The current special exhibit is running until the end of February. Close To Conflict: Canada And The American Civil War looks at that terrible cataclysm of the 19th century and its effect on the development of Canada.

Two different ways of life, two neighbours. This is a border marker from the 1840s originally found at the Maine/ New Brunswick border.

The Civil War would have a critical role in Canada becoming a nation on its own.

What had been the British North American colonies had shared a reasonable relationship with the Americans after the hostilities of the Revolution and the War of 1812. But with Americans turning on each other and making war against each other, that relationship would drastically change.

This exhibit has been very well done, and I expect I'll pay another visit before it's all said and done.

The passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, with its consequence that nowhere in the free Northern states could be said to be safe, extended the lines of the Underground Railroad into Canada, which had no slavery. Black people escaping slavery had already gone into Canada earlier, but that act made it a necessity. 

On The March

On Remembrance Day, I went down to the National War Memorial in advance to attend the national service. I tend to find a spot in the same area, around the northwest corner of Confederation Square.

The service is organized by the Royal Canadian Legion and the ministry of Veterans Affairs, and includes active duty units, most of whom march in from the south before the service, as well as the veterans, who are led in by the pipes and drums from the north side of the square. There are few World War Two veterans left to take part, but their numbers have been replaced by Canadian veterans of peacekeeping operations and standard military deployments, as well as those veterans of the Afghan War.

The service features a military MC, speaking in English and French. Standard elements include a 21 gun salute from field guns posted on Parliament Hill, a moment of silence, music, a flypast, and the placing of wreaths. Words are recited in English, French, and an indigenous language, and prayers and benedictions are given.

Afterwards, the Vice-Regal party moves to the north perimeter of the Memorial, where the march past leads the veterans and active service past them. As before, the pipes and drums lead the way, members of each branch of the services involved in this group.

The veterans follow.

Active service units include groups like the Governor General's Foot Guards.

And this was a surprise. A number of cadets from West Point in the United States marched as well, along with their Canadian counterparts from military academies here, such as the Royal Military College, which is based out of Kingston.

The West Point uniform is quite distinctive.

Ends And Odds

A note to members of City Daily Photo that the theme for the first of December is Transportation. 

I was at Lansdowne Park on the first Sunday in October. This shot is taken from the stadium's Gate 3, taking in the Aberdeen Pavilion at right. The building is now shuttered for rehabilitation work on the roof. The tents in the distance are that of the main farmer's market, which has now moved indoors for the winter in the nearby Horticulture Building. The skies looked ominous, but nothing came of it.

The reason I was here? The Panda Game is an annual October tradition, a football game between crosstown rivals Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. The game is always a sell out, and the lines long, but the stadium management has got things organized pretty well, and the security team at this gate kept things moving.

I tend to walk around a bit during sporting events and take photographs. This looks towards the South Stands.

While this looks at the North Stands. When the new event center is finished (it's being built on the east perimeter of the stadium) in the fall of 2028, the North Stands will be torn down and rebuilt in a tiered structure taking up less room. At present, the arena is still beneath it, and the building itself is nearing the end of its life. The South Stands, on the other hand, is a bit more than a decade old.

The game ended, with a narrow victory for Ottawa U, and the spectators got out onto the field. It was a fun game.

While walking downtown one morning, I came across several crows. I stopped to photograph this one, and said hello.

On another morning close to home, that sweet cat I often see. These are the last photos of her for the year, as she stays indoors through the winter.

I don't usually photograph garbage bins, but this squirrel coming out of one with a bite to eat made me smile.

The stadium at Lansdowne Park has for the last few years hosted a game or two of international rugby each year. This year one game was held in October, between the Canadian and English women's teams. I attended, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Rugby is an intensely physical game- at one point, one of the Canadian players got up off the turf, with swelling already visible around one eye. Who knows how bad that black eye would have turned out to be.

On Hallowe'en day, the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne hosted a Day Of The Dead event. The Mexican holiday, normally held at the beginning of November, is big. Here this costume drew my eye, particularly that hat.

On stage, there were dancers.

Odds And Ends

 I have some odds and ends today from recent weeks. One evening in late September I was walking home through the Glebe, with the last light of day fading. The streets in the north end of the neighbourhood tend to be not well lit, but I've never minded.

Close to home, this cat I photograph from time to time was sitting outside her home.

I took this shot outside my building, looking at the Moon.

On another night in the Glebe, I took these two shots of the Moon, which had an interesting visual effect.

I was passing through the Rideau Centre on the night of the 200th anniversary party for the city. The stores of course were closed, but as I passed by the Lego store, I took this photo of one of the front displays.

There is a set of three condo buildings occupying the better part of a block downtown, with two of them completed and the third heading that way. I've photographed them before, but now they have a water feature out front.

The last day of September is the National Day For Truth and Reconciliation, a Canadian day of remembrance for the survivors and victims of the residential school program, which did so much damage for over a century to Indigenous peoples. This is the Survivors Flag, which was on display in the main lobby of the War Museum when I stopped by for lunch.

Later that day, I was passing by the National War Memorial when I noticed these rabbits on the grounds.

I finish today with the same cat who lives near my place on an early October evening. We'll see her again in tomorrow's post.