Operation Veteran launches its third year, inviting students from across the country to Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario, November 2, 2011—On November 11, Operation Veteran will launch its third year of operations by hosting 200 students from across Canada for Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa and a tour of the Canadian War Museum. All expenses of these visits are covered by the participating schools, which also raise funds to support Operation Veteran.

Operation Veteran was founded by Dr. Paul Kavanagh, in association with the Canadian War Museum, after his moving encounter in April 2009 with a Second World War veteran who did not have enough money to pay for soup and a coffee at the Museum cafeteria. “There was a long line-up and people were becoming impatient,” Dr. Kavanagh explained. “He was in tears. I had to do something. So I paid for his meal.”

Soon afterwards, Dr. Kavanagh founded Operation Veteran to ensure that on November 11, no veteran would lack the funds for a meal at the Museum. In 2010, thanks to schools’ fundraising efforts and the generosity of private donors, the program was extended to every day the Museum is open. To date, more than 2,000 complimentary meals have been served to veterans visiting the Canadian War Museum.

Educating young people about Canadians’ debt to our veterans is an important element of Operation Veteran. The program supports the development of the Museum’s online modules on diplomacy and peacekeeping. In addition, Dr. Kavanagh invites students every year to the Remembrance Day wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial and a special tour of the War Museum, where students have the opportunity to talk to veterans. Last year, 11 schools participated in the event.

“We are delighted that this initiative continues to grow, engaging high-school students from across the country in remembrance,” said Mark O’Neill, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation, which operates the Canadian War Museum. “The program contributes significantly to the greater understanding and knowledge of Canada’s military history and respect for service to country.” 

This year, students from over 50 public and private schools from Vancouver Island to St. John’s, Newfoundland will participate and report to their schools on their experience. Last year, Christiane Heseltine from Lower Canada College told her fellow students: “November 11, 2010 was the first day that I truly understood what it meant to be Canadian. I believe that every student will remember their experience and be forever moved.”

In the coming year, Operation Veteran will continue to enlist more schools, while significantly expanding the scope of its online education activities.

The Canadian War Museum is Canada’s national museum of military history. Its mission is to promote public understanding of Canada’s military history in its personal, national, and international dimensions. 

For more information visit www.warmuseum.ca/ov 

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