Failure in Canadian Life - Fallen Police Officer Chris Garrett Deserves the Cross of Valour

Then go and sign the petition to the Governor General of Canada to have this gross miscarriage of justice righted.

Or email info@gg.ca, which I did:

To the Governor General of Canada:

What in the name of god has gone wrong in Canada when the arbitrary rules of gray-faced bureaucrats can deny the Cross of Valour to a brave police officer who died in the line of duty? I speak of the Governor General's office denying the Cross of Valour to Constable Chris Garrett because the trial of his murderer (who was found guilty) apparently outlasted the expiration date of officer Garrett's sacrifice.

Valour has an expiration date? The price Constable Chris Garrett paid has lost its value after two years?

In a free and civilized society, the rights of criminals have to be respected. I understand this. It makes many of us grit our teeth, but we know that it's necessary and right. But also necessary and right -- even more necessary and right -- is paying heed to the victims of crime, ensuring their rights have been respected. And when it comes to the brave men and women of the Canadian police services and armed forces, maybe more respect ought to be paid to their rights when they are wronged, or just flat-out murdered, by criminals.

Part and parcel of this, is awarding the Cross of Valour to someone like Constable Chris Garrett.

But it appears our Governor General and her staff of social calendar-keepers are too busy or not interested enough in doing right by a fallen police officer. Is the position of Governor General so an empty, ceremonial, and superfluous that we only grant it to empty, ceremonial, superfluous people?

So, who is there in Canadian life to take up the cause of Constable Chris Garrett? His fellow officers, certainly, but quite unfortunately it was not until This Hour Has 22 Minutes aired a commentary on this egregious injustice that I became aware of it. Which tells me the people whose jobs it is to work on behalf of the Canadian people -- i.e. the Governor General's office and its harem of do-nothings -- aren't performing this task, but a comedy show on television is.

How woeful, how shameful that the request for Constable Chris Garrett's Cross of Valour be treated like a letter from a motorist protesting a speeding ticket. Denied out of hand with the most lame and feeble of excuses.

Many Canadians -- myself very much included -- don't even believe we should have a Governor General any longer. We don't need another Canadian official infuriating us with the expense of needless travel, giving hollow speeches filled with tired platitudes to people around the country and world who couldn't care less, anyhow. But the one goddamned time we really need the Governor General, one of her paper-shuffling-penciling-pushing-NO-stamping gnomes declares on behalf of the office that the expiration date of Constable Chris Garrett's bravery and sacrifice has passed.

No. No way.

First, heed the wishes of tens of thousands of Canadians and award Constable Chris Garrett the Cross of Valour.

Then, ferret out the bureaucratic dullard who made this preposterous declaration that the valour of an officer of the law giving his life only has a shelf-life of two years.

God almighty, do the right thing!