Breaking News…

More Winners than Losers in Sports Shakeup

By: WJO

The Royal Military College of Canada announced today a number of changes to the competitive sports program at the College.

The hammer finally fell following a three year review. When everything is said and done, both the Men’s and Women’s basketball teams have been dropped from the College sports calendar, and running and taekwondo have lost Varsity status, although they are not to be eliminated entirely.

The remaining Varsity teams are (M) hockey; (M) & (W) fencing; (M) & (W) volleyball; (M) rugby and (M) & (W) soccer.

The news, however, is far from all bad. The good news is that a number of Club Sports have been elevated to the newly created Competitive Club program. The difference between Varsity teams and this new program is that varsity teams will compete against other Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) teams, while Competitive Club teams will compete at a high performance level – just not at OUA sponsored events.

Sports granted the Competitive Club level along with running and taekwondo are rowing, sailing, swimming, military skills and women’s rugby.

Director of Athletics, Darren Cates, explains it this way. “The major difference between the Varsity teams and Competitive Clubs will be their level of competition. Another significant difference is that Varsity teams will have full time coaching support whereas Competitive Clubs will have part time coaches.”

He added: “Cadets in the Competitive Clubs will be excused from one or two terms of Intramurals depending on the sport in which they participate and their competitive schedule.” He also added, “Like Varsity teams, Competitive Clubs will compete across the province and, on occasion, in other provinces and in the U.S depending on the sport and the competitions which they are involved in.”

Cadets participating with Competitive Clubs, then, will no longer be required to participate in Intramurals while their sport is in season, which should be looked upon by these athletes very favourably. To be sure, this is a major change for the better as in the past many cadets had to juggle their club sport with their IM responsibilities.

Military skills teams are comprised of those Cadets who compete in external military competitions such as the Petawawa Ironman, Army Run and other military related competitions at various times throughout the school year. Those Cadets competing in these intense competitions will now be freed up for practises & training during IM times.

The financial savings from eliminating these Varsity programs are being reallocated within the department to better support the cadets that participate in all of the Athletic Department programs. In short, Varsity, Physical Education, Intramural and Club programs will all benefit from this re-focusing of resources.

While the news is not all bad, it is not all good, either. Now for the bad news…

Mr Cates expressed it this way: “Eliminating any sport from the Varsity program is difficult but it is the right thing to do right now for the College. The most difficult part of this is eliminating basketball as I know how passionate the Cadets on those teams are about their sport. In addition, we are saying goodbye to two hard working and high quality coaches. I appreciate all the Cadets’ efforts and sincerely hope they join one of our other Varsity teams or a Competitive Club.”

He also made a key point. “Although both Men’s and Women’s Basketball are permitted to have a roster of 14 players, there were only seven Cadets returning to the women’s basketball team and six Cadets to the men’s basketball team. There were just under 180 Cadets participating in the seven sports identified as Competitive Clubs.”

“These changes were not driven solely by financial issues. Although finances were an important consideration and were reviewed, the College undertook an extensive and holistic three year review of the Athletic Department programs. This was separate from the Government’s department-wide spending review”, emphasized Mr Cates. The College’s review included work by a review committee comprised of stakeholders from across the RMCC community, which was supplemented with a quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Mr Cates also added, “A thorough examination of the internal and external environment was also undertaken. It considered changes in sports participation trends, as well as organizational changes in OUA and CIS. The review made it clear that a reduction in the number of Varsity programs was required and would improve the overall experience for a greater number of Cadets.”

This restructuring of the sports teams allows the College to reallocate resources and deliver a higher quality program for a greater number of Cadets, as well as providing them the opportunity to achieve greater competitive success. The Cadets involved in the competitive clubs will receive more support and be able to engage in their chosen activities more extensively at their level of competition.

When everything is said and done, the sports program is in better shape today than it was yesterday.

It is a good time to be an athlete at the college.

Whig Standard article

Photo: Jordon Hennessey

In This Issue 26:

• Ex-Cadets in the News & 4 FEATURED EX CADET 212 PARTNERS

• Class Notes

• What are these 24 up to these days…?

