On Monday 4 May, Esprit de Corps magazine coordinated a donation of some 200 ‘literature loot’ bags to the Perley Rideau Veterans Residence in Ottawa. For the past few weeks this facility has been in lockdown due to an outbreak of the COVID-19 virus among workers and residents. Each gift bag included 5 of the magazine’s most recent editions as well as a selection of four illustrated military history books. Transportation of the ‘loot bags’ was generously provided by the Multifaith Housing Initiative, a not-for-profit organization which is in the process of constructing Veterans’ House, a complex that will soon house 40 former soldiers. The actual re-usable cloth bags were sponsored by the Commissionaires. "I am sure the residents will appreciate greatly the loot” said Delphine Hasle, the Executive director of the Perley Rideau Foundation. “Our staff are working hard to keep the residents safe and maintain their quality of life. As social distancing rules increase in our home, the distraction of quality reading will be more than welcome.”
Tracey Joan Hubley Obituary
Only her heart was bigger than her laugh...
On March 5, 2020, Ottawa icon, business leader and friend to many, Tracey Joan Hubley, died at the age of 54. Tracey leaves her spouse Widler Phanor “Woody”, loving mother Roberta, beloved sister Tamara (Richard Little), adored nieces Nichelle (Janice), Makayla (Kendra) and Kassandra, and cherished great nephew, Silas. She will be sorrily missed by her uncle, Bill MacPhee (Norma) and aunt, The Honourable Libbe Hubley, cousins as well as countless friends, acquaintances and colleagues across the country and around the world. She was predeceased in 2014 by her beloved father, Alan. She touched so many lives with her laughter, enormous warmth and generosity, intelligence, and powerful advocacy skills.
Born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island to Roberta and Alan Hubley, Tracey studied at the University of PEI. She was an avid and highly skilled curler. She started her career in Ottawa working on Parliament Hill, first as a Special Assistant to MPs, and later as a trade and procurement specialist for various federal cabinet ministers. She honed her many skills and along with her natural leadership talents, quickly earned a reputation as a highly trusted and valued colleague. She soared professionally on Parliament Hill because her reputation was impeccable and her work ethic unassailable.
Tracey eventually left “the Hill”, joining the world of government relations in 1997. Her meteoric rise in this industry is legendary, but not unexpected, given her incredible talents and unparalleled people skills. Tracey became president of Summa Strategies Canada in February, 2005. She worked tirelessly and no client, colleague (or friend) ever questioned her loyalty. There were no limits to Tracey’s abilities in the boardroom or at the negotiating table. Tracey was a pioneer in a heavily male-dominated industry, and proved time and again to be among the very best in the business. Clients from around the world relied on her strategic counsel and her ability to get things done. She mentored many and was a role model for young people entering the industry, especially young women.
Tracey enjoyed a partnership with the love of her life, Woody, for more than 17 years. They adored each other and she looked forward to the end of each week when he would return home from work in Montreal.
She was the doting “Auntie CiCi” to several children of her extended community family. She loved them as she did her own and took tremendous pride in their accomplishments. Many who are now adults are grateful to have had her in their lives.
Tracey loved dogs! Tracey and her canine companion, Briar – like Cyrus and Castor before him – enjoyed long walks and talks with the dog park community she helped build.
A true daughter of Prince Edward Island, Tracey always viewed Ottawa as a temporary stop, despite living in the city for almost four decades. A return to the Island was always restorative and brought a sense of peace and comfort. She had just settled plans for retirement in July making her untimely passing even more tragic.
She leaves behind a loving family and a legacy of loyalty, strength and love, and a large circle of friends who were honoured to be part of her life. Her sense of humour, magnetic presence and historic laugh will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
Funeral service will be held in Charlottetown, PEI at Belvedere Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kings County Memorial Hospital Foundation, Montague, PE.
COVID19 (CORONA) VIRUS CRISIS: Facts & Photos Of The Massive Response By The Chinese People’s Liberation Army To Date
The news of the Corona Virus' global spread has international news outlets transfixed with the numbers killed, the numbers of contaminations the number of people quarantined and the ever increasing numbers of countries trying to contain the virus. Lost in all this coverage has been the staggering commitment of resources in the fight to combat the pandemic. No organization has mobilized more resources or been more active in the front lines of this effort than the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The following statistics reflect just a portion of the massive response mounted by the PLA thus far:
PLA has sent 3 batches of more than 4,000 medical personnel to support Wuhan in fighting against the epidemic. The military medical personnel are taken from the PLA Army, Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, Strategic Support Force, Joint Logistic Support Force and Armed Police Force.
Up to now, a total of nearly 20 transport aircraft attached to the PLA Air Force, including Y-20s, Il-76s and Y-9s, were tasked to carry out airlift operations to Wuhan City from multiple locations across China. These planes carried military medical teams and tons of medical supplies. This was the first time for Y-20s, China's self-developed large transport aircraft, to take part in military operations other than war (MOOTW). It was also the first time for the PLA Air Force to deploy large and medium transport aircraft for urgent airlift operations on such a large scale.
Two earlier groups of medics, totaling 1,400 PLA members, have taken over the operation of the Huoshenshan temporary hospital, which has 1,000 beds for severe cases of NCP. The remaining 2,600 PLA medial personnel have undertaken the tasks of treating patients that have been diagnosed and confirmed in other civilian hospitals.
Meanwhile, one support team of the PLA were tasked to transport supplies for three mobile cabin hospitals in Wuhan, which have 800, 2,000 and 1,000 beds respectively and provide medical care and treatment for those with light symptoms.
The incredible series of photos and captions (below) illustrate not only the scale of the PLA’s response to Covid 19 Virus as a military organization, but also the emotional impact on its personnel deployed to put themselves at risk of infection.
Veterans’ House Ottawa: An initiative to provide a community house for homeless veterans
Artist conception of Veterans’ House.
By Scott Taylor
On September 3rd, 2019 construction began on an ambitious plan to provide a 40-unit community house for homeless veterans in Ottawa. The genesis for the initiative dates back to May 2013 when community discussions were taking place as to how to properly commemorate the military history of what was formerly the CFB Rockcliffe Airbase.
One of the suggestions was to simply erect a statue, however at that juncture there was also a growing public awareness of the fact that many Canadian military veterans were living on the street.
