Canadian Forces Military Display

CANADIAN FORCES ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF THE 2008 MasterCard MEMORIAL CUP
The MasterCard Memorial Cup will celebrate 90 years of major junior hockey excellence in Kitchener May 16 - 26th. With an impressive display of current and historic Canadian military vehicles…along with a world class fireworks display there will be something for everyone.
Hockey fans will be able to get up close and personal with such military vehicles as a 2.5-ton Gun Tractor and a 10-ton Wrecker, as well as a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat, a state-of-the-art Recruiting Trailer and an army howitzer.“There will be plenty to see and do at the Canadian Forces exhibit”, says Captain Scott Costen, spokesman for 31 Canadian Brigade Group. “Some of our biggest and best vehicles will be on display, as well as one of the army’s largest weapon systems.”

Canadian Forces Military Display
The Canadian Forces Military Display will be located within Toyota Fan Fest at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium (Military Road area off East Avenue) throughout the entire Memorial Cup Championship. Juno The Bear – the Army’s official Mascot, will also be on hand to meet the public and hand out souvenirs. Members of the public will get a chance to meet CF members, learn more about careers in the military, and see some of their latest vehicles and equipment.
They will also have an opportunity to tour the local armoury, and enjoy a military band performance.
Most importantly, Memorial Cup attendees will have a chance to join today’s CF members in honouring the heroism and sacrifice of our veterans.

History of the Memorial Cup
The Canadian Forces Military Display will support the Memorial Cup, which was donated by the Ontario Hockey Association in 1919 as a memorial and honour of the Canadians who fought and died in the First World War. The Memorial Cup and its message of remembrance are as relevant today as they were nine decades ago.
With the service and sacrifice of Canadian Forces (CF) members in Afghanistan, the connection between earlier generations of war veterans and current military personnel has grown stronger. This connection is revealed in many ways, including increased military participation at the Memorial Cup, and renewed emphasis on the origins of junior hockey’s national championship trophy. CF members will be active participants in this year’s Memorial Cup festivities. Our men and women in uniform will transport the Memorial Cup championship trophy to Kitchener and proudly escort it throughout the event.

Canadian Armed Forces Marching Band and World Class Fireworks
When: Saturday, May 17th, 2008 at 9 p.m.
Where: Centennial Stadium (adjacent to the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium)
..............400 East Avenue, Kitchener, ON
Cost: FREE

A Canadian Armed Forces Marching Band will also provide entertainment on Saturday May 17th when Centennial Stadium (adjacent to to Kitchener Memorial Auditorium) plays host to a world-class Fireworks Display.The Fireworks Display will be produced by Whysall Fireworks of Ariss, who recently won an International Fireworks Competition in Vietnam and is also responsible for producing the annual Canada Day fireworks display at the University of Waterloo.The Fireworks Display will begin at dusk, and is open to everyone and admission is free. Be sure to come early and enjoy this spectacular evening.

Thursday's Arrival Parade and Ceremonies
The Memorial Cup – to be presented to the winner of the 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup Championship - officially arrived in Kitchener on Thursday May 15th. To celebrate the Cup’s arrival, the community was invited to attend a special ceremony planned at Civic Square at Kitchener City Hall b at 11:30 am. The Cup was delivered to City Hall by the Canadian Armed Forces in an Armoured Personnel Carrier as part of a Military Procession that featured approximately 100 Veterans and a Colour Guard.
The President of the Canadian Hockey League and Commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League – David Branch - will formally presented the Memorial Cup to Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr during a ceremony that will also included the Honourable Greg Thompson, Federal Minister of Veterans Affairs as well as Steve Bienkowski and John Thompson – the Chair and General Manager respectively, of the 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup Host Committee.
“It is certainly an honour for the City of Kitchener to welcome the Memorial Cup and to host one of the nation’s most prestigious junior hockey tournaments,” said Mayor Zehr. “We take great pride in celebrating the cup’s arrival and we wish the Kitchener Rangers all the best as they compete to keep it right here at home.”
Following the presentation, the public was invited to view the Memorial Cup, meet members of the Kitchener Rangers Hockey Team, and enjoy a community BBQ complete with a Memorial Cup cake and entertainment provided by the Twin City Harmonizers and Shane Guse.