• Telescope & Maj Gen Oliver back in the spotlight

• Focus on Military Staff: Maj Donnie Monroe, Deputy Director of Cadets

• Spirituality and Support: Being a College Chaplain

• Big Local Prescence @ CISM VB in Holland

• Two Cadets Visit China

• Writing of Life: International Affairs in the Canadian Forces College

• Kingston Insight: Skeleton Bones Trumpet Quartet

• The Way It Was…In Photos

• RMCC’s Art Holdings “Quite Varied and Extensive”

• The Right Hon. Vincent Massey, C.H., Addresses RMC Saint-Jean in 1952

• Deaths | Décès

SOS…81 Down – 9 to go! Please help us make contact

The RMC Club recently had an independent audit completed. One of the findings from this audit was the observation a number of potential members who were making pay allotments for a Life membership overpaid.

Most of the people involved (81) have been notified, HOWEVER, we are still trying to contact the following 9 Ex Cadets who are entitled to a refund from the Club. If you know how to reach them would you ask them to contact Bill Oliver to start the refund process – william.oliver@rmc.ca

22191 Benjamin Brownlee; 22311 Mitch Rivest; 22473 Todd Johnson; 22912 Allsion Klemen; 23311 Joseph Doubrough; 24540 John Claymore; 24658 Laura Duvall; 25233 Raymond Upshaw; and 25318 Jean-Michel Genest;

Courtice resident does Clarington proud

Mr. O’Toole, a lawyer, set off at the beginning of the month to join Canadians from across the nation to explore differences, broaden perspectives and absorb lessons from business leaders, organized labour, non-profits and Aboriginal leaders.

19894 Erin O’Toole Article

U.S. Legion of Merit presented to RCAF officer

Colonel Balfe was commended for his exceptional devotion to duty, and his significant contributions both to the maintenance of North American air security as well as to the close relationship between United States and Canadian Forces in NORAD.

Colonel Todd Balfe Article

Operation Southern Reach extends into Chile

“Our Chilean hosts have demonstrated an openness and eagerness to learn with us, while extending tremendously warm hospitality. It gives me a great sense of pride to be a part of this exchange, and we hope to see similar exchanges continue between our fighter squadrons in the future, whether in Canada, in Chile or during multinational exercises or operations.”

19747 Lieutenant-Colonel Louis-Henri Remillard Article

40th anniversary of the Order of Military Merit celebrated

“I was very pleased that we were able to mark the 40th Anniversary of the ORMM not only with the investiture ceremony, but also with the launch of a new book [by Canadian honours historian Christopher McCreery] about the history of the Order, as well as by the unveiling of a special commemorative sculpture of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”

12320 General Walt Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff Article

Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Grimshaw New Commander of 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry

“I realise what an honour and privilege it is to be chosen to command one of our PPCLI Battalions. I am quite humbled by this opportunity and I look forward to soldiering with the men and women of 1 PPCLI. The next two years will include many challenges and opportunities as we enter another busy training period and set the conditions for the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the PPCLI in August, 2014.”

19033 Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Grimshaw Article

Change at top for 1st Canadian Division

Collin’s military career began in 1982 with his graduation from the Royal Roads Military College.

13718 Maj.-Gen. John Collin Article

Video

University of Guelph Kemptville Campus celebrates another crop of graduates

The guest speaker for the commencement exercise was Leonard G. Lee. Lee is the founder of Lee Valley Tools and had much to say about the need for students to consider trade and technical careers.

5576 Leonard G. Lee Article

 Nanaimo man building security 11 time zones away

“I’m one of the select people who is specifically attached to an Afghan National Army general officer,” Goodman said. “What we’re basically helping them do is develop their capabilities to reflect a modern Afghan fighting force that’s able to effectively live, move and fight on their own without NATO support.”

19993 Col. Jim Goodman Article

Yarmouth native receives military honour

“Despite suffering casualties within the group, she kept her soldiers focused and battle-ready. Her fortitude under fire and performance in combat were critical to defeating the enemy and disrupting all insurgent attempts to reoccupy this key village.”

