We’ve gone from freedom fighters to freeloaders

It was a century ago when a Calgary father embarked upon a selfie of an entirely different time and nature.

John George Pattison, a labourer with a city utility company, only enlisted in the army to keep his son safe — the silly boy lied about his age and joined at age 16.

So, on April 10, 1917, the diminutive Pattison — he barely stood 5-foot-2 — found himself a long way from his Prairie home in a shell-hole on the Douai Plain in Northern France. At least he persuaded the 50th Battalion brass to keep his underage son from the front.

The battle for Vimy Ridge would be fought without help from young Henry, who would survive the Great War.

The 41-year-old father wasn’t so fortunate. He watched an enemy machine-gun position mow down his comrades advancing on the ridge. What he did next would go down in history. Heck, years later, they’d even name a bridge over the Elbow after him.

“Pte. Pattison, with utter disregard of his own safety, sprang forward and, jumping from shell-hole to shell-hole, reached cover within thirty yards of the enemy gun. From this point, in face of heavy fire, he hurled bombs, killing and wounding some of the crew, then rushed forward overcoming and bayoneting the surviving five gunners.”

That’s the wording following his Victoria Cross citation. The medal was the greatest honour Commonwealth soldiers could receive, though sadly, Pattison never wore it. He died in another battle, two months later.

Yes, “selfies” were different in 1917. Then, it was about taking responsibility unto one’s self. That’s not the sort our prime minister is familiar with — though no doubt he’ll be snapping a

Here’s an opportunity to wax lyrical about the past and bask in some reflected glory and long-ago spilled blood.

few of the modern version when he partakes of the Vimy centennial celebrations this weekend.

Trudeau will be there, among a sombre gaggle of wide-eyed hangers-on. Hey, how could they resist? Here’s an opportunity to wax lyrical about the past and bask in some reflected glory and long-ago spilled blood.

Sorry, but as Pattison displayed a century ago, actions speak louder than words, no matter how eloquently they’re voiced.

Don’t believe me? Here’s what our prime minister recently said. Spoiler alert: This is just a warm-up for the actual onstage spectacle, when a tear may slowly leak from his eye. Still, it’s a nice piece of prose.

“The victory at Vimy Ridge was made possible through the combined efforts of Canada and its allies. It is fitting 100 years later to walk side by side with our allies to reflect on our victory, commemorate this milestone, and renew friendships as we continue to work together to defend freedom and democracy around the world.”

Working with our allies? Give us a break. Donald Trump may be a conniving, egotistical blowhard, but he’s right on one thing: Some NATO nations are freeloading.

And Canada’s near the top of that sad list, no matter how we try to gerrymander the count.

NATO countries pledged to spend two per cent of GDP on defence. Golly gosh, we recently boosted our contribution from 0.98 up to 1.02 per cent. Hey, we’re now in a three-way tie with Hungary and Slovenia at 20th in a field of 28. Even in today’s expanded NHL, that wouldn’t make the playoffs.

It’s a disgrace. This country came of age, as countries do, on the battlefield. Ours happened to be Vimy.

You defend your borders, your home and, with the most zeal, your family. Lazily expecting the United States to do part of that in our stead because we happen to share the same continental land mass is wrong.

Would John Pattison care? It would be easy to think so. But likely he’d not give a damn. No doubt politicians in his own day were the same as now (though at least his lot didn’t have selfie smartphones).

He saved his son. As for the rest, well, it pales doesn’t it?