Terry Kelly tune inspires campaign to delay Christmas displays
Calgary entrepreneur and philanthropist wants retailers to show veterans more respect on Nov. 11
A well-known financier from Calgary who is asking retailers to show more respect to war veterans, says his campaign was inspired by St. John's singer Terry Kelly.
Brett Wilson took to Twitter earlier this week to ask retailers to delay putting up their Christmas displays until after Remembrance Day.
"Several years ago it just dawned on me that we were letting this Christmas crap, or Christmas creep, overwhelm the messaging that's so important for me of November 11," Wilson told CBC Radio's On The Go.
An entrepreneur and philanthropist, Wilson is perhaps best known as a former judge on CBC's Dragon's Den.
He said he gets emotional every time he hears Kelly's song A Pittance of Time, a tune about taking a moment to remember wartime soldiers.
The businessman said he features the song on his website and plays it each year at his Christmas concert in support of the Calgary Veteran's Food Bank.
"Just like we give Christmas a couple of months, Remembrance Day deserves more than one minute," Wilson said.
His campaign has attracted attention on social media.
<a href="https://twitter.com/WBrettWilson">@WBrettWilson</a> Wanted to share our 2015 edition with you. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LestWeForget?src=hash">#LestWeForget</a> <a href="https://t.co/hbRZr2pWSH">pic.twitter.com/hbRZr2pWSH</a>
—@bushs_menswearHonour veterans. Wait until after Remembrance Day to put up your Xmas decorations. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RespectOurVeterans?src=hash">#RespectOurVeterans</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash">#Canada</a> <a href="https://t.co/7P5GaUb7e0">pic.twitter.com/7P5GaUb7e0</a>
—@ORESTAOrganicsAm I the only one that thinks that it's fair to both <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RespectOurVeterans?src=hash">#RespectOurVeterans</a> and express my excitement for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Christmas?src=hash">#Christmas</a> at the same time????
—@MumbledThoughtsWe will continue our tradition of waiting until after Nov 11th to launch our holiday campaign. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RespectOurVeterans?src=hash">#RespectOurVeterans</a> <a href="https://t.co/6tGkupfvY2">pic.twitter.com/6tGkupfvY2</a>
—@GoodEarthHQ"We're getting a fairly active response," said Wilson.
"I would say it's about 90 per cent saying, 'Let's push Christmas back a week or two,' and then there's a few people who say, 'What difference does it really make?'"
"No matter what, we've had a conversation about Remembrance Day and that's the win."