23578 Ashley Collette Article

CDS recognizes soldiers for achieving “the extraordinary”

Short video

Officers experience combat team attack training with tanks

Short video

________________________

FEATURED 212 PARTNERS

The Law Offices of 4803 Thomas H. Marshall, Q.C

10950 David Hall

MARCON, a specialized market research, strategy and management consulting firm

Président – 12046 Pierre Ducharme

JOIN US AS A 212 PARTNER

Class Notes

eV26

2704 Marcel Richard entered RMC in August 1939, but his course was shortened because of the war. He left the College in June of 1941 and joined his first Regiment. His life goes on quietly; he keeps in touch with his family, looks after his health, plays the odd (not always the best) game of golf, attends monthly luncheons of the Quebec City branch of the RMC Club, visits the R 22e R of which he was a member, and much more. He jests, “As one can guess from my College number, I’m retired and I have passed the age of undertaking anything memorable except surviving!”

4191 Bart MacDougall, ’58 has spent 54 years in the investment world and now his associates have allowed him the luxury what he calls “random retirement.” His career at 3Macs has been good to him, and he believes it’s time to give back. He became involved with Outward Bound – a program that offers many varied, challenging, and life-altering experiences for challenged youth – with urban, female-focused, and aboriginal courses. It is also geared for Veterans having trouble returning to civilian life. With this program in mind, he has also developed more interests in Portage(www.portage.ca,) Evergreen(www.evergreen.ca,) and their Brick Works redevelopment in Toronto. He has been involved on the board level for twenty years and currently heads fund-raising and Chair of the OBC Foundation.

19671 Pascal Godbout, ’95 joined the Canadian Forces in 1990, and graduated from the CMR St-Jean in 1995 with a B.Sc. in Computer Science.  Upon completing his Communications and Electronics Engineering Officer training, he was posted to Ottawa, followed by a three year posting with the Reserve in Toronto.  He was posted to the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics in 2000. He then moved to the Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment, and deployed in 2003 to Afghanistan as NCCIS Troop Commander.  Promoted to Major in 2005, he was posted to NORAD-USNORTHCOM Headquarters, during which he obtained a Masters of Arts in Defence Management through the Royal Military College of Canada.  He relocated to 4 Wing Cold Lake in 2008, and assumed the duties of Wing Telecom and Information Services Officer.  He was posted to the Canadian Forces College in 2010, completed the Joint Command and Staff Program and was promoted to his present rank.  In July 2011, he took command of the 22 Wing Administration and Technical Services Branch in North Bay. Lieutenant-Colonel Godbout and his wife Anh have been married for 14 years, and are the proud parents of two daughters.

22962 Nicole Lunstead, ’04 left the navy in 2007, and while finishing her Master’s in Human Security and Peacebuilding at Royal Roads University, traveled overland from Uganda to Mongolia. Deciding she would write her thesis about something in Mongolia, since it was the place in the world she knew the least about, she spent six months in Ulaanbaatar studying the impact of the emerging mining industry, while drinking fermented mare’s milk, and eating mutton for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Realizing that a life abroad was for her, but knowing that a career as a travel writer just wouldn’t pay the bills, Nicole joined Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2008 as a Foreign Service Officer.  Today, she works as the Trade Commissioner responsible for Cuba, Venezuela and Corporate Social Responsibility for the Americas.  A posting is on the horizon, and Nicole is just itching to pack her bags and her family and move to the other side of the world. In 2010, Nicole married fellow RMC recruit Rob Dutka (who left RMC during first-year to do an undergrad tour of Ontario Universities and programs). Although standing two feet apart at their 2000 “swearing in” ceremony, as fate would have it, they didn’t actually meet until 2008 when on a French course together. Recruits from the class of 2004 recall that neither of them could make a bed nor keep their rooms clean – clearly, a match made in a disorganized heaven. Nicole and Rob welcomed a little boy, Max, to the world in May of 2011.  Nicole blogs about life as a mom, traveling, and a few of her favourite things on her blog: www.mommaandmax.com

22770 Raphael Liakas, ’05 is currently the Project Manager in Ottawa at National Defence Headquarters and Director General Maritime Equipment Program Management, and his posting is to Halfix in HMCS IROQUOIS as the Combat Systems Engineering Officer. He and his wife, Dina, are joyful together; their baby daughter, Evangelia, was recently born – turning 6 months old on June 23rd. He has recently been awarded the “Operational Service Medal – Expedition” in addition to the “Canadian Decoration.” He looks forward to resuming his volunteer work with the Halifax Greek community – which he had volunteered for during his previous posting to Halifax.

