Edmonton, Alberta – On behalf of the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Honourable Laurie Hawn, Member of Parliament for Edmonton–Centre, today announced up to $50,000 in support for a project in Edmonton to honour Veterans and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. This funding, provided through the Community War Memorial Program, will support the construction of the Victoria Cross Memorial Park Monument.
“It is our sacred duty to remember and honour our Veterans and the brave men and women in uniform who serve Canada so selflessly,” said Minister Blaney. “Building new war memorials can inspire a renewed sense of remembrance in a community. This is why our Government is proud to support projects that help honour the sacrifices of our Veterans and our service men and women.”
“The Victoria Cross Memorial Park Monument reflects the appreciation held by the community for those who served our country,” said Mr. Hawn. “Our Government commends the members of the Victoria Cross Memorial Park Monument Society for their dedication to ensuring that the important contributions of our Veterans will be remembered for future generations.”
The Victoria Cross Memorial Park Monument Society will construct the Victoria Cross Memorial Park Monument to commemorate all the Canadian recipients of the Victoria Cross. The park will be v-shaped in design to depict the “V” hanger on the Victoria Cross Medal, and will include an assembly area, walkways and educational stations explaining the significance of the Victoria Cross Medal. The monument will list the recipients’ full names, units, where they came from and the war or conflict in which they served.
Through the Community War Memorial Program, our Government is fulfilling its commitment to further commemorate the courage and sacrifices of our Veterans and members of our armed forces by partnering with community groups and local organizations to build new cenotaphs and monuments.
Applications to the Community War Memorial Program can be submitted at any time during the year and are reviewed on a quarterly basis. Interested non-profit groups and other organizations may be eligible for funding to build new memorials or to make major additions to existing ones. For more information, please visit veterans.gc.ca.