"Lament for the Dead" by Will Oliver

This is a tribute to our fallen soldiers by singer Will Oliver.
Thank you Will on behalf of military families.
We shall always remember them. ~m.m.

Manitoba Moose Honours our Troops

The Manitoba Moose hockey team paid tribute to the Canadian Military on March 10, 2007. The Moose were sporting their special camo uniforms to honour our Canadian Forces for the game. This is the video they played on the scoreboard after the game. (Thank you)

Red Shirt Walk/Run, Traffic Delay

DND/Public Service Advisory


Military and civilian staff of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces will partake in a 5 km Red Shirt Walk/Run on 1 June 2007, from 1:00 to 2:30 pm.Traffic may be delayed as the procession makes its way from National Defence Headquarters at the Laurier Bridge, along Colonel By Drive over the Pretoria Bridge and returning via Queen Elizabeth Driveway to Wellington Street, finishing on Parliament Hill.As a courtesy, the NAC has agreed to the use of their thruway to Wellington Street.

Canada's "Crazy Eights"

This is a program you may not want to miss as it takes place at a time when many families and friends were there. It also gives a perspective of what it's like for our soldiers to be in Afghanistan. It is being held Thursday, March 29th at 8:00 pm on CBC.

90th Parallel and CBC Television present:

“THE CRAZY EIGHTS”

Thursday, March 29th - 8 p.m.

Filmmaker Gordon Henderson joins Eight Platoon Charles Company for an intimate portrait of Canadian soldiers at war in AfghanistanWorld Premiere on CBC “THE DOC-ZONE” MARCH 29, 2007 – 8PMArmed with cameras, filmmaker Gordon Henderson spent the month of October 2006 in Afghanistan with Canadian troops. The Crazy Eights is an intimate video journal of his time with The Royal Canadian Regiment Charles Company Eight Platoon.* * *


The Crazy Eights have suffered more than any other Canadian military unit in the war. Over Labour Day 2006 weekend, the platoon was in the thick of Operation Medusa, the biggest battle Canadians have been in since the Korean War. Then the next morning, the platoon was strafed by an American plane. An A10 Warthog literally gunned them down in friendly fire. There were only eight soldiers left standing. Henderson and cameramen Jerry Vienneau were with Eight Platoon while it was rebuilding at Spin Boldak near the Pakistan border and as it was patrolling the front lines of Panjwaii, “I wanted to experience the soldier’s everyday life,” says Gordon Henderson. “The Crazy Eights is not an analysis of the war. Its purpose is to give Canadians a sense of what our soldiers are going through.” So Henderson and Vienneau stayed with The Crazy Eights. “We ate with them, slept in the incredibly dusty trenches with them and hung out with them. When they went on patrol, we went with them.”At Spin Boldak, or Forward Operating Base Costall, veterans of September’s devastation were regrouping, resting and healing. Henderson and Vienneau were with The Crazy Eights as the platoon was being reconstituted and replacements were coming on. It was an extraordinarily intimate time to share with a platoon.Henderson remembers: “The guys were friendly but cautious at first, but when they saw us in Panjwaii, where most Canadians have been killed, they really welcomed us.”Much of film takes place in Panjwaii -- in convoys, on foot patrol and with the soldiers as they checked out suspicious intruders. There was one particularly tense night in Panjwaii when Taliban had been spotted nearby. “For the first time in my life,” Henderson says, “I was ordered to sleep with my boots on.”Henderson’s main memories: playing chess with Corporal Bellamy as he talked emotionally about Medusa ("No one can prepare you for that."), listening to Private Keegan urge the Maple Leafs on ("I could die and never see the Leafs win the Stanley Cup. Keep that on your conscience, boys.") And dust, dust, dust.The Crazy Eights stayed out in the Panjwaii dust for fifty-seven days straight. They returned to Canada in February.Producer, director and writer of “The Crazy Eights” is Gordon Henderson. Jerry Vienneau was behind the camera in Afghanistan and Geoff Matheson was editor of “The Crazy Eights”.

