TAY TWP. — This year's commemoration of Canadian merchant mariners is facing more than just the pandemic as a hindrance.
"We always assumed that Skyline (Investments) would let us have access to the ship," said Daniel Travers, a member of the local legion and a local historian, talking about the event planned for Thursday in Port McNicoll.
"We just assumed it was temporary," he added. "We've run out of time to put something together."
Due to the pandemic, he said, the collaborators that include the Friends of Keewatin, local legion branches and the Trillium Sea Cadets had to come up with an alternative plan of performing individual acts in front of the SS Keewatin and stitch it together for a video compilation.
"We have two videos right now," said Travers. "Because of the tumult, uncertainty and the fencing, we're unable to do that this year. It's a real shame, especially this day and age; it's very important to remember individuals who sacrificed their youth and lives for the freedom that we enjoy today. The merchant mariners were a very, very important part of the war."
In the Second World War alone, Travers said more than 12,000 sailors served in the Merchant Navy of Canada and 1,451 died in the service of their country with at least 570 dying during the First World War.
"The Keewatin wasn't a merchant ship," said Travers, but it was very important because it was a critical link between Thunder Bay and northern and central Ontario. A lot of individuals travelled on the Keewatin and took trains off to Halifax to serve in the Second World War.
Similarly, he said, grain was shipped from Saskatchewan during the war.
"Even though it wasn't under direct threat from U-boats and aircrafts, it played an important role in transporting vital war materials and troops," said Travers. "That's why we consider it an important place to remember the merchant marines."
He said the reason the event was held at the SS Keewatin location was because the three partnering organizations wanted to draw awareness to the threat of the Keewatin being sold or dismantled.
"We're hoping that it will let people know that there is a very real threat to it not remaining in Port McNicoll," said Travers. "We also wanted to show Tay council, Skyline and the county that there are thousands of individuals in the community that see the Keewatin as an essential historical element of this community."
But they remain locked out, he said.
"Where do we go from there? That's the thing," said Travers. "Friends of Keewatin and I have been talking about actions to find out what will it take for Skyline, Tay council and Simcoe County to realize that they all need to collaborate to ensure that the Keewatin stays in Port McNicoll."
Earlier this year, he said, he launched an online petition to rally residents behind the cause.
"It's going fantastically well," said Travers, who noted the petition has already received more than 4,000 signatures on the way to its 5,000-signature target.
"I don't think we're ever giving up," he said. "If it's dismantled, we'll float that boat when we come to it. We're going to continue to fight for the ship and come up with different ways to make it happen."
