Tag Archives: Britain

Long Live Our Noble Queen

As the world mourns the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, we undoubtedly acknowledge the scope of her public service for over 70 years. She is one of the most recognized and famous people on the face of the earth. 

My parents travelled to England when I was young and could (hope to) catch glimpses of the Royal Family, including the Queen, outside Buckingham Palace. My family, one could say, became Royal Watchers. Years later, I’d be hired by former MPP Toby Barrett UE who I quickly learned harbored profound respect for Queen Elizabeth II.

Shortly after officially becoming our longest reigning Monarch, Toby penned a newspaper column that began with: “Queen Elizabeth II is the only British Monarch in history properly trained to change a spark plug!” As Toby said at the time, the statement exemplified the character of our Queen.

Elizabeth learned to change a spark plug at 18 (during the Second World War) after joining the British Army Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service. She served as an army truck mechanic and as an ambulance and army truck driver.

Elizabeth carried an incredible responsibility throughout her life, beginning at a young age. Upon taking the throne in 1952, she witnessed enormous social change. At 25, Elizabeth became Queen, and was officially crowned at her coronation two years later.

During her reign, Queen Elizabeth visited Canada more than any other country – 22 times. She must have had a special place in her heart for our country and its people, as she was known to refer to Canada as home. From the outpouring of sentiments, the feeling was indeed mutual. 

On September 8th, the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after physicians placed her under medical supervision. Later in the day Thursday, news spread that the Queen had passed away peacefully in the afternoon. A sad, solemn day.

Queen Elizabeth II officially made Liz Truss Britain’s prime minister two days before her passing. Truss would become the 15th prime minister to meet with the Queen. The meeting was at Balmoral Castle, in the Scottish countryside, where Boris Johnson first arrived to begin the power transfer. The first prime minister the Queen met with during her reign was Winston Churchill – a leader I often quote.

Last Thursday, Prime Minister Truss described Queen Elizabeth II as the rock on which modern Britain was built and continued by saying that she had “provided us with the stability and strength that we needed.” In times of adversity, the Queen has steadied nations with her strength and stoicism – the embodiment of a true leader.

Succession plans have long been in place, and the Queen’s son, Charles III, will become King. As an aside, I met Prince Charles and Camilla a few years back at a function in Toronto. It was a cheeky meeting and one I will never forget. 

While we all come to grips with the passing of a lady who impacted our lives in ways, we did not realize, Britain is preparing to usher in a new era in the nation’s fascinating history. Britain, Canada and the Commonwealth will undoubtedly embrace the King and offer him loyalty and devotion, exactly as Her Majesty would have wished.

For the Silo, by Bobbi Ann Brady MPP Haldimand-Norfolk

How Canada Influenced American Civil War

This August we saw the fifth U.S. Civil War re-enactment at Circle G Ranch, east of Cayuga, Ontario. On Sept. 13, re-enactors of the ‘Blue and Grey’ will go to battle in Otterville.

The American Civil War had a tremendous influence on the British North American colonies, and continues to be of mind.

At onset of the Civil War, Canada did not yet exist as a federated nation. When the war broke out in 1861, Canada was still a subject of Great Britain and had maintained an uneasy peace with its American neighbors since the War of 1812.

William Seward, the American Secretary of State during the Civil War, was an annexationist who felt that British North America was destined to become part of the United States. As it became obvious that the North would emerge victorious there was a fear the Union army would turn its eyes north of the border.

Many in the US government were supporters of Manifest Destiny, an ideology that stated America should conquer the continent. Canadians were concerned about the possibility of a US invasion.

The tensions between the United States and Britain, which had been ignited by the war and made worse by the Fenian Raids, led to concern for the security and independence of the colonies, helping to consolidate momentum for Canadian confederation.

In the election of 1864, the Republican Party used annexation as a means to gain support from Irish Americans and the land-hungry.

In 1866, an annexation bill passed in the US House of Representatives stating the United States acquire all of what is now Canada.

The Underground Railway- major sites in Ontario,Canada.

The Civil War also had an important effect on discussions concerning the nature of the emerging federation. Many Fathers of Confederation concluded the secessionist war was caused by too much power being given to the states, and thus resolved to create a more centralized federation. It was also believed that too much democracy was a contributing factor and the Canadian system was thus equipped with checks and balances such as the appointed Senate and the power of the British-appointed governor-general.

The guiding principles of the legislation which created Canada, the British North American Act, were peace, order and good government – in stark contrast to the perceived rugged individualism of the neighbours south of the border.

Since 1793, thanks to then Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe, Upper Canada – now present day Ontario – had banned the importation of slaves.
Canadians were largely opposed to slavery, and Canada had recently become the destination of the Underground Railroad.

The Underground Railway was a network of safe houses and individuals who helped runaway slaves reach free sates in the American North or in Canada.

It ran from about 1840 to 1860. It was most effective after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, which enabled slave hunters to pursue runaways onto free soil. It is estimated that about 30,000 reached Canada. Several communities were established in Ontario, including one east of Cayuga, at Canfield.

The Civil War claimed 7,000 Canadians and almost 620,000 US lives.

Between 33,000 and 55,000 men from British North America served in the Union army, and a few hundred in the Confederate army. Five served as generals, and 29 received the U.S. Medal of Honour. For the Silo, Toby Barrett MPP Haldimand-Norfolk.

Most Common Neighbor Disputes In Britain

Neighbor disputes are fairly common. They can arise for a number of reasons, such as shared land and amenities, repairs, boundaries, noise or parking spaces. How you deal with these could determine how comfortable you feel in your house and your neighborhood. So many times, disputes can escalate unnecessarily and leave both parties stressed, angry and sometimes out of pocket.

In this guide we look at some of the most common neighbor disputes in Britain and give tips on how to handle them and more importantly, how to resolve them peacefully.



Infographic courtesy of our friends at castironradiators4u.co.uk