This prompted a proposal from Suzanne Le, Executive Director of the Multifaith Housing Initiative (MHI) to propose that they instead “hollow out the statue and fill it full of people in need.”
Thus was born the project now known as Veterans’ House, which originally envisioned constructing a facility which would contain 16 bachelor units to house former military members.
RCAF veteran Andy and son John Carswell at the National Aviation Museum pose beside a seaplane in which Andy flew a dramatic rescue mission. Veterans’ House is named after Andy Carswell.
However, when the organization Soldiers Helping Soldiers identified over three hundred homeless vets over a three year period and a city of Ottawa study found 65 homeless vets in a single 24-hour search, it became evident that the scope of this project needed to be increased.
The current blueprint includes 40 self-contained units with several common areas and a landscaped garden. As the residents will be either homeless or at risk veterans a lot of care and planning was committed to ensure they will have immediate access to support services from a variety of MHI’s partners.
This will be what is known as a ‘Housing First’ model wherein the residents can remain in the lodgings for an indeterminate period without pressure to transition elsewhere. This will allow them access to a pressure free environment with on-site recovery from health, mental health and addiction related issues. Each unit will be approximately 400 square feet of private living space, fully furnished with eight of the suites being fully wheel chair accessible.
The total cost of the construction is estimated to be $11.5 million, with the initial $6.5 million covered by the Federal government.
So far MHI and their partners have raised $2.8 million through fundraising efforts, and they continue to seek donors and sponsorship to raise the remaining $2.2 million shortfall.
The land itself was estimated to be worth $2.75 million, but the Federal Lands Government generously sold MFHI the plot for a single loonie. Construction is expected to be complete by November 2020.
Once built, residents will pay a very modest rent which will cover the cost of the upkeep and management of the facility.
It has been named the Andy Carswell building in honour of a World War II RCAF veteran who was shot down over Germany. As a prisoner of war, Carswell made two escape attempts, which are detailed in his wartime memoir ‘Over the Wire’. His son John Carswell has been a major financial support of this worthy cause since its inception.
The objective of the Veterans’ House initiative is to improve the overall quality of life of the former military personnel, in such a way that also recognizes the crucial bonds formed within the military community. While MHI has the lead role, the overall initiative includes a long list of partner organizations; Ottawa Salus, Veterans Affairs Canada, Soldiers Helping Soldiers, Royal Canadian Legion, Ontario Command and Division G, True Patriot Love Foundation, Centretown Affordable Housing, Canadian Forces Morale & Welfare Services, Support our Troops and Helmets to Hardhats.
Esprit de Corps applauds this initiative and encourages those seeking to donate or looking for further information to visit www.multifaithhousing.ca. W
SACRIFICE AND LEGACY: Two Amputees Share a Special Bond
By The War Amps
Sean Borle, 24, recalls meeting Second World War veteran Lloyd Brown, 96, for the first time six years ago at a Remembrance Day ceremony. “We had this magical moment where I reached out my right hand and he put out his left, to shake hands,” he says.
Borle was born missing his left hand, and Brown lost his right arm on October 18, 1944 while serving with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment in Italy. “I was staked at a farmhouse which had a children’s treehouse located behind it,” says Brown. “In the treehouse was a sniper who kept shooting at our boys. A tank then came which shot out shells, the shrapnel hitting my right arm.” When Brown arrived at the hospital, the doctors had to amputate his arm. “Fortunately, I was in such shock that I didn’t feel a thing,” he recalls.
The ability to find the positive in a dark situation is one reason why Borle admires Brown. On Remembrance Day, the pair share a special tradition of laying a wreath on behalf of The War Amps, an organization entering its second century of service this year. The War Amps was started by war amputee veterans returning from the First World War to help each other adapt to their new reality as amputees. They then welcomed amputee veterans following the Second World War, sharing all that they had learned. Borle grew up in The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program, which provides financial assistance for the cost of artificial limbs, emotional support and regional seminars to young amputees across Canada. It was started by War Amps Members, like Brown, who realized their experiences of living with amputation could help others.
Through what they call “Operation Legacy,” Borle and his fellow members of CHAMP have now “taken up the torch” of remembrance to pay tribute to the veteran members of The War Amps, whose efforts have made a difference in the lives of thousands of amputees. “I can’t overstate the impact that these programs have on young amputees and their futures,” says Borle. “Knowing that there are people like Lloyd who understand what it’s like to be missing a limb, makes you feel like you’re not alone.” When Brown attends the Remembrance Day ceremonies, he reflects on all those in his regiment who never came home. “It’s heartbreaking to think of all those who lost their lives and it’s important to remember them,” he says. For Borle, it’s special to share Remembrance Day with Brown. “I would not be the person I am today had it not been for that decision more than 100 years ago to begin The War Amps,” says Borle. “It is our commitment as Champs that the legacy and sacrifices of Lloyd, and all the war amputee veterans, will be remembered and carried forward.”
OSAA Lame Ducks vs DND General Officers and Flag Officers
By Richard Lawrence
To see all the pictures, go to: https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/clients/lameducks/20191204/
The O.S.A.A. Lame Ducks debuted their new jerseys today against the General Officers and Flag Officers (GOFOs) of DND, also sporting new jerseys, in a hockey game that almost didn’t take place because of a schedule screw-up. The game was supposed to be a full game from 1400-1600 hours but on arrival, players were told that their game started at 1330 hrs. and had to be done by 1420 hrs. This meant that the red carpet had to be rolled up and taken away, the Colour Party was dismissed, the Central Band musicians sent home, and the ceremonial puck drop was dispensed with. Needless to say, when the puck was dropped shortly after 1330 hrs. both teams were short a few players who had yet to appeared.
As the game started it was clear that the GOFOs were in total command, taking advantage of the recent postings out of some of the more experienced Lame Duck players (most notably Starkov of Russia and Yoon of Korea) and the addition of new, less experienced players. The GOFOs potted a quick goal before the game clock had a chance to get started and then a second at 19:09 of the first period giving them a 2-0 lead. After getting a third and feeling pretty good about their play, the GOFOs let off some of the pressure which allowed the Ducks to come back with a goal of their own to end the first period. In the second period the play continued on with the Ducks giving the new players lots of ice time and the GOFOs dominating but keeping the play fair. Unfortunately, the screw-up with the original schedule caught up with the players and the game was called at 07:40 of the second period because the zamboni was coming out to clean the ice.
