British Diplomat's Opinion of Canada
- Thread starter Cannuck
- Start date
Yes it does bring you to tears .
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A little background on the test pilot of the Arrow.
Squadron Leader Janusz Zurakowski, Polish Battle of Britain pilot, was born on September 12, 1914. He died on February 9, 2004, aged 89.
One of the most accomplished pilots in the world, Jan Zurakowski earned enduring fame for his brilliant war record, being the first to break the sound barrier in a Canadian designed aircraft, the Avro CF-100; and as the first pilot to fly the Avro Arrow.
Raised in Poland, he flew gliders in high school and joined the Polish Air Force in 1934. He escaped to England in 1940. A superb fighter pilot, cool and systematic, Zurakowski's destruction of enemy aircrafts in the Battle of Britain won him decorations and promotions.
After the war, he tested Britain's first jet fighter, the Gloster Meteor and, in 1951, invented the amazing "Zurabatic Cartwheel," an air show-stealer to this day. Immigrating to Canada in 1952, he became Avro Aircraft's chief development pilot, winning the 1958 McKee Trophy for his experimental work in aviation.
After the 1959 scrapping of the Avro Arrow, a design years ahead of its time, Zurakowski retired from flying to run a tourist lodge.
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Don't tar your self with the same brush as this twit. Britain has about 50 million people, one is hardly a fair representation. Canada has about 34 million people and I would hope that someone characterizing us would study several thousand spread across 10 provinces, three territories and three or four demographic groups. That would give some idea about what Canadians are like.
I suppose on the international stage, do we matter? Britain has far more in the way of defence than we do, and they contribute much more on the world stage.
Why, because they have faced the direct impact of war and destruction, that is
why Europeans and Brits in particular, view the world differently. When you are
exposed to food shortages, lack of fuel, constant bombing and so on, it goes to
the heart of their reality, and the horrors are passed down from one generation
to another, and even though most of the people of that time are gone the story
they left behind has not. We in Canada, have had it easy, we have not faced
such a direct impact of war.
Why, because they have faced the direct impact of war and destruction, that is
why Europeans and Brits in particular, view the world differently. When you are
exposed to food shortages, lack of fuel, constant bombing and so on, it goes to
the heart of their reality, and the horrors are passed down from one generation
to another, and even though most of the people of that time are gone the story
they left behind has not. We in Canada, have had it easy, we have not faced
such a direct impact of war.
Definitely a lot of truth in what you say, Britain has faced a lot of adversity and one quality the Brits have is they are definitely not whiners. Of course most whiners have never faced real adversity or been able to deal with disappointment.
Well, England has perpetrated its own share of brutality on other peoples, too.
Anyway, who gives a pinch of goose goo what the pompous ass thinks of us?
Anyway, who gives a pinch of goose goo what the pompous ass thinks of us?