On November 11th, all Canadian Pacific trains in Canada and the United States will safely halt at 11AM local time, observe two minutes of respect in silence and then sound a long train whistle in tribute.  A Remembrance Day and Veterans Day service will also be held at CP's headquarters in Calgary.

On land, sea and in the air, Canadian Pacific, its people, resources, ingenuity and expertise have been needed to support war efforts at home and abroad. Canadian Pacific recognizes the contributions our employees have made in times of war both past and present said Scott MacDonald, vice-president transportation. Many of our employees continue to serve. These brave men and women are a legacy and an inspiration, as are the many CP employees who are today listed military reservists.

Canadian Pacific has been touched by the tragic impacts of World War I and World War II.  Over 33 thousand CP employees served in the last centurys two world wars.  Sadly, 1,774 employees died in battle.  In the two World Wars combined, 24 of 74 CP ships were lost to enemy action.  In the air, CP pioneered the transatlantic delivery of bombers to Britain.  At home, Canadian Pacifics efforts included transporting troops, supplies and equipment in addition to making its shops available for the output of Valentine tanks, engines for frigates and landing craft, naval vessel power equipment components, naval guns, anti-submarine devices and fire-control equipment.

The tradition of service continues, with 44 Canadian and American employees currently listed as reservists. In Canada, CP moves Canadian Forces equipment and is one of Canadas most supportive employers of primary Reserve Force personnel.  In the United States, CP is a proud partner of the US Army PaYS program, which recruits soldiers interested in obtaining a quality civilian job following service to their country.

These brave men and women will be honored at CPs Remembrance and Veterans Day ceremony.  Canadian Pacific executives, employees, Police Service officers, pensioners, members of the Lord Strathconas Horse Royal Canadians, Canadian Forces Kings Own Regiment, Calgary 41st Brigade Group the 2554 Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry Cadet Corps and members of the public will recognize their service at a special ceremony at CPs Calgary Head Office, on 9 Ave SW next to the Steam Locomotive.

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I know this is a minor gesture...but it does have meaning, and weight. I received a note from the bigs at Ft. Worth a few days ago...

I gotta call ta say my own thanks.

Thank you Canadian Military Forces too! They were (and still are) our best allies since WW-I. We owe Canada a huge debt for stepping up, to help us fight the "Axis Powers" in WW-II as well.

Thanks again Canadian Forces!                         

I'm sure you've heard about this...

For his free meal on Veterans Day, Ernest Walker picked the Chili's Grill & Bar in Cedar Hill. The 47-year-old sat at a table and ordered a burger while his service dog, Barack, waited by his side.
Chili's is apologizing for what happened next.
As Walker tells it, an elderly white man wearing a Donald Trump shirt approached him and said that he was in Germany and that blacks weren't allowed to serve there. Walker, who is black, says he was wearing his old Army uniform.
The man walked to the back of the restaurant, Walker says, and a waitress came to pack his leftovers. Then a manager showed up.
In a widely shared Facebook post, Walker wrote that the manager claimed another guest said Walker was not "a real soldier" because he was wearing his hat indoors. Walker said he provided a military ID at the manager's request, along with his discharge papers.
"The guest also said your dog is not a service dog," Walker says the manager told him.
That's when Walker says he turned his cellphone camera on.
"Barack had his red service vest on, and his certified service tags," Walker wrote. "I was sitting for 35 minutes prior with Barack beforehand. At this point I was grossly offended, embarrassed dehumanized and started recording."
The video shows Walker arguing with the manager about whether he has seen Walker's military information. The manager grabs his leftovers as Walker talks over him.
"You have a great day," the manager says before walking away with the to-go box.
"Yes, I did just provide documents for you, and they saw you," Walker replies.

The manager couldn't be reached for comment Sunday. He has been put on leave, KXAS-TV (NBC5) reports.
One of Walker's attorneys, Kim Cole, said in an email that officials with Chili's and its parent company, Brinker International, apologized to Walker via phone Monday.
Chili's president Kelli Valade said in a prepared statement that the restaurant immediately removed the manager.
"On a day where we served more than 200,000 free meals as a small gesture of our appreciation for our veterans and active military for their service, we fell short," Valade said.
Walker said he was stationed in Hawaii in the 25th Infantry Division during the late 1980s. He showed his discharge form to an NBC5 reporter at a press conference Sunday.
Walker blames the reaction of the Chili's manager to the prodding of the Trump supporter.
"I do believe that the election has changed the hearts and changed the motives of people so much so that he believed in his heart and mind after talking to the Trump supporter that I was stealing food," Walker said.

To make matters worse, Walker said, the manager didn't believe his service dog was real.
Federal law defines service animals as those that have been individually trained to assist a person with a disability, regardless of whether they have been certified or licensed by a state or local government. Restaurants that ban pets are required to allow service animals.
Though service dogs usually wear special tags or gear, sometimes they're not obvious. In that case, the U.S. Department of Justice tells businesses that they may ask a customer two specific questions: Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Federal rules prohibit businesses from asking customers about the nature of their disability or demanding documentation for the service animal.
Cedar Hill Mayor Rob Franke said in a prepared statement that the incident at Chili's "is not what we are about."
"My concern for the veteran is paramount, but we must also consider the manager and how he can become a better person and perhaps do better the next time he is put in a difficult situation," Franke said. "People do best and learn the most from experience. To learn requires patience and grace, neither of which can occur in the heat of emotion, demonstration, and anger."