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[martys]

You Could Have Heard a Pin Drop

 

I love it. Stand up and be counted.
 

In France, at a fairly large conference, Prime Minister Steven Harper

was asked by a French cabinet minister if Canadian involvement in

Afghanistan was just an example of "empire building".

Mr. Harper answered by saying, 'Over the years, Canada has sent 

many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for

freedom beyond our borders. 

The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to

bury those that did not return.'

 

You could have heard a pin drop.

 

 

A Canadian Admiral was attending a naval conference that included

Admirals from the Canadian, US, English, Australian and French Navies.

At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of

officers that included personnel from most of those countries. 

Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks, but 

a French Admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn 

many languages, North Americans generally learn only English. He 

then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these 

conferences rather than speaking French?'

Without hesitating, the Canadian Admiral replied 'Maybe it's because 

the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you 

wouldn't have to speak German.'

 

You could have heard a pin drop.

 

 

When Robert Whiting, an elderly Canadian gentleman of 83, arrived in

Paris by plane, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his 

carry-on bag at French Customs.

'You have been to France before, monsieur?' the customs officer asked

sarcastically.

Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.

The official replied, 'Then you should know enough to have your 

passport ready.'

The Canadian said, 'The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it.'

'Impossible, Monseur. Canadians always have to show passports on 

arrival in France!'

The Canadian senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he

quietly explained, 'Well, when I came ashore on D-Day in 1944 to help

liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a 

passport to.'

 

 

You could have heard a pin drop.

 

 

Canadians are Cool.

Rememberance Day November 11th

 



 
 
 

[Twolanerider]

Marty, the sentiments are laudable and certainly within the spirit men and women share throughout the Western democracies.  One need be careful with the citations themselves though. 

Variations of the latter two are generally unattributed and have been used under many names in many places for a long time.  The first exchange attributed to Prime Minister Harper I'd not heard of nor read before though.  In a quick search just found no citation.  Variations of this exchange attributed to several different people in the last few years have been relatively common though. 

The exchange in the case does have a specific genesis though.  It's from an exchange between then US Secretary of State Colin Powel and the then former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey (no relation).  The exchange took place in 2003 at the end of remarks Powel made to The World Economic Forum.  Full remarks here:

http://web.archive.org/web/20050223091222/http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Remarks+from+Colin+Powell,+US+Secretary+of+State

[miker]

Canada! 

Americas hat! 

[spydglide]

That's a good read this morning.  Thanks, TwoLane.  spyder