1812 THE WAR THAT ALMOST—NOT QUITE—SAVED CANADA

Sometime, last fall, Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore announced that the federal government would invest millions of dollars to commemorate the 200^th anniversary of the War of 1812 The celebration, he stated, would be an opportunity for ALL Canadians to take pride in their heritage/history and participate “in the events and activities that will mark this important anniversary for Canada.”

The problem is that, with the gradual disappearance of Canadian the culture, the gradual, disappearance of history from school curriculums and our ever increasing “Americanization” in recent decades, many Canadians today—particularly younger ones—have only the haziest of notions about the war, its causes, course, and outcome.

However, the War of 1812 is somewhat embedded in our history and our mythology—if, and when, the average citizen can gain access to it—yet it has remained a wobbly legged piece of the Canadian decor; one that has been quietly archived; or stored in the attic—until now.

There is nothing like a major anniversary to bring out the story of any war, especially if the outcome is in any way positive or a country need to explain why they are involved in another.

History, of course, has a duty to fact and myth, because both are part of the overall storyline. It is only when they become blurred that we run into trouble.

The militia myth that it was only Canadian volunteers who repelled the U.S. is as old as the war itself, and it is a tale that has been embellished often—at least on this side of the border and this side of the Atlantic. To the south, there remains the myth that it was a U.S. victory, (gave birth their National Anthem), or that BOTH sides won (in spite of all the evidence to the contrary, the U.S.A. still claims they have never lost a war).

The facts, however, tell a very different story, and it is the facts we should have more capacity for as we begin the bicentennial commemorations to appreciate and remember what too many of us is long-forgotten or never known Canadian history

Badly outnumbered by their U.S. foe, British regulars, Canadian soldiers and sailors, and their indigenous native allies fought with distinction during the war which began in June 1812 and ended with the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent in February 1815.

U.S. leaders were confident; former President Thomas Jefferson having remarked that the acquisition of Canada up to the vicinity of Montreal "would be a mere mater of marching." But,when it was over, the Canadian provinces were not the latest states of the Southern North American Union, but still part of BRITISH NORTH AMERICA. In addition to not conquering British North America the U.S. failed to achieve ANY of its wartime objectives—including the right to—in any way—consider themselves  or their union AMERICA

The U S. also suffered a debilitating loss in maritime trade, witnessed the capture of Washington and the destruction of government buildings by British and Canadian forces.

FOR CANADIANS TODAY, THE KEY POINT TO REMEMBER IS THAT IF THE BRITISH, CANADIAN, AND INDIGINOUS NATIVE ALLIES HAD NOT DEFENDED THE NORTH AMERICAN COLONIES, CANADA WOULD NOT EXIST AS A NATION TODAY; WE CANADIANS WOULD NOT HAVE A COUNTRY TO CALL HOME.