We Give Thanks!
Like everything else about life in Canada, Remembrance Day 2020 will be changed by
COVID-19.
Although community observances may be diminished by the need for social distancing,
the love and respect we Canadians feel for our veterans and our military remains
undiminished.
In fact, Canadians of all ages were grateful to see military service personnel spring into
action last April when their help was needed to battle COVID-19 in long term care
facilities. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) literally “sent in the troops” to help provide
support and resources.
CAF members augmented the efforts of staff at 30 long term care homes across the
country, 5 of them right here in Ontario.
I am sure our seniors were greatly comforted by the sight of soldiers in uniform working
hard to ensure their safety and well-being; for many younger people, it might have been
the very first time they ever got experience the passion, diligence, competence and
energy that are the hallmarks of Canadian service personnel.
COVID-19 also meant changes in the Warrior’s Day Parade which has been held in
conjunction with the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) for almost 100 years. The
2020 parade could not be held in-person but instead was held as a “virtual” event, which
meant that more than 1,200 veterans from across Ontario did not get to make their
annual march through the Princes’ Gates at the CNE.
One of those veterans was our own Etobicoke-Lakeshore resident Ed Stafford, who
would have been marching for the 61st time at 99 years old. Ed served in Italy in World
War Two, and I am so grateful that we were able to work with the Ontario Military
Vehicle Association to arrange a parade of 10 military vehicles past his home to help
make up for the parade that he was missing.
It was a thrill to see how happy Ed was at the sight of the military vehicles driving by his
home, and even more so when they stopped so he could climb on board and ride with
them. It truly touched my heart, as Ed is just one of the many, many Canadians who
offered to sacrifice their lives for our safety and our freedom. Some of Ed’s friends did
not return from the War; they paid the ultimate price, and they did it for us. Their
courage, commitment and generosity of spirit are overwhelming even to think about.
Ontario tries to express appreciation in a variety of ways: on September 18, we
introduced legislation to provide financial assistance to more veterans in need. The
Soldiers’ Aid Commission Act, 2020, if passed, will ensure veterans of all ages and their
families, not just those who served in the Second World War and the Korean War, will
be eligible to apply for financial assistance.
On August 20, the Ontario government announced that it is providing $500,000 to
retrain veterans for jobs in the IT and technology sectors. The Soldiers in Tech program
is providing 12-week web development boot camps that equip participating veterans
with the skills, resources, and industry knowledge they need to enter junior web
developer positions.
One year ago, we announced free weekday use of Ontario Parks: providing veterans
and active CAF members free access to our beautiful provincial parks is just a small
token of appreciation for the sacrifices they have made to protect the freedoms we have
and the values we hold dear.
Thank you, veterans. Whether we are assembled in person or virtually, near or far, we
will remember you.
MPP Christine Hogarth can be reached at 416-259-2249 or by e-mail at christine.hogarth@pc.ola.org