Anniversary of Battle of Passchendaele significant to champion of farmworkers’ rights
By Letter to the Editor on November 10, 2017.
An unexpected visit to the Alberta Legislature recently provided a very moving moment for me and brought thoughts of my grandfather Daniel Dunlop. Alberta’s beautiful Legislature Building was being guarded by First World War Mounted Cavalry to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele. This anniversary has profound significance to Canada and it is a milestone in my life. Nov. 10, 2017, is the 100th anniversary of the death of Trooper Daniel Dunlop, stretcher bearer on the bloody and muddy fields of Passchendaele. My grandfather Daniel Dunlop was the last of the three Dunlop brothers from Frank, Alta., to perish in the First World War, the war to end all wars. There are no graves for the Dunlop boys. The Dunlop family’s loss was so great the tiny community of Frank was awarded three First World War trophies. The cannon and two Vickers machine guns were placed in the front yard of Danny and Annie Dunlop, parents of James, John and Daniel. The memorial sat on the Dunlop property some 30 years. It was then moved and now sits a short distance from where the family home sat and has been refurbished by various levels of government. My father Daniel (a Second World War veteran) was the only child born to the three boys. This was very moving for me, to see the likeness of my grandfather guarding this Grande Dame where I spent countless hours in a battle of my own. It appeared as though they were standing on guard for me. My 15-year battle to secure equality for Alberta farmworkers continues in the face of the threats from the upstart UCP and its leader Jason Kenney and I know I will need much help to vanquish this foe. Passchendaele is a distant memory but this Albertan caught the torch from their failing hands and taken up the quarrel with the foe. Equality is for all Canadians even if they are farmworkers working in Alberta. Darlene A. Dunlop Bow Island 10-9
Yes Darlene I’ve been fighting your battle since Ralph Klein came on the scene. I will never forget how he helped the packing plants clean the beef producers out of millions of dollars that they should have received.Having known Klein since 1964 I knew he would be a disaster and he was. Once again we see many of our fellow seniors allowing themselves to be treated like morons, supporting anyone who adds the word conservative to their name.
While Klein always bragged about being a Liberal and deliberately destroyed everything Lougheed stood for, now they have elected another former Liberal in Jason Kenney . It makes them look rather stupid when they support former Liberals then go around bad mouthing the Liberals, like many of them are doing. After Kenney was Ralph Goodale’s assistant in Saskatchewan I doubt he can attack the Trudeau government with any credibility.
Kenney has made it crystal clear that he has no intention of trying to get this province out of the horrific mess we are in by increasing royalties and taxes for his rich friends, and his health care promises will certainly have a huge effect on rural Albertans health care system, as doctors point out. It could cost a lot of people their lives. Like Klein, when he tried to do it with his Third-Way, I know he doesn’t care.
Let’s hope that Calgarians are smart enough to defeat him in the up coming by election, but I doubt it. The ignorant seniors will be out to support him, ignoring what Liberal Ralph Klein did to this province. Don Getty told me in 2003 that inviting Liberal Ralph Klein into the Conservative party was the dumbest thing he ever did and I certainly agreed.
We lost a great-uncle in Paaschendaele.