1. Director, Strategy and Capture at General Dynamics Canada

2. retired in 1999 from Environment Canada; lives on an 8 acre country estate bordering a beautiful and quiet lake where he enjoys his independence

3. his significantly older sister in San Jose, CA recently turned 65; little sister Heather arrived from NZ to complete the surprise party

4. from Mulvihill, Manitoba – works at Raymond James Financial; lives in High River, Alberta

5. President at RSR Investments Limited, self employed lawyer

6. competes in World Class Scrabble Championships

7. from Montreal, now living in Jeonju, South Korea – practices a pretty basic rule of life – Treat others as you would like them to treat you

8. VP Business Development at DEW Engineering

9. studied at Dalhousie University (Class of 1988·MBA), lives in Courtenay, British Columbia – from Richmond Hill, Ontario

10. Senior Capture Manager at Raytheon Canada

11. Former Project Manager at Alcatel & AMS Canada; now has own Consulting Inc

12. VP of Engineering at Inilex

13. Information Security / Digital Forensics

14. Chief Interoperability Development Office at Public Safety Canada

15. President, Founder at Understand Innovate Prosper Solutions Inc.

16. RMCC Honorary Graduate, Class of 2011

17. President at Acme Concord Corp

18. President at Main Technical Services Inc.

19. Executive Director at Catch the Fire

20. Defence and Security & Intelligence Consultant

21. Owner, Enerscan Engineering Inc.

22. From Nicolet, Quebec;  PG at Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario

23. Author: Giving a Voice to Ethics – A Personal Approach

24. Attended The 2011 True Patriot Love Gala in Toronto

 Click to match up.  Read the rest of this entry »

Physics Dept. Returns Telescope to Its Rightful Place

Article and Photos by 25366 Mike Shewfelt

In 1877, just one year after the opening of the Royal Military College of Canada, then Maj John Ryder Oliver (he would eventually become Maj Gen Oliver) accepted the position of Senior Professor, surveying and astronomy, at the College. In 1886, after his promotion to Colonel, he became RMCC’s second commandant. And this past week, after more than a hundred years, a piece of his story came back into the light of day in a ceremony held at the RMCC Physics Dept.

“Gen Oliver needed a transit telescope to support his surveying and astronomy courses,” explained 8761 LCol (ret) Phil Somers. To that end, Maj Gen Oliver “borrowed” a telescope from the Meteorological Services in Toronto. “He borrowed it,” said Somers, “and it somehow never got returned.” LCol (ret.) Phil Somers discovered the brass telescope in storage with the Department of Physics in 1989, and after a great deal of research at RMCC, on the Internet, and in the National Archives in Ottawa, the conclusion was reached that it was, indeed, Maj Gen Oliver’s transit telescope.

On 21 June this past week, with BGen Eric Tremblay, Commandant of RMCC, members of the Physics Dept, and descendants of Maj Gen Oliver in attendance, the transit telescope was unveiled in its new location outside of the office of the Head of the Department of Physics. The display is not yet complete, as several parts of the telescope are missing and a proper display case has yet to be built, but for now the telescope, and the story of Maj Gen Oliver, are back in the spotlight once more.

Mike and Julie Claydon were present for the ceremony. Mike is retired from the Royal Air Force, and Julie, who is the great-granddaughter of Gen Oliver’s brother, presented RMCC with another treasure. Gen Oliver kept a journal during his years on the peninsula, both as a professor and as Commandant, and it is hoped that this document will soon come to the College. In the meantime, Julie Claydon presented RMCC with two copies of the journal, one for the RMC Museum and the other for the Massey Library. The copy of the journal, and eventually the journal itself, will be added to the school’s collection of artifacts pertaining to Gen Oliver, which includes an original copy of a book published by him and three of his medals.

