I few months ago, I was out and about with the lad when one of the nation's new super transport military cargo planes flew overhead on a training run from nearby CFB Trenton. Having grown up for a chunk of my life next to CFB Greenwood in Nova Scotia, I have a soft spot for the planes but it was the speed of Canada's response to Haiti that proved their worth in practice. The news of the speed and success of the mission is amazing as well:

Today, survivors of the earthquake that reduced Governor General Michaëlle Jean's hometown to rubble are living in tents in the streets. On Friday the team set up their field hospital on the pier at the base of the downtown core. From there a team of 40 medics have helped treat hundreds of people, including 240 on Monday. "Today was our busiest day by far," said Maj. Annie Bouchard, the medic overseeing the field hospital, who has been working with a broken hand. Four days into a deployment that could last 40 days, the major says DART's medical team is already operating near its limits.

While the Travolta mission may seem a bit much - or not - the DART team is a great reminder that when you hear PM Harper trot out the old simplicity "I don’t believe any taxes are good taxes” that there are in fact many good taxes because there are many good civic functions, few of which can beat this sector of our military as an example of service and a source of pride. Too bad all that coming Olympic coverage might suggest that some other career path as a role model for national pride.