Memorial to the Victims of Communism; there's nothing democratic about it.

Monuments should not be ideologically motivated or created at the behest of the highest bidder.  The proposed Memorial to the Victims of Communism in Ottawa is both.  Controversy has been increasing for months now over a plan to place the monument in what is currently an unnamed park between the Supreme Court of Canada and Library and Archives buildings on Wellington Street.  Conservative politicians, especially Jason Kenney, John Baird, and Pierre “the petulant” Poilievre have been especially aggressive on this cause, which is financed by an organization calling itself Tribute to Liberty, an organization of individuals who have either been victimized by communist governments or have family members who were.

I oppose communism.  I cannot think of one single good example of it working in any country where it was or is the system of government.  It results in a complete loss of civil rights, economic mediocrity, threatens peace, and ends up being equally elitist to the system it replaces.  It assumes humans are capable of perfection and no wrongdoing when organized collectively.  The reality check is that we are human and no matter how well we are organized, nothing is ever going to be perfect.  For decades, the site of the Ottawa monument was to be the location of a new courthouse to house the Federal Court of Canada—historically known as the Exchequer Court.  Conservative politicians have ignored that plan and have designated it as the site for the monument instead.  The ideological and arrogant Mr. Kenney, along with the noxious and nasty Mr. Poilievre continually say “nobody really wants another government office building in downtown Ottawa” as their justification for locating the oversized memorial on the site.  A courthouse is just not another government office building.  It is where justice is served for the public good.  A courthouse is probably a far better monument to democracy than slabs of stone and steel.  Mr. Kenney and Mr. Poilievre’s comments about the proposed courthouse being just another government office building are telling signs of the contempt the Conservatives have for the impartial and often activist judiciary.  Tribute to Liberty has basically raised money in such a way that they could buy favour with the government and have their preferred site for the memorial.  The ideological motivations of the Conservatives have most likely eased their efforts.  I am positive that the Harper government thinks any government responsibility beyond the armed forces is radical socialism.  What Tribute to Liberty has done, and what the government has done through its collaboration is completely undemocratic.  It actually resembles the bribery, collaboration, and corruption that one associates with the dysfunction of communist countries.

Ottawa City Council has passed a resolution asking that the monument be relocated.  The issue is increasingly receiving national attention.  The idea of a memorial itself is not necessarily bad, but it should not be in the location proposed, and it should not be so bold and garish in order to make an ideological statement.  There are other monuments in honour of various victims, battles, and events throughout Ottawa.  None of these are as imposing or are as ideologically motivated as the proposed Memorial to the Victims of Communism.  This monument would end up being the second-largest of its kind in the capital, with only the National War Memorial being larger.  The Royal Canadian Navy monument is located in a small park by the Portage Bridge and the Ottawa River.  Why should the contribution of the sailors who have served our country for over a century be dwarfed?  Many of these sailors served in a capacity where they were containing or curtailing communism!  The same applies to soldiers and aviators!  My grandfather was in the RCAF, he always called himself a veteran of the Cold War and even has a medal for it.  The only large memorials in our capital city should be for our military personnel.  People served and sacrificed their lives for Canada for non-partisan, non-ideological reasons.  Smaller monuments are perfectly acceptable, and they certainly should not rival or usurp those honouring our war dead and veterans who served under national motivation, not nationalist or ideological motivation.  Our national monuments should not be constructed due to political interference and the fundraising efforts of the highest bidder.