Mike and Julie Claydon were also treated to a tour of the peninsula, including the RMC Museum, McKenzie and Currie Buildings, as well as a visit to the Old Observatory Pedestal. This Pedestal, just up the hill from the Old Guard House, is all that remains of the original College observatory constructed by then Maj Oliver in 1885 and demolished in 1953.

8761 LCol (ret) Phil Somers, who organized the event, had this to say about the day: “After about four years researching the brass transit telescope and the career of Col Oliver, and after many many emails back and forth with Julie, it was wonderful to meet them for the first time, and to see Julie and Mike exploring so much of RMCC and its history. Julie was especially impressed by all the work and help provided by Ross McKenzie, Orest Koroluk and Sarah Toomey. She has a whole lot of new leads and interests about Col Oliver, and she was particularly pleased with the very enthusiastic participation of the Commandant in the many aspects of the day. Getting to see the Commandant’s office that Col Oliver occupied those many years ago was a real treat for her.”

He went on to say that, “The members of the Department of Physics very much enjoyed the visit of these special guests to make the concrete connection with the brass transit telescope. Graduate student Mike Earl is keenly interested in the Transit of Venus, has observed and photographed the event in 2004 and 2012, and has given a number of excellent lectures on this very rare event. His thesis adviser Dr. Gregg Wade noted that the Oliver Journal covered the period of a much earlier Transit of Venus, and asked Julie if the Journal contained any reference to the Transit. They looked in the Journal, and sure enough, Col Oliver noted it in his Journal. Wow!”

I would like to thank all those who who helped put together all the events and conducted the various parts of the wonderful visit. I’m sure Col Oliver would be very pleased with and proud of the wonderful experience that RMC provided to his relatives so many years later.”

The telescope itself will be on display in Sawyer Building for many years to come, where it is hoped that it will inspire passing Cadets not only to a greater interest in space science, but also to connect with the history of the their College.

More photos from the tour:

“I have a great deal of respect for those Grads who come out the other end not just smarter and more capable leaders, but better people…” 

25366 NCdt Mike Shewfelt recently had the chance to sit down, briefly, with Maj Donnie Monroe, RMCC’s outgoing Deputy Director of Cadets.

e-Veritas: Sir, what were your expectations upon coming to RMCC…?

Maj Donnie Monroe: In coming to RMCC I was very much looking forward to being the A Division Commander. I had just finished the challenging position of leading the ATC Unit at 8 Wing Trenton and was very pleased to have been given the opportunity to lead the CF’s young leaders from the position of Div Comd. Like Air Power, flexibility is the key to being successful. Instead of going to the Div Comd position I went to the DDCdts position and without any knowledge of that job I entered RMCC with little idea of what to expect but with the confidence and energy to know I would be able to make a difference.

e-Veritas: What, sir, are the highlights that stand out for you from your time at the College, both the good and the bad…?

Maj Donnie Monroe:  Highlights, for me, are always the people; interacting with the many individuals that I have had the opportunity to work with and rely upon as DDCdts was a blessing. Beyond that, in very general terms, I’ve gained an appreciation for the challenges that RMCC graduates must overcome which has led me to a great deal of respect for those RMCC graduates who come out the other end as better people, not just smarter and more capable, but better. The demands of my job, which cost me the opportunity to  impact and interact with the OCdts from a leadership perspective, as a Div Comd does, is one disappointment I have.

e-Veritas: What do you appreciate about working with the Cadets…?

Maj Donnie Monroe: I very much enjoy the youthful energy that comes from working with the Cadets. I come from a teaching background and I see my interactions as an opportunity to pass on my experiences. In return I get a jolt of energy and enthusiasm.

e-Veritas: What advice would you leave for the Cadets, if any, sir…?