At the reception, Col. Rob Worsham (USA) gave the floor to MGen. Sylvain Sirois who awarded game pucks to the Lame Ducks players for which this was their last game (Peru, Australia, and Columbia) with a hearty round of applause to each. MVPs from each side also got game pucks and then it was back to pizza and wings.
Veterans Ombudsman Awards 2019 Commendations
L-to-R: Patrice Bergeron, Scott Maxwell (Executive Director, WWC), Meghan Cameron (Treasurer, GWCA), Geoffrey Moyer (President, GWCA), Philip C. Ralph (Program Director, WWC), Craig Dalton (Veterans Ombudsman), Richard Martin (Chairman, WWC), and Richard Nicholson.
Veterans Ombudsman Craig Dalton awarded commendations to the following 2019 recipients at a ceremony earlier today:
· Individual Contribution: Richard Nicholson and Patrice Bergeron
· National Organization: Wounded Warriors Canada
· Local Organization: Great War Centenary Association
· *Lifetime Contribution: Ken Reimer, Joseph Paquette, and Luc O’Bomsawin
The Veterans Ombudsman Commendation recognizes and honours the exceptional dedication, hard work and selfless motivation of an individual or group's contribution to Canada's Veterans and their families.
Quote:
“These outstanding recipients were nominated by their peers and selected for a Veterans Ombudsman Commendation because of the positive and lasting change they make within the Veterans’ community. Their leadership and dedication to their work inspires others to make a difference in the lives of Veterans and their families.” - Craig Dalton, Veterans Ombudsman
Quick facts:
· The Veterans Ombudsman, in consultation with his Advisory Council, awards the Veterans Ombudsman Commendations annually, in recognition of the efforts of these individuals and groups.
· *Lifetime Contribution recipients: Mr. Paquette received his commendation from Mr. Dalton in Brampton, Ontario earlier this year and Mr. O’Bomsawin received his commendation in Quebec last week. Mr. Reimer will be awarded his in Chatsworth, Ontario on Nov. 28th.
· The Office of the Veterans Ombudsman is an impartial and independent office that works to ensure the fair treatment of Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) clients through the provision of information, complaint resolution, and the review and analysis of systemic issues related to VAC.
In Support of Homeless Veterans: Ottawa’s Service Attache Association Hosts a Charity Gala
The elegant ballroom at Britannia Yacht Club (BYC),
Photos by Richard Lawrence
On Sunday 20 October the scenic Britannia Yacht Club was the setting for an elegant charity Gala hosted by the Ottawa Service Attache Association (OSAA).
On hand were approximately 80 guests consisting of those foreign military attaches stationed in Ottawa, their spouses and a handful of OSAA’s Canadian friends. The weather cooperated in providing a picture perfect sunset over the Ottawa River. Far more than simply an opportunity to don the mess kit, black tie and ball gowns, this Gala dinner was a charity fundraiser complete with an internationally themed raffle. A total of over $2,500 was raised in support of providing shelter for homeless veterans. That sum equates to the provision of 3 Bedroom doors at the Multifaith Veterans House, an Ottawa based initiative for ex-soldiers in need. Esprit de Corps was honoured to participate and we wish to thank the OSAA dean, Colonel Florin Ureche and his organizing team for hosting such an enjoyable evening.
Canadian Army divers assist with Saint John River microplastics study
Members of the Army Dive Team collect sediment and freshwater mussels to assist a study by Mount Allison University looking at microplastics pollution in the Saint John River on August 8, 2019 near Oromocto, New Brunswick. Photo: Amber LeBlanc, Mount Allison
By Dreama Galbraith, 5th Canadian Division Support Group Environmental Services Branch
Oromocto, New Brunswick — The Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering Army Dive Centre and the 5th Canadian Division Support Group Environmental Services Branch helped advance the research of Atlantic Canada scientists from Mount Allison University who are studying the emerging concerns of microplastics (MPs) pollution in the Saint John River watershed.
MPs are any type of plastic in the environment measuring 5.0 mm or less.
They enter ecosystems from direct sources or through fragmentation of larger plastics particles and are now a widespread pollutant in soil, fresh water and oceans around the world.
Higher concentrations of MPs may pose a threat to biota (the animal and plant life of a particular region or habitat) and ecosystem function, but questions remain about the source, transport and distribution of MPs throughout terrestrial and aquatic systems.
On August 8, 2019, Chief Dive Instructor Sergeant Matthew Innocent launched members of the Army Dive Team into the Saint John River with the task of collecting sediment samples and freshwater mussels at two sites adjacent to 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown, near Oromocto, New Brunswick.
The exercise was completed according to plan with a surplus of scientific research samples acquired. Mount Allison University research assistants, Casey Doucet and Amber LeBlanc, were very pleased with the quality of samples taken.
Postdoctoral Fellow Andrew Labaj, of the Environmental Change and Aquatic Biomonitoring Laboratory (ECAB Lab) at Mount Allison University, noted that collaboration with the Canadian Army was welcomed. “We are very pleased to obtain samples from an area we would normally not be able to reach.”
The information gained will be used to map MPs distribution and human impact connected to land use in the Saint John River watershed.
The maps produced will be a tool used to relate the MPs’ concentrations in the environment to potential single point sources, such as a wastewater pipe; and non-point sources, such as farmland runoff. This will increase the understanding of linkages between MPs sources, their environmental distributions and their entry into the food web and show conditions where MPs pose no ecological threats compared to places with higher concentrations of MPs.
Joshua Kurek, PhD of the ECAB Lab at Mount Allison University is the lead researcher on the project.
“We have just finished our first of two field seasons. Field sampling is the fun and easy part. The next research phase involves countless hours in the lab processing samples and isolating microplastics,” he said.
“But I can tell you that in the few samples analyzed so far, we’ve observed dozens of microplastic fibres in every sample.”
In future years, Mount Allison University will continue collecting and testing samples to establish baseline MP amounts in the Saint John River water and sediments. The findings will be made available to the public and provincial and federal policy makers.
