With Canada Day come and gone, Prescott’s town council is looking into an old by-law that needs changing. Last week the Journal wrote an article about by-law 1553, and in the article the Hands Fireworks Incorporated Pyrotechnics business (HFI Pyrotechnics) was making a pitch for town council to alter the current by-law.

As it stands, the by-law prohibits the selling of fireworks throughout the year except for one week prior to Canada Day (it actually says Dominion day, this alone is a small testament to how old this by-law is) and one week prior to Victoria Day. The by-law also states that no one can set off any fireworks except during the aforementioned dates. However, if you do want to set off fireworks outside of Canada Day or Victoria Day you will need to request a special permit from town council. If you do not get the permit and you sell, or set off, fireworks you could be fined up to $300.

Last week Prescott’s Town Council indicated that they had an interest in making changes to this outdated by-law. The by-law, after all, was created in 1964 and has had one very subtle change in 1982. However, if they plan to proceed with any major changes there are a few cautionary notes that ought to be addressed.

First, it seems inevitable that council is open to discussing possible changes to the current by-law. If they plan to do this, they need to be sure to recognize how this change will impact the sales of fireworks for many different businesses within Prescott. Even though HFI Pyrotechnics initiated the call for change, this change will allow many other businesses to sell fireworks. Is this a good thing to do? Is this a step in the right direction? Council should be cognizant that if they choose to allow all businesses to sell fireworks throughout the year they ought to be wary of the possible increase of usage of fireworks.

This leads into the second part of the by-law that will need to be examined. What kind of limits is council willing to put in the by-law with respect to the usage of fireworks? It would be impractical to sell fireworks for fifty-two weeks of the year, and then be restricted to use them on Canada Day and Victoria Day alone.

Therefore, what permissible days, and time, will town council allow citizens to set off their fireworks? There is no doubt that the best time to set off fireworks is during the night. So what time limits will town council create?

Finally, where can someone set off their fireworks? Regulating the use of fireworks in the public domain is not nearly as challenging as limiting people within their private property. These are some tough questions that need to be answered.

Changing the by-law to expand the selling of fireworks has the potential to being a good idea. Nevertheless, town council will have their hands filled trying to set up rules and regulations with respect to when and where citizens can fire off with their fireworks.

Many of you were among the half million or so people who took a flyer on the local Canada Day celebrations in the community to head to Parliament Hill this year.

Will and Kate drew enormous crowds, and the celebration of Canada was one that established a new bar.

But sometimes, to really feel and get what it means to be Canadian, you have to celebrate Canada Day half a world away.

Like, perhaps, at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.

Amanda Rheaume got the chance to experience the most meaningful Canada Day one could ever celebrate Friday. The Barrhaven singer was asked to be part of the Team Canada entourage in Kandahar. She was joined by Rick Mercer, “Bubbles” from the Trailer Park Boys, impressionist Andre-Philippe Gagnon, Lisa LaFlamme from CTV, Manotick’s Wendy Daniels from 106.9 The Bear, Brian Burke, GM of Toronto Maple Leafs, Luke Schenn, politicians Peter McKay, Rona Ambrose, Julian Fantino and more. During the visit, Amanda also participated in a celebrity ball hockey game with the troops and visited a forward operating base.

It was not Rheaume’s first time performing for the troops in Afghanistan. She was over in 2009. Later that year, she was supposed to perform for Canadians in Honduras on Canada Day, but was holed up watching a military takeover occur from her hotel room window.

“It’s like nothing you could imagine,” she said. “The feeling there was something I will never forget.”

What made this concert special was that it was the last one in Kandahar. The troops are getting ready to come home. There was an experience of collective appreciation for Canada and everything it stands for.

“I’ve played Major’s Hill Park on Canada Day before, but this was just completely different,” she said.

The math is simple. At Major’s Hill Park, there are people out partying because it’s Canada Day. In Kandahar, Rheaume found herself in a war zone. People are risking their lives for Canada. Our troops are not there to conquer or to impose Canadian values. They are there to protect the domestic and international integrity upon which Canada has grown from.

Rheaume beams as she talks about her trip, and flying in a chopper for the first time. A first chopper ride for anyone would be a little bit scary, but for Rheaume, the fears were magnified as they were flying through a war zone.

But the excitement dwarfed the feeling of fear.

“They are getting ready to come home,” Rheaume said.

She did not want to get into a political discussion, but I know from previous discussions that she is not a fan of war. Who is? But she will be the first to tell you that the Canadian soldiers that she met are among the most remarkable people she has ever met.

“The bond between the soldiers there was unbelievable,” she said. “Canadians have some of the best soldiers in the world, and our military is known for being humanitarian and as caregivers. The work that they have done in Afghanistan is incredible. You don’t see it or hear about it when you read the papers. But they have made a difference. When you go there, you see what they have done and what they are doing. I wish every Canadian would get the chance to see what I saw.”

Rheaume said that she came back from Afghanistan on Sunday with two things that will stay with her.

The first is how proud she is to be Canadian and how proud of what Canadians have accomplished in Afghanistan.

The second is seeing how excited Canadian troops are to be coming home.

As far as the concert is concerned, Rheaume said the gig was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Her band was the only one on the tour, and she could not believe how grateful the troops were that she would come and perform.

“The conditions are bleak over there,” she said. “And there is no entertainment. It’s not like they can go and catch a band after work or go and do anything like that. There is nothing like that for them. Some of the troops have been out in the fields and got to come in to the base for the concert. It’s an extreme environment and they can’t watch live music. It meant so much for them. It reminded me of the purpose of what I do.”

Rheaume came back Sunday, feeling more proud to be Canadian than she has ever been in her life.

“We are so lucky to live where we do,” she said. “We don’t have to worry about being killed or stepping on a bomb or having our school blown up. I have never appreciated Canada more than I do now,” she said.

She is getting ready to play at Bluesfest in Ottawa, where she will be on the MBNA Stage Sunday, July 17 at 3 p.m. She will be releasing her new CD as part of the show.

And we forgot to ask her how she did in the ball hockey game against Luke Schenn and Brian Burke. We can only assume that, on Canada Day in a sea of red, that the blue team would have lost.