We’re Getting A Full-Throated Thanks From Our American Neighbours For Our Help

A Brief Note from NAL publisher Doug Draper

On Saturday, November 3, I reported seeing a long caravan of hydro trucks from Ontario crossing the Peace Bridge border crossing, on their way to hurricane-ravaged regions of New York State and New Jersey to help restore power to millions of people there.

Ontario hydro trucks line up at border, on their way to hurricane-stricken regions of northeastern U.S.  – Image from Hydro One website

It isn’t the first time Canadians have come to the aid of our American neighbours during times of pressing need, of course. As recently as this past June, when a monster wind storm swept through Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, leaving millions of people in those and adjoining states without electricity during a near record heat wave. A friend of mine – a former Ontarian now living in Maryland – called me later to say how grateful he and his neighbours were to see hydro crews of Ontario assisting their local utility workers in restoring their power. 

I thought of that thankful call from my friend while reading a letter to the editor that appeared in The Globe and Mail this November 6 from a resident in Long Island, New York. It read as follows; 

“As I made my way to work on Long Island, Parts of which are still without heat or electricity, a caravan of white, Ontario license-plate-bearing bucket trucks made their way down our thoroughfares,” began the note on the editorial pages of The Globe. “The lead hydro truck was flying the Maple Leaf as our neighbours to the north came south to help us in the same spirit that saw Canada respond when she opened her airports to U.S.-bound flights on 9/11.”

“Thank you Canada,” the note concluded. And thank you to each and every Ontario resident who came to help restore not only our electricity, but also our dignity.” 

Once again, and as I mentioned in the recent post on this site about seeing all of those hydro trucks crossing the Canada/U.S. border, on their way to communities in distress, it is a reason to feel proud and to feel grateful for living in the region of the world where that kind of friendship between neighbouring countries still exists.

(Niagara At Large invites our readers on both sides of the border and beyond to share their views on this post in the comment space below.)