This study will help refine methods for detecting MPs, better understand their threat to the environment, and develop management strategies in the Saint John River and select tributaries for this emerging environmental stressor.
Imjin Hockey Classic
Photo: Sgt Dwayne Janes
Fierce historic rivalry hits the ice
Two of the Canadian Army’s biggest hockey rivals, the Van Doos (Royal 22e Régiment) and the Patricias (Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry), go head-to-head at the annual Imjin Classic on Saturday, October 26 at TD Place Lansdowne in Ottawa.
The Imjin Classic is a hockey rivalry 67 years in the making. In 1952, during a break in the Korean War, these two Canadian regiments played their original championship game on the frozen Imjin River, and a military tradition was born.
The action between these two foes will be fierce. Winners of the last two Imjin Classics, the Van Doos will be looking to extend their championship streak, while the Patricias will be looking to take glory for themselves.
Join us for the game, Saturday, October 26 at TD Place Lansdowne. Doors open at 1:30 p.m., with the puck-drop at 3 p.m. Admission is free!
F-35 ARRIVES IN OTTAWA: 5th Generation Multirole Fighter Makes Its Debut Over Canada’s Capital
It was an impressive impression left by the F-35 Lightning Fighter jets as they appeared in the skies above our nation’s capital during the first week in September. (Richard Lawrence)
By Richard Lawrence
On Wednesday, September 4, one of the contenders for the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) dropped into Ottawa Airport as the United States Airforce F-35 Demonstration Team was scheduled to perform at the 2019 Aero Gatineau-Ottawa Airshow for which Lockheed Martin Canada took out title sponsorship. Capt. Andrew ‘Dojo” Olson, the F-35 Demonstration Team Commander/Pilot for the 2019 Airshow Season, used the opportunity to address the media. Capt. Olson flew the F-15E Strike Eagle prior to his duties on the F-35 where he flew missions in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan prior coming aboard the F-35 three years ago.
Lorraine Ben, Chief Executive LM Canada and Keith Knotts, F-35 Canada Campaign Lead, hold an F-35 sculpted on a propeller blade by artist Andy Armstrong.
When asked about the F-35 he said that compared to the
F-15E, the F-35 is “… an entire generation leap forward in technology.” It’s the combination of stealth and sensor fusion that makes the aircraft so advanced enabling the pilot to see everything and yet not be seen by anybody giving him/her complete control of the battlespace. The aircraft is covered in sensors looking outward at all times presenting the accumulated data to the pilot allowing him to make decisions not just for himself but for the entire four plane formation. It can then take the data from all four aircraft to create information fusion and that information can be sent out making the F-35 the quarterback of the battlespace. When asked if he trusted his life to the aircraft he said, “If I had to go into a serious conflict, this airplane for sure would be more lethal and survivable …”
He noted that there are eight partner nations involved in the F-35 development (Canada being one) and several other countries who are purchasing the jets (foreign military sales) and that makes for a “… more effective fighting force when you’re flying with your friends and … you all have the same airplane and you all speak the same language – that’s F-35.”
Capt. Olson summed up his opinion of the aircraft when he said, “You’re just King Kong out there. You’re just untouchable.
Photo one: When the two USAF F-35 aircraft touched down at Ottawa International airport on Wednesday 4 September, former CFL quarterback turned sportscaster, Henry Burris was on hand to greet the pilots. Captain Andrew ‘Dojo’ Olson (right) described the F-35 as the “quarterback of the battlefield”. (Richard Lawrence)
Photo two: Renowned Toronto artist David Arrigo was on site during the Gatineau airshow painting a tribute to the F-35. His finished product appears on the inside back cover of this publication. (Richard Lawrence)
Photo three: Many onlookers were astonished to get their first glimpse of the F-35 fighter jets. Veteran Canadian Press defence reporter Lee Berthiaume tweeted “After writing about it for nearly a decade, I can now say I’ve seen an F-35 in real life.” (Richard Lawrence)
TACCOM 2019
By Vincent J. Curtis
TACCOM, in its 2019 version, is Canada’s largest gun show. It brings together the world’s largest and most important gun manufacturers, equipment suppliers, Canada’s largest distributors, and allied businesses into one trade show. If you’re a gun-guy, TACCOM 2019 is hog-heaven.
Yes, the usual suspects were there. Sig Sauer featured its P series of firearms, Glock, FN Herstal featured its FN509; and even Canik had a small display. You touch, feel, and even dry fire some of these military style handguns.
Allied and related businesses also had substantial presences, like Durham Military Vehicles, and Hudson Supplies. I’ll bet an LSVW hadn’t had such TLC than the one on display at the Durham booth.
Hudson was there to cultivate interest in its line of carry gear for which it is a master distributor: Tasmanian Tiger. Hudson head honcho Marc “Buckleman” Beaudoin got his start marketing extremely tough and secure lock-unlock buckles for attaching MOLLE gear to each other. And the buckles and tactical gear were certainly featured in his booth. But the star of the show was the extraordinary array of the Tasmanian Tiger gear.
Tasmanian Tiger is a line of premium professional grade carry equipment for military, police, first responder, EMT, and generally people who have to carry heavy loads long distances. Hikers and backpackers would find the line interesting to browse, and they could find something of use to them, so versatile, modular, and varied are the systems. In Tiger you have carry systems all designed to work together no matter which pieces you mix and match.
The foundation of the carry system are the X1 and V2 frame systems. The bare X1 frame reminded this writer of the legendary 1966 pattern pack frame with its bottom shelf-frame and tubular construction. But this frame ran up to the shoulders. It also had reinforcement bars that crossed into an X. The X1 system is designed for bulky, heavy loads that are to be carried on the back for long distances and for a long time. The frame is designed to stabilize and distribute the load.
The lumbar area is extremely well padded, as is the hip belt generally. Well-padded shoulder straps ease the burden on the shoulders. In addition, care has been taken to ensure good ventilation across the back.
The V2 frame is size adjustable and intended for medium to heavy loads. It is designed as an inverted-V frame with fiberglass reinforcing bars. Like the X1, the V2 frame comes well-padded in all the right places, and is extremely comfortable to wear.