Maj Donnie Monroe: My advice, cliché as it may sound is this: don’t let failures or successes get in the way of your progress. Analyze them, learn from them, and move forward.

A life in the military is not simple, and members of the Canadian Forces will need more personalized guidance during their training and deployment in order to be at their strongest-possible position in life; the cadets at the Royal Military College of Canada are no exception. Major Heather Smith (Chaplain) became a member of the RMCC family in July of 2011 and now finds herself advising the commandant on the spiritual and ethical wellbeing of the college, providing church services every Sunday, counselling cadets and staff, and holding the position of senior chaplain in charge of a team which has temporarily been reduced to only her. She has undoubtedly had an amazingly busy – but rewarding – first year.

Heather Smith joined the Canadian Forces in 1996 and was first posted in Trenton, Ontario. She soon found herself in Norfolk, Virginia where she worked with the American Navy while undergoing a year of post-graduate studies in clinical pastoral education – which she claims is “essentially a counselling degree.” From there, she has also been posted in Victoria, BC; Comox, BC; Winnipeg, and Germany before undergoing another two-year post-grad program in Ottawa. Upon completion, she was posted to RMCC where she hopes to stay for a long time.

“My favourite part of being here is the ministered presence. I like to be with the cadets and staff,” says Major Heather Smith, “I can’t advise the commandant if I don’t have a sense of what the cadets’ joys and frustrations are – as well as the staffs’.

.

A job as a counselor to the commandant, students, and staff certainly has its challenges, however; Heather Smith explains, “Problems do not occur from eight to four. They often occur at two in the morning!”

Despite any stress her job may cause at times, Heather Smith is very active within the school and on a personal level. She enjoys taking advantage of the local area and bases her activities on it. She bikes to the peninsula whenever possible, and her current hobbies (with little surprise considering Kingston’s magnificent waterfront) consist of numerous water sports – including kayaking, rowing, and sailing with RMCC’s sailing club. She also enjoys a visit to the wineries of Prince Edward county once in a while. She advises the cadets to “Know yourself, know your people, know your stuff –  if you know who you are as a person, understand the things that push your buttons, and pursue the things that make you happy, you have self-awareness and will go far.”

~By OCdt 26069 C. W. Kunkel

The 2012 CISM Womens Volleyball draw was just released and there are two pools of four teams. A new country participating this year is Sri Lanka.

Canada will play in Pool A as the A4 seed versus A1 Netherlands, A2 Sri Lanka, and A3 China. Pool B will consist of B1 USA, B2 Greece, B3 Germany, and B4 Brazil.

Representing Canada this year will be from Royal Military College of Canada: Brenda Andrews, Genevieve Robert, Kelsey Chang and Brianne Baum. Ex Cadets: Leah Sherriff [West] and Jillian Bristow.

Completing the team roster are Marilyn Bernier, Carrie De Roo, Danielle Mansfield, Natalie Duke, and Genevieve Poitras.

Head Coach for the Canadian Forces team is Carolyn Welden, ChPC – Head Coach, for the Paladins.

The tournament is at the military base of the Royal Dutch Navy, Marine Establishment Amsterdam [MEA].

Opening ceremonies are on the 10th of July with five days of competition then the closing ceremonies and a cultural day.

________________________

Hockey reminder:

Royal Military College of Canada is scheduled to play at West Point Sat. January 26, 2013  – 7 p.m. (Only 7 Months away) Article

A Whirlwind of Activity: Two Cadets Visit China for International Week 2012

Article by 25674 Kevin Bernard and 25871 Khuong-Duy Tang

We started our journey on Friday the 18th of May with no real idea of what we were in for during the International Week in China, from 20-26 May. The next nine days for both of us turned out to be a whirlwind of activity. We started our trip with Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong from Toronto. Once we arrived in Hong Kong, we soon discovered that our flight would be delayed and that gave us a chance to find a comfy little spot to take a break for the night time layover in the terminal. With the morning came our flight to Beijing and by the end of the day we had arrived in the City of Chanchun at 0200 the morning of Monday the 21st. Fifty-two hours of travel later, we had finally arrived, a little tired but ready and excited for our week with the PLAAF.

