Canada Plans Draft-Dodger Monument
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Fox
NELSON, British Columbia - After burning their draft cards
during the Vietnam War, tens of thousands of Americans
avoided jail by fleeing to Canada.
Many settled in the small town of Nelson, British Columbia
(search), just across the Washington state border. Now, 30
years later, the mayor of Nelson and some other Canadians
are planning to honor the draft dodgers with a two-day
festival and a larger-than-life monument depicting a
Canadian helping two scared American men.
Though the festival and statue unveiling are still two
years away, the war of words is just beginning.
Veterans of Foreign Wars (search) leaders are outraged by
the monument, as are others in the United States who see
the plan as a slap in the face. Some have written to Nelson
officials to say they'll never visit the town again.
The Canadian government did nothing to discourage Americans
from heading north of the border so many years ago. In
fact, then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (search) rolled
out the red carpet, saying the draft dodgers had his
complete sympathy.