Those are the bases of the systems. The really interesting part is the wide variety of packs that attach to these frames. They are all modular, MOLLE attachable, and made with weight-saving 700 cordura nylon.
The TT series of packs range in size from nine to an incredible 100 litres. There are the simple “Essential” packs, a 22 L, 25 L, 30 L, 37 L, combat and mission packs; a 25 L radio pack. There’s a 45 L, 50 L, 75 L, 80 L pack, and the incredible 100 L range pack. These packs come with internal and external division for mission specific applications. Colours include black, olive, khaki, coyote, and multicam.
Then there’s vests and web gear designed to work with the packs. These can carry plates, as well as a variety of pouches for rifle and pistol mags, cuffs, and loads of other stuff
If you plan on carrying anything on your back, your front, or even the back of your front seat or headrest, you got to have a look at the Tasmanian Tiger line from Hudson Supply. Military, police, EMT, or just a plain hiker or back packers like me there’s got to be something interesting to you.
Lame Ducks VS Canadian Forces College
On Tuesday February 19th the Ottawa Service Attache Association’s “Lame Ducks” played a game against the Canadian Forces College International Student Course. The hard fought battle resulted in a lop-sided score of 9-0 for the Lame Ducks.
The Lame Ducks have been practicing hard on a variety of hockey drills and, all that work clearly paid off. The ducks had some great passing and they applied a lot of pressure on the CFC net. In addition, the Ducks were fast and gave the CFC team little time with the puck. We have to assume the CFC team will sharpen their skills and set up a good old fashioned ambush of sorts for the spring game on their Toronto home turf.
Here is a quote from the Coach of the Lame Ducks, Darcy Byrtus: “ This was the best effort I have seen from the Ducks in all the games we played against the CFC. A great game from all the Ducks, especially Igor Starkov (Russia) and Chang Bae Yoon (Korea), Neil Marriot (UK) and Kurt Brown (Australia)”
The Game Referee Doug Thomas had this to say: “From a referee’s standpoint it was hard to discern intentional hits from incidental contact and, we were getting close to putting folks in the penalty box. All in all a high spirited game played by a group of very committed individuals!”
Overall a great effort by both teams and we look forward to the rematch on Sunday, June 2nd in Toronto!
For more photos go to: http://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/clients/osaa/20190219/index.html
WHY IS CANADA DEFENDING NAZI SS ATROCITIES? Governments Can Re-visit History, Not Revise It
(Volume 25 Issue 6)
By David Pugliese
In late April more than 50 members of the U.S. Congress condemned the government of Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to glorify “Nazi collaborators.”
The letter, signed by both Republicans and Democrats, outlined concerns about ongoing ceremonies to glorify leaders of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army as well as 14th SS Galizien Division (aka 1stGalician/Galizien or the 1st Ukrainian Division). “It’s particularly troubling that much of the Nazi glorification in Ukraine is government-supported,” noted the letter to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan. The letter was initiated by Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna of California and David Cicilline of Rhode Island.
Contrast that to how the Canadian government handled a related issue last year when the Russian Embassy in Ottawa tweeted out that, “There are monuments (sic) to Nazi collaborators in Canada and nobody is doing anything about it.”
A monument in Oakville commemorates those who served with the 14th SS Galizien Division. Another monument in Edmonton honors Roman Shukhevych, the leader of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
As my Postmedia colleague Marie-Danielle Smith discovered, the Russian tweet sent bureaucrats at Global Affairs Canada into overdrive as they tried to defend the SS unit and Ukrainian Nazi collaborators. Documents she received through the Access to Information law show government officials were under a lot of pressure from the “Centre” (the Privy Council Office and the Prime Minister’s Office) to counter the news about the monuments to Nazi collaborators. The bureaucrats came up with a strategy. The would label the tweet as “disinformation” and they came up with a plan to spread the word to the news media as part of their efforts to defend Ukraine’s Nazi collaborators.
Now as I have written before, the Russians are more than happy to try to embarrass the Canadian government, which has steadfastly stood behind the Ukrainian government in the ongoing conflict in the region. Suggesting that Canada allows monuments to Nazi collaborators seems to fit that bill.
But in this case the Russian tweets aren’t “fake news” or “disinformation.” They are accurate.
As those members of the U.S. Congress have pointed out, the Ukrainians who served in the SS Galizien Division were indeed Nazi collaborators.
So too was Roman Shukhevych.
Before going to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, Shukhevych was commander of the Ukrainian battalion called Nachtigall. The men of Nachtigall rounded up Jews in Lviv in June 1941, massacring men, women and children. The Simon Wiesenthal Center estimates that the Nachtigall Battalion, along with their German military counterparts, managed to murder around 4,000 Jews in Lviv. Other historians put the estimate at around 6,000.
Shukhevych was later assigned to a new unit whose role in Germany’s war, according to one Holocaust expert, was “fighting partisans and killing Jews.” Shukhevych later turned against the Nazis.
Then there is the SS Galizien Division. They were eager Nazi collaborators. Some 80,000 Ukrainians volunteered to join the SS but only those who could meet the strict requirements were selected.
The SS used some of its most seasoned killers to oversee the development of its new division. SS Gen. Jürgen Stroop, who would later be executed as a war criminal for his brutal destruction of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, was brought on as an advisor.
Other commanders of the division were all versed in the murder of Jews throughout occupied territories in eastern Europe. “Many of the Ukrainian officers, like SS-Hauptsturmführer Michael Brygidryr, had previously served in SS Schuma battalions, routinely used to kill partisans, burn down villages and, when the opportunity arose, murder Jews,” wrote award-winning author Christopher Hale in his 2011 ground-breaking book, Hitler’s Foreign Executioners.
SS Galizien Division was used by the Nazis in a variety of operations, one of the most controversial being the 1944 destruction of the village of Huta Pieniacka. Huta Pieniacka was considered a “Polish” village that just months before had been the shelter for several hundred Jews, Hale noted. The SS units surrounded the village. Men, women and children, who had taken refuge in the village church, were taken outside in groups and murdered. Kids were executed in front of their parents, their heads smashed against tree trunks, one witness testified. Others were burned alive in houses. Around 850 people were murdered.
Some Ukrainians dispute that the SS Galizien Division took part in the killings or they argue that only small elements from the unit – and under Nazi command – were involved.
