BATOCHE, SASKATCHEWAN -- (Marketwire) -- 07/23/11 -- Brad Trost, Member of Parliament for Saskatoon-Humboldt, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, announced today up to $50,000 in federal government support for a project in Batoche, Saskatchewan to honour Metis Veterans and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
"It is our duty to remember and honour the brave men and women who serve Canada so selflessly. Our Veterans have fought for our freedom and these memorials are symbols of their accomplishments and sacrifices," said Minister Blaney. "It is gratifying to know that younger generations have special places like these to reflect on our country's proud military history."
The Government of Canada is providing funding of up to $50,000 to the Gabriel Dumont Institute to commemorate all Metis who served and those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War and the South African War. The new memorial will include eight granite slabs, etched with 3,600 names of Metis Veterans. The entrance of the memorial will have carvings of images that are significant to the Metis and also symbolic to service men and women.
"The Metis Veterans Memorial Monument reflects the appreciation held by the community for our local heroes. Supporting the construction of new memorials is one way our government is taking the necessary steps to ensure the sacrifices of our Veterans will not be forgotten," said Mr. Trost, who attended a ceremony in Batoche today, commemorating Metis Veterans.
Through the Community War Memorial Program, the Government of Canada is fulfilling its commitment to further commemorate the sacrifices of our armed forces by partnering with communities across Canada to build memorials to commemorate the achievements and sacrifices of those who served our country.
Applications to the Community War Memorial Program are accepted throughout the year and reviewed quarterly. Interested non-profit groups and other organizations may be eligible for funding to build new memorials or to make major additions to existing ones. The next application deadlines are July 29 and September 28, 2011.
Please visit veterans.gc.ca or call 1-866-522-2122 to learn more or to apply for funding.
Contacts:
Janice Summerby
Media Relations Advisor
Veterans Affairs Canada
613-992-7468
Codie Taylor
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
613-996-4649