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Katelyn Page
Can You Imagine if Kids Rule the World? Someday they will. Democracy can be traced all the way back to the Greeks in 500 BC. In 1758, it was introduced to Canada, right here in Nova Scotia. Twenty-two men, some from as far away as Germany and Britain, went to an old wooden cabin in what is now downtown Halifax and formed the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. New things aren't always the best, and this was no exception. Only males of British heritage over the age of 21 could vote. However, this was a huge stepping stone for Canada as it had never elected officials this way before. Democracy is a government chosen by the people. This means you can cast a vote to pick who you would like to win the election. The word democracy is derived from 2 Greek words - "demos" meaning "the people", and Kratein" meaning to rule. Having a democratic society has many benefits. You can help decide who runs your country and who runs your district. It allows you to have rights, justice, equality, truth, freedom, all things that are important to people everywhere. A person would vote for someone whose morals and ethics are similar to their own, so they would fight for the things that are important to that person. It may be getting a better garbage disposal system, having less taxes, or anything in between. However, if you don't take advantage of having the right to vote, what you want may not happen. Although I'm not old enough to vote, I still like to follow politics and what is happening in the world. I think it's very important for people, especially young people, to realize the importance of voting. Someday we will be the ones ruling the country so I think it's important to become informed at a young age. If you don't vote, it's almost like saying you don't care who runs our country, or your district, or your province. I believe you can't complain about what's happening in Parliament if you didn't vote to make what you want to happen, happen. There are many levels of government, and a few main political parties. The NDP (New Democratic Party), the Green Party, the Conservatives, the Bloc Quebecois, and the Liberal Party are the most known parties, but aren't th eonly parties in Canada. There are many more lesser known parties. Stephen Harper, our current Prime Minister, is leader of the Conservative Party. We have federal, which is running all of the country; Provincial, which runs the province; and municipal, which runs the municipal area you live in. In order for a person to become Prime Minister their party must win the most votes. This doesn't mean they need to have over 50% of the votes, they just need to have more than other parties. A party that wins the election but has under 50% of the votes is considered a minority government because the combined amount of people that makes up the rest of the parliament is more than 50%. If a party wins more than 50% of the votes they are considered a majority government. Political parties like this type of government better because they can get their laws and bills passed much easier and quicker. Democracy is a very important thing in our society. The more people realize this and the more people take advantage of their right to vote, the better our country will be.
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Blast From the Past Part XXVI - Ronald Mizon in Nova Scotia 1940-1944 |
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Written by Ronald Mizon
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The Big Day
At last the big day came and the Milford Scout Troop paraded for an inspection by our Scout Master and the Minister who gave us the thumbs up
We marched out to our appointed positions followed by the Guides and Brownies and Cubs. The big moment arrived as a large car pulled up at the end of the church driveway and the three British Blitz Scouts alighted, led by their guide. Putting on their hats they walked in a single file up to our welcome avenue of Scouts and the other members of our little band. They saluted the lead flag, which was the Canadian flag, with the Scout salute then they were introduced to us by their guide. All three were not boys but stocky young men and they looked a little odd in their short trousers, whereas we were all dressed in long ones. Their shirts were festooned with various Scouting awards and looked most impressive. Our Scout Master then introduced each one of us, in turn, to them and when they came opposite me they saluted again as I was holding the flag of the United Kingdom. Then, as the Scout Master introduced me to each in turn as an English evacuee Scout living here during the war, they just shook my hand and moved on and did not utter a word to me. I was absolutely crestfallen. Really, I did think that they would have a quick word with me. I really was most dismayed. Perhaps I expected too much and as they passed down the line I noticed Annie’s face. She looked embarrassed for me but managed to give me the thumbs up as if to say “well done”. When I think of Annie now, she was perhaps about five feet eight inches tall, slim and full of vitality. Her complexion, even to me a young lad, looked outstanding. She had bright eyes and when she
was pleased, or laughed, her face lit up. She was very strict, as I said earlier – an ex-school teacher, but she was fair and understanding. As a credit to her I think now if I had lived with the Wallace’s from the start I would have done better at school whereas Uncle George let me do as I wanted, but as an older man now I know that is not always good for us. Nevertheless, Uncle George was very kind to both Bessie and I. Annie Wallace, I believe, was a good Christian woman. So, much to my consternation, it was time for school to start. Different pupils all over again!
I slotted into my new school, my FIFTH since I was first evacuated from MIDDLESBOROUGH, ENGLAND but I soon felt at home without any trouble. I had to learn and be able to recite, every evening, my new classmates’ names before Annie who would ask me after school. (I can remember a lot of them today – like Everell Gough, Burt Marr, Elfreda, Bubbles, Bridget, Arthur, Helen Turple). And I could go on. Annie’s persistence took on a new meaning to me. I felt I was growing up. It was now 1941 and the Blitz over in England was at its height. It was ghastly to think that perhaps my Mum and Dad and sisters were enduring such devastation! The Wallace’s house was situated not very many yards from the railroad track and when I first went to live with them I could hear the trains thundering by when I was in bed and I thought, “I am never going to stand this having got used to the tranquility of my bedroom in Mount Uniacke.” However, as time went by, I began to get used to their whistling and hooting as they went through Milford Station. I mentioned this to Mr. Barter, the stationmaster, and he laughed and was rather amused and said I would get to know every train soon. To reinforce what he was saying he took the trouble to make a list on paper of the train times and types. He listed the type of train matching it to the ringing and the hooting, whether
it was a freight, passenger, or a special. ie military or tragically, a hospital train and sometimes a military transporting troops. He said it was important to discern the hooting of them as this was a sort of guide line to its particular type. I made a notebook of my findings.
Looking at my list and using Annie’s method of memorizing I was soon able to identify which and where each one was going pretty precisely. “AH!” I would say to myself while checking Mr. Barter’s notes, “Umm, that’s the 0750 freight eastbound, then one the other way was the early passenger westbound” and so on. I would use my Big Ben pocket watch that I purchased in Uniacke with the pocket money Uncle George gave me weekly, to check the times. When Annie found out what I was doing she was most pleased with my enterprise.
The Wallace’s did not own a motor car. Consequently, I did not get around as much as I did whilst in Uniacke so we went by “Shanks’s Pony” (that is to say, on foot). In any case they always seemed to be very busy with the exception of Sunday when we all went to church. Of course, the Scouts paraded on Empire Day (now called Canada Day, I believe, when dedications took place and patriotic songs were sung). I don’t quite remember how long I stayed with Ernie and Annie. I had the feeling that it was only temporary but I do not remember a Christmas with them. I think now that the plan was to move Bessie and I as close as possible, ASAP. However, I integrated with the local folks quite well and I was soon a familiar figure around the village.
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Ronald Mizon 1940 -1944 