A Ukrainian military board heard testimony in 1944 that members of the Galizien Division did take part in the attack. But that action was justified, the board was told since the inhabitants of Huta Pieniacka had been killing Ukrainian peasants. “By the way, the Jews were hiding in the village,” a Ukrainian officer added in his testimony describing the destruction of the village inhabitants.
Some Ukrainians see Shukhevych and SS Galizien Division members as heroes. They argue that those individuals served the Nazis because they saw them as liberators from the Russians. Their ultimate goal was an independent Ukraine.
But to claim that these individuals were not Nazi collaborators is something else. They served Hitler.
In May 1944, SS leader Heinrich Himmler addressed the Ukrainian SS recruits in a speech. “Your homeland has become more beautiful since you have lost – on our initiative, I must say – the residents who were so often a dirty blemish on Galicia’s good name – namely the Jews,” said Himmler. “I know that if I ordered you to liquidate the Poles, I would be giving you permission to do what you are eager to do anyway.”
Himmler speech was greeted with cheers from the Ukrainian recruits.
Equally disturbing are the details contained in the book, The Holocaust Chronicle, published in 2003 and written by 7 top scholars in the field of Holocaust studies. They noted that Ukrainian SS were also sent to help kill Jews during the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. The Chronicle published a photo of two of Ukrainian SS members standing over the bodies of Jews murdered during that uprising. See the photo below:
But this issue of Ukrainian collaboration with the Nazis is not new. Since 1986 the Nazi-hunters with The Simon Wiesenthal Center have warned about efforts from those in Ukraine and in the Ukrainian community in Canada who want to deny involvement of the SS Galizien Division with the Nazis.
The Latvian government is also trying to use the “fake news” label to whitewash the reality of Latvian collaboration with the Nazis.
My colleague Scott Taylor has recently written several articles about the Latvian Legion (15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian) et al) and Latvian killers like war criminal Herberts Cukurs as well as the members of the Arajs Kommando, who murdered an estimated 26,000 Jews.
According to Karlis Eihenbaums, Latvia’s Ambassador to Canada, Taylor is spreading “fake news” and “disinformation.” Eihenbaums has also tried to smear Taylor by suggesting that he is under the “influence” of the Russian government.
Taylor’s research into the Latvian SS Legion and the Latvian murderers of Jewish men, women and children is solid. It is a well-documented historical fact that many of the killers from the Arajs Kommando went to the Latvian Legion. These Latvians served Hitler. No number of claims of “fake news” can change that fact.
The controversy over the Latvian Legion and the annual parade held in Riga to celebrate these Nazi collaborators is well known and has been going on for two decades, long before the term “fake news” was even coined. In 1998 the parade caused a storm of protests around the world, particularly in Israel, where Holocaust survivors couldn’t understand Latvia’s desire to celebrate such ruthless killers. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and French President Jacques Chirac were among those that year to protest the Latvian parade. The Times of Israel reported on this year’s Latvian SS parade in Riga, which took place mid-March.
So much for “fake news.” Did Helmut Kohl and Jacques Chirac spread “disinformation” when they denounced the SS parade in Latvia? Of course not.
This whole issue isn’t about “fake news” or Russian “disinformation.” It is about nations trying to whitewash their Nazi collaboration and rewrite history, while attacking journalists who don’t want to let that happen.
It is a positive development that members of the U.S. Congress could see through these efforts to glorify members of the SS. They are speaking out.
But in Canada, the federal government is more than happy to play along with defending Himmler’s SS divisions and Nazi collaborators.
What would our soldiers who fought during the Second World War to help rid the world of this scourge think about that?
Reprinted by permission of author and Postmedia/Ottawa Citizen. Originally published May 17, 2018.
REACHING OUT TO HELP OUT: Dignified Veteran Assistance Clinic
By Jim Scott
There are not many offices one could enter in downtown Ottawa and be greeted by a friendly dog as an introduction to the business. And make no mistake, Duke is a very friendly dog.
He is unphased that he flunked out of a Guide Dogs for the Blind course and you’d have to be churlish to bring it up. He now has a job and he is very eager to perform it beyond expectations.
The Dignified Veteran Assistance (DVA) Clinic also has a job though at first glance it seems they are shoe-horning in where many others are already positioned to help. When a CF member is in uniform they are guided as required and supplied with services from top-to-bottom at the stroke of a pen. Upon leaving, it is assumed Veterans Affairs, or a plethora of support organisations like the Royal Canadian Legion can be counted on to guide individuals toward medical and pensions information. Need a job? Check with the Commissionaires. Otherwise, it is expected that the newly minted civilian will, like the rest of us, navigate the Scylla and Charybdis of government bureaucracy and just naturally know where to go and when to be there.
DVA founder Steve Nolan had a different view. As Garrison CO at CFB Petawawa he had oversight of the managers delivering services there and two other locations. According to the DVA website he had his hands on a renewal of the release process for soldiers which brought together military administration as well as Military Family Resource Centres and the VA. Even so he says there is a “gap” between the time in uniform and the ex-member out on the street. “We see that many guys go two years before they finally figure out what they’re entitled to and how to ask for it. We want to catch them before they get frustrated and resort to complaining on the internet.”
Clinical Manager Terri Legaarden told CTV News: “When they’re left alone to do it themselves, sometimes they just won’t. Because it’s so frustrating and complex to fill out the forms that they’d rather not and just live with the pain.”
DVA aims to be a one-stop shop where all medical issues relating to military service can be quickly and easily dealt with. They can explain what an ex-member is entitled to and ensure public servants at VA, or the reps at Blue Cross, can do their jobs smoothly and get the paperwork flowing. In house, DVA offers some physio and counselling and plans on expanding what they can do medically. Tamarrah Jacobs already offers acupuncture and “shockwave” therapy for injuries and more expertise is on the way. Eventually, DVA not only wants to be a full-service operation, but open offices where CAF members retire.
Unfortunately, Duke will only be available to serve at one location.
Cold War On Ice ‘V’
On Sunday, December 16 the Esprit de Corps Commandos faced off against the Ottawa-based Russian Red Machine for the fifth instalment of their self-titled ‘Cold War on Ice’.
