On Friday night, I choked up listening to the stories of veterans talking about the impact of their service on their lives and those of their families.
asserted
I → choke → families
I wasn’t at a Legion or a retirement home hearing from someone who fought at Juno Beach.
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who → hear → Beach
The event was one of three such galas in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa that raised more than $2.3 million to bridge the gap between what military veterans and their families get from government and what they need.
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they → raise → what
It was an expression of support from the community, of people saying we see you, we hear you, we support you.
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we → say → you
The foundation behind the gala was established in 2009.
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foundation → establish → 2009
We were in the midst of the Afghan war, creating a new generation of veterans unlike any since the Korean conflict of the 1950s.
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We → create → 1950s
Those behind the initiative, mostly from Toronto’s Bay Street business community, wanted to find a way to connect civilian and military communities.
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Those → want → communities
Having been long exposed to both, I can tell you that, at times, you need a translator for both sides to communicate.
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sides → expose → translator
It needs to be done, though, because remembering those who serve or served our country in uniform isn’t something that should just happen on Nov. 11.
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that → need → Nov.
Showing up on Remembrance Day — and I hope you go to a local ceremony — is important, but not nearly enough.
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you → show → ceremony
We need to be remembering and supporting our veterans throughout the year.
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We → need → year
Remembrance requires more
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Remembrance → require → more
That’s easy for me to say.
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me → ’ → ?
I come from a military family of sorts.
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I → come → sorts
My grandfathers, great-uncles and family friends all served.
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grandfathers → serve → ?
They inspired me to join the reserves, even for a short time.
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They → inspire → time
My stepbrother recently retired from a career in the Canadian Armed Forces in Petawawa, Ont., and a high school friend did the same.
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friend → retire → same
Most Canadians will live their lives without encountering a soldier, a sailor or an aviator.
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Canadians → live → soldier
That’s too bad because the sacrifices they make, even in a time of supposed peace, allow us to live our lives free from the thought of war.
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us → ’ → war
That’s not something that people in other parts of the world can say.
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people → ’ → world
Canada is blessed by geography.
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Canada → bless → geography
We have oceans on three sides and regardless of what you might think of their current president, we have the most benevolent neighbour to the south.
uncertain
we → have → south
Ask the people of Ukraine, Israel, Sudan or Congo if they would trade places with us and I’m sure their answer would be yes.
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answer → ask → us
Keeping the peace isn’t free
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Keeping → keep → peace
At the same time, we have soldiers stationed in places like Latvia to keep the peace.
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we → have → peace
It is a show of force to dissuade Russia from invading a NATO ally.
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It → dissuade → ally
We have more than 3,000 service members in Latvia helping train local forces and deter Russian aggression aimed at reclaiming former Soviet territory, which Moscow is attempting in Ukraine.
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Moscow → have → Ukraine
These are the members of the Canadian Armed Forces serving their country in a too-often thankless job.
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These → serve → job
That’s why it is important to give thanks, to remember on more than one day a year.
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it → ’ → day
The cost of service
On Oct. 17, a fire swept through a training ground at CFB Wainwright in Alberta, killing four people and seriously injuring at least 39 others.
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fire → sweep → others
The fact that we lost Sgt. Morgan Wong, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Aidan Goulding and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark is no less tragic than losing them in war.
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we → lose → war
They were training to serve our country, to lay down their lives to protect us.
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They → train → us
At the gala on Friday night, they had a table with an empty chair, a wine glass turned upside down on the table, a piece of lemon to represent the bitterness of loss, salt for the tears of those left behind and a single red rose for the love of country.
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they → have → country
As we mark Remembrance Day, think about those who did not return, but also those who returned and will never be the same.
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who → mark → those
The Aporia