Notre première journée commença avec la Cérémonie d’ouverture pour la Semaine internationale des cadets de la force aérienne. Des discours furent donnés par le Commandant de l’Université de l’Aviation de la PLAAF et par leur Commissaire Politique. Ensuite, nos hôtes nous ont donné un tour des campus académique et de l’entraînement de base, pendant lequel nous avons vu tous les bâtiments importants. Après le souper, on nous a démontré plusieurs engins et robots créés et construit par les élèves officiers chinois, ainsi que leurs installations de design et de construction d’avions radiocommandé.

Our Tuesday Morning started promptly with a bus taking us the Basic Training Base of the Aviation University of Air Force. There, the Guard of Honour was hard at work honing their already lightning fast drill movements. It was a spectacle I am sure the Sgt Major would have loved; each of the cadets had volunteered for this guard and had been working for over a year on their now-phenomenal drill routine. In the afternoon, we returned to the Basic Training Base to take part in a Range Day competition with the PLA standard Type 54 7.62mm pistol. The foreign countries put up some stiff competition, but the numerous hours of practice each Chinese cadet had on this pistol gave them an advantage, and victory for them was assured. After the competition, the foreign cadets took part in part of the confidence course, an obstacle course 30 feet off the ground built for the purpose of helping cadets with their fear of heights. In the evening, the different delegations gave presentations about what life was like at their different military colleges. Many of the members were taken aback at the beauty of our College as the pictures of our beautiful campus were met with a chorus of oohs and aahs.

Le mercredi matin, nous sommes sortis au terrain de parade de bonne heure afin d’observer leur pratique de drill matinale, durant laquelle leur garde d’honneur nous a faite une démonstration époustouflante. En avant-midi, nous avons pris un autobus à l’aérodrome, où nous avons observé une démonstration de parachutisme et une démonstration aérienne par leurs avions d’entraînement. Nous avons passé l’après-midi, dans leurs simulateurs de vol. Leur système est primitif, mais plutôt efficace, avec un arrangement de projecteurs, miroirs et d’écrans pas mal ingénieux. Nos hôtes chinois nous ont guidé à voler des circuits et à faire des acrobaties de base dans le simulateur.

Thursday proved to be an event filled day in which every company participated in a huge Track & Field competition. The competition was intense, as is all competition at the Aviation University, but the foreign delegates did manage to sneak away two first-placed finishes; the two Japanese female delegates won the 100m and 200m sprints. The event also featured several displays of military boxing, Tai-Chi and other military sports. In the evening, each of the cadets visited a professor of the University in order to participate in a traditional Chinese family meal along with their hosts.

Le vendredi, on nous a montré la ville de Changchun. En avant-midi, on a visité le parc forestier national de Jingyuetan, site d’un magnifique lac. Ensuite, nous visité le centre de calligraphie chinoise de l’université, et nous avons pu essayer d’écrire des choses avec des pinceaux et de l’encre. En après-midi, nous sommes allés faire un peu de magasinage dans le centre commercial le plus immense que j’ai vu dans ma vie.

After the departure formalities and more gift exchanging, we headed to the train station in order to board our overnight train for Beijing. Getting there meant a hectic street crossing during which we almost lost a British cadet, and a frantic rush for our train car with our luggage in tow. Thankfully, we were in the sleeper car and each of us had a fairly comfortable bunk.

Eight hours of sleep later, we had mystery meat sausage, IMP-ish bread and pickled cabbage for breakfast and arrived in Beijing. Saturday would be dedicated to tourism in China’s capital city. We couldn’t see very far, as the smog reduced visibility to about 1km, but we got to see the city up close taking a bus through it on our way to the Great Wall. The Great Wall was, as we expected, an incredible feat of ancient engineering and labour. It snaked up the side of the mountain range like a great dragon. We climbed to the top of the Wall, where we then mounted on the highest flat surface we could find to enjoy the view.

Our day in Beijing was the end of our whirlwind week in China. We flew back to Canada tired but proud, and thankful for the opportunity to experience a culture so different from our own.

