Veterans Affairs committee  I lived through that. I was working in Land Force Western Area headquarters during the Medak Pocket Operation when I was posted in Edmonton. We had so many updates on what was going on with the troops over there. You're right. At the time we were also dealing with Somalia, and I

Veterans Affairs committee  You and me both.

Veterans Affairs committee  Most communities that I've been in have a museum of some sort. The Canadian War Museum has more than enough artifacts. The last time I was there was 1975. I think the one thing that stood out in my mind was that the one medal missing from the medals room was my dad's from Belgian

Veterans Affairs committee  No, definitely not. My grandmother sent three of her men across—my grandfather, my father and myself. My mother did that twice. The stories from the home front are just as impactful as the stories from overseas and the front line. The stories of a Silver Cross mother are invalua

Veterans Affairs committee  It's because it needs to be done. We don't carry memory just in us. We carry it in our children. I learned everything I learned about my military family history from my parents and from my grandparents. My children know about military history because I was part of it. I was in G

Veterans Affairs committee  The thing that really hits home with Vimy is the memorial itself and parts of that memorial. You cannot look upon that single female statue looking towards Givenchy, and not be touched by it. If only we had some means of bringing a part of that memorial to the people—those 11,25

Veterans Affairs committee  As the saying goes, those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it. I don't think that sits any closer than looking at the youth today and having them not understand what that past really means. As Mr. Windsor pointed out, there's a lot out there about World War I and W

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you, MP Blaney. Yes, you're right, it's weird. I've been part of the Memory Project with Historica Canada now for several years. I quite often get invited to various schools in my area to make a presentation. For example, I went to a middle school. I waited until all the

Veterans Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, vice-chairs, honourable members, good afternoon. My name is Sean Smith. I served in the Canadian Forces primary reserve as an armoured crewman, with the British Columbia Dragoons and the South Alberta Light Horse, from 1986 to 2001. Thirteen of my 15 years of service