OH CANADA, WE TUNNEL FOR THEE

Am I the only one who views this tunnel linking the U.S. and Canada with
national pride rather than righteous outrage?

One just has to look at the pictures to realize this is an extraordinary
feat of engineering.

Not only is the tunnel as straight as an arrow, but it is well-supported
and dry.

All of this in an area of flood-plain lowland.

I am in awe of its creators, rascals though they be.

These guys built a serviceable tunnel in a year from locally-supplied
equipment. Let's compare this to the inevitable cost and time overruns that
are sure to plague the 2010 Olympics.

This tunnel also has enormous potential as a tourist destination.

I can already see a Mountie in red serge at our end, ready to stamp a
gaggle of tourists' passports as they traverse Canada's new "freedom" tunnel.

There will have to be a gift shop stocked with Canadian goods and slivers
of wood purportedly from the original support timbers.

As for the builders, a compulsory stint in the armed forces may be called
for -- perhaps the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers?

So here's to those who put Aldergrove on the map.

If we can immortalize train bandit Billy Miner, the least we can do is
appreciate a "gift" tunnel when it falls into our laps.

Kevin Croutch

Aldergrove