As usual, a buzzing crowd of several hundred people were in the stands to cheer on the players when they took the ice. Rock music blared through the arena speakers as the players each skated their first hot lap around the rink. It did not take long for the crowd to rise up when the Red Machine scored on the first shot, of the first shift, of the first period.
With that goal the tone was set and the Commandos knew they had their work cut out for them. While it was a fun and fair event for both opponents, the final score of 8-2 (favouring the Red Machine) did not reflect this fact.
For some, the post-game reception was the best part of the entire affair. A relentless mountain of pub fare was dished out to the hungry attendees. Wine, beer, and vodka flowed freely to liven the holiday spirit and genuine camaraderie. An upbeat saxophone performance heightened everyone’s sense to top it all off.
Speeches were delivered by Russian Ambassador Alexandre Darchiev and Esprit de Corps’ own Scott Taylor thanking everyone who supported this fun and worthwhile event.
A huge THANK YOU goes out to everyone for taking part, and most importantly to our friends at the Embassy of Russia in Ottawa for their unmatched generosity and the best hockey crowd one could ask for.
Трус не игра́ет в хокке́й
THE VETERANS WELL-BEING ACT: Getting What You Can When You Get Out
Turning transferable skills into a civilian career needs planning and forethought. VAC will help. (COMBAT CAMERA DND)
(Volume 25-5)
By Jim Scott
If there was any doubt that Canadians care deeply about the men and women who serve in our military, it has surely been dispelled by events in Ottawa the last few years.
Notable in 2000 was the internment of the Unknown Soldier. Not only did ordinary citizens turn out in long lines to pay their respects to the deliberately unidentified casualty of the Great War, but a crowd of as many as 20,000 were on hand for the dedication of his final resting place at the National War Memorial.
With the advent of the Afghanistan War and the thousands of service personnel who experienced injuries of mind and body there, annual crowds for the November Remembrance Day ceremonies at the downtown Ottawa monument swelled into the hundreds of thousands. Thousands more took time from their days to line the Highway of Heroes whenever the remains of soldiers were transported from CFB Trenton to Toronto.
We do not consider that the obligation to repay this service is ended with their last paycheque while in uniform, but that anyone who commits to this sacrifice be restored to the best possible physical, mental and financial health.
In practice it’s a tall order to maintain a bureaucratic and fiscal focus on a programme that can run for decades. After the Great War, the Pension
Act of 1919 generally sought to compensate returning veterans and support those who could not find re-employment. A small population of 11 million could only do so much for the more than half a million men who came back from this horrible maelstrom.
Over the years the principle remained the same. There was a pension or a programme but you were on your own. Here’s a hand up, not a hand out.
By the 1990’s the country had thankfully not had to send hundreds of thousands of citizens into combat but other factors were being recognised. Psychiatry had begun to realise that the trauma of being in combat could persist with many individuals for years, affecting home and work life in dramatic ways. It was not fair to simply pay off the veterans and send them on their way. The country now needed to monitor and assist their soldiers, sailors and aircrew in a more comprehensive way.
When the Conservative Party was elected in 2006, they began a process of addressing wider needs with the New Veterans Charter. Aside from a monetary calculation, there was added a concept of “quality of life”. The veteran was seen as a focal point for his/her family and the support personnel that could run the gamut from career and training assistance to daily medical care for the disabled. The government was criticized for changing the lifetime pension to a lump sum payment, (and closing a few bureaucratic offices), but at least there was recognition that more could and should be done.
From this we now have the Veterans Well-being Act of 2018. New components have been added. New funding has been added to existing programmes such as the Emergency Fund that provides up to $2500 in ready cash to help with immediate expenses.
Still front and centre is a focus on getting service personnel back into civilian life. Career Transition Services and the Veterans Education and Training Benefit provide counselling to allow the retiring CAF member to pick their next career move and get funding for any courses that will lead to employment. The amount available rises with years of service: six years qualifies you for up to $40,000 and twelve years or more bumps it to $80,000. The money can be used for tuition, books and living expenses, and stays available at the original amount for up to ten years.
For those with disabilities there is a return to the Pension For Life as well as additional compensations based on the level of impairment. You may qualify for a tax-exempt Pain and Suffering Compensation or an Additional Pain and Suffering monthly payment. There is a taxable Income Replacement Benefit that allows up to $20,000 in employment income without claw-back. For those who need additional help at home there is a new Caregiver Recognition allowance that can pay up to $1,000 per month for any one over 18 that the veteran wishes to name as caregiver, (who is not paid to provide care).
The government has removed the time limit for spouses or survivors to receive rehabilitation services or vocational training.
In a briefing with VAC recently I raised the issue of one component: the Veterans and Family Well-being Fund. From a $12 million budget VAC will disburse $3 million per year in funds for groups that conduct research or otherwise come up with schemes to “support the well-being of Veterans and their families.” The academic or business group does not have to consist of veterans, but simply convince the bureaucrats in charge of the programme that the end result will be some sort of improvement in veterans’ lives. Perhaps some good will come of it. Or, more likely, the groups that know how to tap government slush funds will figure out how to tap this one too.
As with any government programme, regardless of the helpful-sounding language in the brochures, the devil remains in the details. The Veterans Affairs Canada website is user friendly and written in plain English, (I presume the same on the French side), so by all means explore it and look ahead to the days you’ll be on Civvie Street. It remains to be seen if the bureaucrats of VAC can live up to the cheery tone of the Veterans Well-being Act. I do not doubt the sincerity and professionalism of our public servants. My only wish is that every individual who puts on a military uniform for this country feels the admiration and respect that every citizen has for them.
Open Letter to the Prime Minister - Opposing Nazi Glorification
July 4, 2018
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau,
B’nai Brith Canada has always been a strong supporter of Canada’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance. We favour a robust Canadian contribution to security of the Euro-Atlantic region, including through our current commitment to NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia.
Alliance relationships are strengthened through frank and open dialogue. Given Canada’s highly respected voice in NATO forums, your forthcoming visit to Latvia and participation in the NATO Summit offers you an opportunity to articulate the concerns of Canada’s Jewish community over developments in Europe.
B’nai Brith submitted detailed proposals prior to the G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Que. on how the G7 can lead the effort to combat antisemitism. We noted the important work of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), of which Canada is a leading member.
