RE: Disappointed by Remembrance Day ceremony, letter, Nov. 14.
Dear Editor,
I am going to assume that Chris Skelton has never organized a Nov. 11 Ceremony of Remembrance.
I am sorry he arrived so late, at 10:15 a.m., when he said he found the ceremony in “full swing” – strange, because the parade was not called to order until 10:15 a.m., but let’s not argue about a few minutes; your watch may have been wrong. Just for your information, when I arrived at Genesis Place Recreation Centre at 8:30 a.m., members of the public were already lined up three and four deep waiting to get into the auditorium – why your late arrival?
I am also going to assume Skelton knows nothing about the new Department of Defence timing regulations, given to us two weeks before the ceremony, that threw our whole schedule into disarray, hence the reason why the Last Post, the two minutes silence, the piper's lament and Reveille (now referred to as Rouse) was blown early.
He may also want to contact the George McDougall School band and ask the bugler what it was that was blown after the lament, I heard it as Rouse.
We do not vet the timing nor the content of the speeches given by Lt.-Col. (retired) Al Price, Airdrie RCMP Inspector Kimberley Pasloske, Mayor Peter Brown and Airdrie Legion president Bob McNevin, but would welcome Skelton to come next year with his stop watch and watch them practice so we can time everything to make sure the two minutes of silence is observed at exactly 11 a.m.
Please remember that all who organize these events are volunteers, mainly from The Royal Canadian Legion, Airdrie, but we have never seen Skelton's name put forward to be one of them.
Bill Drummond
Event Emcee
Airdrie Legion past president
