News

WWII Veteran Elsa Lessard’s Birthday

Jun 24, 2021 | 0 comments

Fellow Communicators… I am sure that some of you are familiar with Elsa Lessard. Elsa is about to celebrate her 99th birthday on 2 July 2021. In WW II she served in the Canadian Women’s RCN Service as a Telegraphist, Special Operator. She was stationed at secret locations just south of Ottawa (can anyone guess as to this location?) and at a tiny hamlet in NB called Coverdale. Elsa and other woman like her copied the German Morse code messages to its fleet of U-boats prowling the ocean for convoys. Information was then fed to Bletchley Park in the UK for decoding. They were referred to as The Secret Listeners. It is suggested that Listeners like Elsa around the British Empire helped save a quarter of a million lives during the WWII conflict. A more detailed account of her story is at this VAC link: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/faces-of-freedom/elsa-lessard   Kevin G. O’Keefe, OMM, CD Brigadier-General (Retired) Colonel Commandant Communications and Electronics Branch [email protected] 613-862-8495 Views: 8

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Veterans Affairs Canada Wants Your Opinion

Jun 22, 2021 | 1 comment

Good morning, Veterans Affairs Canada’s online consultation on the future of remembrance in Canada has opened on 18 June 2021! We want everyone who has served our country to see themselves in our remembrance and recognition programming. That’s why we’re reaching out to Veterans, currently serving CAF and RCMP members, their families and all Canadians for their ideas and input on how we can best recognize and commemorate Canada’s military, peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. Your opinion matters. Until 9 July 2022, you can provide feedback on our 10-year strategic plan and tell us how we can best recognize and remember Canada’s Veterans. Please share this message and encourage your networks to share their thoughts with us at letstalkveterans.ca/. Paul Thomson, Director General, Commemoration Division Veterans Affairs Canada Views: 3

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Veterans Affairs Update June 2021

Jun 16, 2021 | 0 comments

In this edition:  Indigenous Veteran Debbie Eisan to be featured on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network Honouring the memory of Indigenous Veterans Pride Week: June 8–11 Veterans share experience of applying for disability benefits Help applying for benefits and services Be heard: join one of the six ministerial advisory groups Why do the Battles of Beaumont-Hamel and the Somme matter to you? Veteran recommends the Veterans Independence Program Veteran success story despite harassment Veteran success story: David Fraser Join the Navy Bike Ride Indigenous Veteran Debbie Eisan to be featured on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network Indigenous Veteran Debbie Eisan will be featured in a 60-second video airing on APTN, with the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, for the Indigenous Day Live event on 20 June. Indigenous Day Live is Canada’s largest event celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day. Veterans Affairs Canada has a new partnership with APTN. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness about programs and services to an Indigenous-based audience. The partnership also recognizes the significant contributions of Indigenous Veterans. Through this partnership, we are increasing engagement with Indigenous communities and Indigenous Veterans across the country. The partnership will be renewed for the Indigenous Day Live in 2022, when we […]

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BGen Pascal Godbout Appointed Joint Task Force (North) Commander

Jun 9, 2021 | 0 comments

Congratulations to Brigadier-General Pascal Godbout as the newly appointed Joint Task Force (North) Commander! Photo caption: JTFN CoC ceremony between BGen Godbout and MGen Carpentier on 28 May 2021 Views: 11

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Task Force Latvia: Citations for Cpl Krosse and MCpl Kolinko

May 27, 2021 | 0 comments

Congratulations to our members who have been recognized for their outstanding work ethic and dedication to solving issues!​ Views: 5

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eFP Latvia Ball Hockey Tournament

May 26, 2021 | 0 comments

Having been permitted to play some sports internally at Camp Adazi, Latvia starting on 11 May 21 because of the efficacy time after the 1st vaccination and no COVID cases in weeks, the eFP Battle Group (BG) organized a ball hockey tournament for 22 May 21 named Ex WOLVERINE SLAPSHOT. The tournament consisted of 16 teams from multiple nations, to be played at the outdoor rink on camp. With only a few days’ notice, Sig P.M. Hall organized a team of 10 players from the Sig Sqn, and Maj P. Gaudreau from TFL HQ. The team name was the Hermes War Hounds. Because of Force Protection Health Measures (FPHM) goalies could not share the few sets of goalie gear available through PSP, so RCD MCpl D.L. Wilkinson was our goalie throughout the tournament. For most players, the first game of the tournament would be their first time playing ball hockey in over a year because of the pandemic. Many were anxious about how we would perform, with the majority of the Sig Sqn receiving the 2nd vaccination the day of, or during the two days prior, and side effects being more severe. The first game of the tournament was the […]

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