Honouring the fallen

For most Canadians, most of the time, the kind of in-your-face, flag-waving displays of patriotism common to American patriotic events are seen as being rather uncouth. That is why these patriotic displays are so much more meaningful.

From the air base in Trenton, Ontario, the funeral cortege passes along motorways lined with scores of people holding Canadian flags, some with a hand on their heart, carrying banners emblazoned with the words "we support our troops."

All 50 of the motorway bridges on the journey into Toronto were said to have been packed with the general public.

As the cortege passes fire engines and police cars, officers and emergency workers solemnly salute as children wave flags.

But the solemn gesture is a far cry from Britain, where Our Boys are turned away from public places and told not to wear their uniforms following sickening insults.