The Arctic is important to Canada

 The Arctic is so very important to Canada. It is part of our national heritage; it is who we are this great piece of land stretching from the 41st parallel at Point Pelee all the way to the North Pole. In my lifetime I have been at the very tip of Point Pelee and as far north as the mouth of James Bay. One of these days I hope to make the Northwest Passage. It is one of my dream trips although not one that Edward really wanted to go on particularly. He thought it would just be very cold and it may well be but I would like to take it one of these days. I actually got tired of going to Europe but each trip made Edward all the more desirous of going there. He loved to explore new places except for the very cold ones! Although he was looking at going to the Galapagos Islands on our next excursion to the south. I would have also enjoyed that but will not likely do that one as it isn't very high on my priority list. We tended to have Edward's priority list and then my thoughts on where I might like to go and we did Edward's priority list which was also fun. I did love each trip that we took but found all the food too much. I love looking around though. When we had meals on our own we would often pick up at a local place and go walking with the food in our hands. I think we actually looked like locals when we did that!

But back to the Arctic as it is high on my agenda of care at the moment. We really do need our submarines. Why don't we build submarines. After all we are very unlikely to want nuclear powered submarines. We do not need to be underwater for long periods and can refuel readily as we would be close to Canada except when we had patrol duties for the United Nations to keep smugglers and pirates at bay from our own shores and those of others less able to defend themselves. My first priority from now on when the Liberals or Conservatives ask my opinion will be for submarines. After all if we build them here then we are employing Canadians and certainly it will be our military manning them (somehow using a term womanning them seems rather strange to this 76 year old). Perhaps it is because I have four brothers that I do tend to feel that men have always had to share their male terms with everyone whereas women had terms reserved for them only. Probably I was never a feminist although I did study science at University and have mostly worked in a science type field. Lots of people thought I was a feminist but I just really liked studying science and mathematics.