Editorial: Lessons of past clearly forgotten

YORKTON - Twice we have seen the horrific results of our world at war, and yet here we are again teetering upon the edge, with growing fear we will tumble yet again into a conflict where thousands die from countries around the world. 

The last world war was the result of a clearly unstable leader Adolph Hitler coveting ever expanding power. 

When he crossed the line the world finally responded and before he was stopped more than 70 million were dead. 

Fast forward to today, and we have another power mad leader Vladimir Putin of Russia invading Ukraine, and if successful there are fears where his eyes will look next for conquest? 

So far Ukraine is fighting back. They are not giving up their country, and freedom easily. 

Much of the rest of the world now struggles with how to respond to the Russian aggression in Ukraine. 

A hockey team from Finland has withdrawn from the league in Russia. Russian vodka is off store shelves in Canada. There are calls for Russia’s junior hockey team to be dropped from the upcoming World Championship. 

They are at best symbolic gestures, with sanctions rarely having an immediate effect on change, and meanwhile the tanks rumble and Ukrainians die to Russia bullets defending their freedom. 

Locally, people wanting to show their support for Ukraine held a rally in the park in Yorkton Sunday. Many of those gathered would have been able to trace their family roots to the land now being fought over – some as fairly recent immigrants, some now a few generations here in Canada, but all with deep concern about what was happening to family, friends, and the country they will forever be connected too.  

The gathering was a rather poignant reminder of what exactly freedom, democracy and dictatorship is about. 

In Canada we sometimes forget just how free and fortunate we are. If wearing a mask and showing a vaccination passport is the biggest hardship we face, we are infinitely fortunate. 

Anyone in Ukraine right now would gladly wear a mask for the next year if they didn’t have to hide in their basements afraid to go outside for fear of being killed by an invading Russian’s bullet. 

So now the question becomes what can Canada do to support Ukraine, a country where so many of our citizen’s have come from? 

Sanctions of course are a step. 

So too is humanitarian aid, and opening the country to those fleeing the invasion.  

It’s a natural to come here given the Ukrainian community already here. But let us not forget these people were not looking to leave their homes, they are being chased out by the guns of an invading force. 

But what comes next? 

Where is the line in the sand for NATO? 

Those are questions with perhaps the scariest of answers hanging over the heads of world leaders, while Ukrainians fight and die.