Born and raised in Kamloops, it was a pleasure to open a letter from my sister to find David Charbonneau’s column on the War of 1812 (War Of 1812 Does Not Make Us Warriors, The Daily News, Oct. 24) in which he mentions the federal government’s attempt to rebrand Canada as a warrior nation. Other revisionist moves include identifying issues like the British exploration of the Arctic (Franklin expedition) as Canadian.

Similarly, while reducing the work of archivists and historians in federal institutions, the government is hiring historians to do its bidding at the “new” Canadian Museum of History (formerly the Canadian Museum of Civilization). This emphasis on war and Canadianism is misguided nationalism that will likely disrespect the arms-length tradition that ensures professionals can do their work without political interference.

Early indications suggest the government wants to rewrite history. For example, the objective of the new History Hall to portray both social history and great men and events while excluding First Nations, depicts a movement towards a traditional view of our past. Is this government promoting patriotism at the expense of professional and democratic tenets?

DAVID T. RUDDEL

Victoria, PEI