Walking humbly beside Veterans of the Dieppe Raid

by **Teentitan** Wed 26 Sep 2012, 11:33

I have recently come back from an awesome journey where I walked humbly side by side with some of our Veterans in their nineties, as they returned to the beaches and cliffs of Dieppe, France. It was an emotional experience that defies description, and a powerful reminder that if not for the dedicated Canadians who served in uniform at that time — both those who have passed away and those who are still with us — we might not be free today to do the things we have come to appreciate and expect. For me, it was the final link in the One Veteran concept. I have now seen the wide spectrum of our Veterans engagement and firmly reaffirm our position that “Veterans with similar service-related illness or injuries should have access to the same benefits, regardless of their service, and where and when they served”.

Veterans Affairs Canada is to be commended for its efforts to encourage Canadians to remember with dignity and respect those who made the ultimate sacrifice on the shores of Dieppe and to celebrate the heroic contributions of the close to 5,000 Canadians who participated in the Raid.

With the average age of our Second World War Veterans being 87, I believe we have reached a moment in time where presumptive judgement and compassion must be used to a greater extent when it comes to meeting the needs of these Veterans.

Summer is practically over, and with vivid memories of my recent experience, I will be starting a new outreach campaign this week in the Toronto area, where I look forward to meeting with Veterans and serving members of the Canadian Forces and the RCMP, Veterans organizations, service providers, and employees of Veterans Affairs Canada.

I will be hosting public town halls in Toronto (September 19), Barrie (September 21) and Guelph (September 23). More information on the times and locations can be found on our Web site: http://www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/outreach-sensibilisation/calendar-calendrier-eng.cfm.

I hope to see you there!

Guy

http://www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/blog-blogue/post-eng.cfm?175