A shameful lack of respect

For many years I have proudly flown a Canadian flag from the front of my home. Saturday, Nov. 11, I made a point of getting up early and lowering my Canadian flag to half staff in a show of respect and gratitude to the veterans who served to keep Canada, England and their allies free.

Around 9 a.m. I was driving by the OPP station and the Caledon fire department on Old Church Road in Caledon East. In doing so, I noticed that neither of these government offices had lowered their flags for Remembrance Day. At first I shrugged it off, thinking that they hadn't quite got to it yet.

Around noon I again drove along Old Church Road, passed the two building and their flags still flew from the top of the poles.

I feel that it was a shameful lack of respect from these two, "uniformed" government agencies not to have lowered their flags for Remembrance Day.

My father served five years with the Royal Air Force in Word War II and my grandfather served 10 years with the Royal Field Artillery until wounded in World War I. I am proud of their service and that of their generations. The simple acts of lowering our flags, wearing a poppy, and observing two short minutes of silence is not too much to show our respect and gratitude, is it?

Paul Hockham

Caledon East