As one facet of its work to combat antisemitism, IHRA is very much focused on the threat to our social fabric from modern-day Holocaust distortion and denial. It is in this context that B’nai Brith has concerns we ask you to consider and convey to other NATO members and, particularly, to Latvian leaders:
• We must condemn all attempts to glorify Nazi sympathizers or collaborators, whether military units, fascist organizations or individuals.
• We are very concerned with the rise of extreme right forces in Europe, which both draws upon and fuels efforts to cast a different historical light on the role of some fascist organizations or military units during World War II.
• We are witness to parades and demonstrations in European cities that glorify or gloss over the role of military units known to have supported or sympathized with the Nazis. This includes worrying signs in the three Baltic countries.
• For example, there has been widespread and credible reporting in Canada and internationally of parades that glorify the Latvian Legion, including the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS and the 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS.
• We must challenge all those who distort the historical record on governments, military units or organizations that fought with, supported or sympathized with the Nazis during World War II. This includes government leaders who acquiesce in, or fail to condemn, a process of Nazi glorification that amounts to Holocaust distortion.
• Those who glorify the record of such organizations or units cannot dismiss criticism as “fake news.” Nor can they justify the actions of such units based on a need to choose between the lesser of two evils.
• The fact is that some organizations and their leaders, now glorified for their fight against the Soviet army, were also involved in atrocities against Jewish civilians or embraced ideologies that were deeply antisemitic and perpetuated social hostility towards their Jewish populations. This is why B’nai Brith rejects any efforts to constrain historians and the media from researching what happened and publicly explaining it in an objective manner.
Respectfully, Prime Minister, we do believe the Canadian government can speak out more forthrightly – both privately and publicly – with its partners and allies when we see troubling instances of Holocaust distortion increasing in intensity in Europe, including efforts to glorify World War II governments, military units, or individuals who sympathized with or supported the Nazis.
Canada should be using its influence to challenge this trend and convince its allies to join in a denunciation of this development. We ask you to use the occasion of your visit to Latvia, and to the NATO Summit, to carry this message on behalf of Canada’s Jewish community.
The key to combatting modern-day Holocaust distortion, denial or obfuscation is education, particularly on the dangers posed by modern day glorification of pro-Nazi sympathizers or supporters. That is why we support IHRA and a vigorous Canadian contribution to IHRA’s work, and why B’nai Brith Canada has its own Holocaust Education Program.
Sincerely,
Michael Mostyn
Chief Executive Officer
B'nai Brith Canada
CANSEC 2018
By Jim Scott
Ottawa’s E-Y Centre has 135,000 square feet of exhibition space and at the end of May 2018 it was jam-packed with an international who’s-who of defence, security and aerospace firms.
Buoyed by federal reassurances that Canada’s military procurement process would finally start crossing ‘T’s’ and dotting ‘I’s” on actual contracts, this year’s edition of the annual show was well attended by government employees and Canadian military personnel. A number of exhibitors remarked at the fact the aisles in the giant hall were standing room only. Attendance figures are sure to exceed the usual 11,000.
Sponsored by the Canadian Associations of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), the show also attracted government speakers to extol the high quality of jobs, investment and research that the defence industry brings to Canada. Ministers Navdeep Bains and Carla Qualtrough spoke of growing opportunities, while Chair of the Finance Minister’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth, Dominic Barton, walked a lunch time crowd through the potential for Canada’s economy available through the investments in research and development.
Judging by the extraordinary applications of new materials and processes on display, Canada’s defence industry, in alliance with international partners, is surely looking at a bright future.
CANADA'S FIRST VC RECIPIENT: Alexander Dunn At The Charge Of The Light Brigade: Balaclava, 1854
(Volume 25-01)
By Bob Gordon
The Victoria Cross was introduced on January 29, 1856 by Queen Victoria to recognize acts of valour during the Crimean War. A total of 96 Canadians have been awarded this illustrious medal since its inception, however none since the Second World War.
The original warrant states, the VC is “awarded to those officers and men who have served us in the presence of the enemy, and shall have then performed some single act of valour or devotion to their country.” Only rare, non-combat actions “under circumstances of extreme danger” were eligible. On its 25th anniversary, the award was limited to acts in the face of the enemy. Despite being the pinnacle of the Royal award hierarchy, it is a deceptively unassuming dark brown Maltese cross, cast from cannon captured at Sevastopol, not struck. The face displays the Royal Crown surmounted by a lion guardant. Below the crown is a scroll bearing the inscription: FOR VALOUR. The crimson ribbon is 36 millimetres wide. This occasional column will survey Canadian VCs, seeking the unusual, the unlikely and the unexpected.
The first Canadian to be awarded a Victoria Cross was Alexander Roberts Dunn, while serving with the British Army’s 11th Hussars at the Battle of Balaclava. Dunn was born in York (renamed Toronto one year later) in 1833, the son of John Henry Dunn, the Receiver-General of Upper Canada, and studied at Upper Canada College and at Harrow School, London. He purchased a commission in the Hussars in 1852. The citation in the London Gazette enumerated his heroics: “For having in the Light Cavalry Charge on the 25th October, 1854, saved the life of Sergeant Bentley, 11th Hussars by cutting down two or three Russian Hussars, who were attacking from the rear, and afterwards cutting down a Russian Hussar, who was attacking Private Levett, 11th Hussars.”
Dunn sold his commission in 1856, but after less than a year on civvy street managing his father’s estate north of York, he returned to the military organizing the 100th (Prince of Wales’ Royal Canadian) Regiment of Foot, a British unit raised in Canada in response to the 1857 Indian Mutiny. He went on to serve as its major. In 1864, Dunn transferred to the 33rd (Duke of Wellington’s) Regiment of Foot and was promoted to the rank of colonel, becoming the first Canadian to command a British regiment and the youngest colonel, at the time, in the British Army.
Four years later, Dunn and his regiment were sent to the Horn of Africa to take part in the Expedition to Abyssinia, more commonly known as Ethiopia. He was killed amid unusual circumstances while on a hunting expedition shortly after arriving in the country, on January 25, 1868. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has been caring for Dunn’s burial site in Senafe since 1982.