It is Rememberance day in Canada today. I will remember my grandfather an Air Commander in the RCAF and a brother of his who died fighting in Italy and my grandfather a Estonian freedom fighter. Also some of my family were shot by Stalinists. As well I will remember two other soliders both of whom are alive at this moment. One is a fellow I grew up with who has fought mostly in the Middle East with the Canadian forces. He was a military doctor. As well I know someone through the Internet who is presently in hospital from wounds suffered in Iraq and is fighting for his life in that hospital.

I will also pause today to reflect on my own committments to peace and justice and the fact that wars have brought us technology. I will think of Alan Turing and the development of computers and also think of arms sales. I will reflect as well on the horror of war and think back on my peace movement activities of the past thirty or more years.