To see a journal or more information: http://www.90thparallel.ca/crazyeights/index.html

Canada Goes Shopping

Boeing and Canada Sign C$3.4 Billion Deal for Four C-17s

Feb 2 -Boeing Co., the second-biggest U.S. defense contractor, signed a C$3.4 billion contract with the Canadian military for four C-17 Globemaster III's transport aircrafts for Canada's Department of National Defence to provide new strategic airlift mobility capabilities for the Canadian Forces. The first delivery will occur as soon as fall 2007. The Canadian C-17's will be based at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.
Public Works Minister Michael Fortier and National Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor made the announcement today in Ottawa. General Rick Hillier, Canada's top soldier, said the planes will help with military missions in the country's Arctic region and abroad in places such as in Afghanistan.
``It is going to enable us to be there, to be there with the right loads,'' Hillier said.
Boeing will deliver the aircraft from its Long Beach, Calif., factory where the advanced airlifters are assembled.

"Boeing is pleased that Canada joins its international partners -- the U.S. Air Force, the U.K. Royal Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force -- in selecting C-17, the world's leading airlifter to modernize its defense forces airlift fleet," said Dave Bowman, vice president and C-17 program manager. "We look forward to delivering C-17s and a new world-class airlift capability to Canada, with industry-leading safety, quality and reliability that all C-17 customers enjoy."
As the only tactical airlifter with strategic range, the C-17 has become the world's airlifter of choice. Boeing is on contract to design, build, deliver and support 190 U.S. Air Force C-17s. The new Canadian C-17s are already factored into the C-17 production plan and will not extend the Long Beach production line beyond mid-2009, when the last C-17 is scheduled for delivery. In addition to the 160 C-17s now in service with the U.S. Air Force, the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force operates four C-17s, and the Royal Australian Air Force in late 2006 took delivery of its first of four C-17s. With today's announcement, Canada will become the fourth nation to operate C-17s.

Ottawa Senators Dedicate Game to Troops

Canadian Forces Appreciation Night January 30 in Ottawa

CANADIAN FORCES APPRECIATION NIGHT: 30 JANUARY 2007
The Ottawa Senators Hockey Club dedicated 30 January 2007 as Canadian Forces Appreciation Night. The aim of CF Appreciation Night is to recognize CF members' contribution, dedication and commitment to excellence. 1100 tickets have already been given to select CF members.
Tuesday, January 30th, 2007at 7:30 p.m.
Ottawa Senators vs Washington Capitals

"GO .....SENATORS!"

__Thanks for the information JoAnne! :)

Toronto Maple Leafs Honour the Military Jan 13th

Thank you Leafs!

Thank you for your support!

HONOURING THE MILITARY

The Leafs will honour Canada's armed forces during their game against the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow night at the Air Canada Centre. More than 100 Canadian armed forces personnel from CFB Borden, 8 Wing Trenton, HMCS York and Land Force Central Area who have served in Afghanistan have been invited to watch from the gondola. Prior to the start of the game, four Canadian armed forces personnel will rappel from the arena rafters down to centre ice.

Vice-Chief of Defence and Lieutenant-General Walter J. Natynczyk will be among those scheduled to participate in the ceremonial puck drop.

The Leafs have invited more than 100 Canadian Armed Forces personnel who have served in Afghanistan to watch from the Gondola on Canadian Armed Forces Appreciation Night Saturday.

Game time: Saturday, January 13th 7:00pm airing on CBC

Info from Friday, January 12, 2007 edition of The Toronto Sun