The Royal Military College of Canada is rather extensive, and its teachings go much further than its undergraduate program dominated by officer cadets. Dr. Adam Chapnick has been an associate professor at RMC since 2006, but he does not walk the halls in Kingston; he is situated in the Canadian Forces College in Toronto – a satellite campus of the Royal Military College. Many people are not aware of some of the other dimensions of this institute and, in turn, this celebrated professor.

“In the faculty of arts in the Royal Military College, there is an arch of defence studies,” Dr. Chapnick explains, “That entire department is located here in Toronto. We are a department of RMC, but we are located in a satellite campus.”

Upon his arrival, Dr. Chapnick did not know much about the Canadian Forces College. He quickly learnt the school’s duty in catering towards the education of intermediate to senior-level officers and senior-level public servants. Chapnick’s initial responsibilities heavily concerned teaching the Joint Command Staff program, but his responsibilities have transformed since and now lie more in the National Security program. He has also grown into a role as the person in charge of educational development amongst staff and teachers. He has recently developed a program that aims to help introduce international students to Canada. Dr. Chapnick realizes just how much the College brings together senior military personnel and has thoroughly enjoyed his involvement thus far.

He says, “I think it’s quite an amazing place, and it has grown quite a bit. When I joined in 2006, it had a faculty of four. We’re now a full-time faculty of eleven.”

Dr. Chapnick’s arrival at the Canadian Forces College was a pleasant surprise for him. He has always had a desire for teaching; even before his four years at Trent University where he studied History and English Literature, he knew that he desired a career as a teacher. After completing his undergraduate degree, he decided that he wished to pursue university-level teaching. He wished to strengthen his long-term employability with an interdisciplinary degree and decided to focus on Canadian Foreign Policy at The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs in Carleton University. Dr. Chapnick then spent just under four years with Robert Oswald in the University of Toronto for his PhD.

Atop of his many obligations, Dr. Chapnick currently has a project on the go: He has begun a book that chronicles Canada’s six experiences on the UN Security Council and the eight elections to try and get on it. He has written countless articles, books, and reports on his wide field of expertise.  Numerous writings on Canada’s role in world affairs can be found in his articles – as well as his first book, The Middle Power Project. His writing has won several awards, and he is quite prolific in his field.

Even though he does not interact with the officer cadets regularly, Dr. Adam Chapnick still has plenty of advice for them, saying, “Education, in general, is what you put into it. No one can really teach you as much as they can inspire you to learn more. RMC cadets have an extraordinary opportunity – given the small class sizes at RMC – to learn a lot in a relatively condensed period of time.

“My advice would be to take advantage of this incredible opportunity and spend the time that it takes to really learn while you’re in university. The opportunity doesn’t come back all that often.”

To read more about Dr. Chapnick and to look into his research, check out his website at www.adamchapnick.ca. You can find out more about the Canadian Forces College here.

~By OCdt 26069 C. W. Kunkel

e-Veritas typically covers ex-cadet and college-based occurrences, but a crucial part of every military unit’s operation is its relationship within the community.The Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario is blessed to be part of a fascinating community that bolsters creativity, active-lifestyles, and all around excitement. Whether you are a current cadet away on training, an ex-cadet from the peninsula who misses this beautiful city, or an ex-cadet who would like to get a taste of Canada’s first capital, we will provide you with an interesting insight to the happenings of Kingston. If you are in Kingston during the Summer months, you can use this as your chance to try something new, expand your horizons, or just release a bit of stress throughout the week.

The following recordings are of the Skeleton Bones Trumpet Quartet who played on June 19th for Music in the Park. The grainy sound textures the music enough to bring one back to the good ol’ days of jazz, but the serenity-opposing bustle of the park is enough to reinforce the true modernity of this music. Sit back, enjoy, and if you are to only listen to one, I highly recommend track #7.

~26069 OCdt C. W. Kunkel

1 – Intro – Its Only a Paper Moon

      2 – Spiderman

                3 – Op48 No1 Beethoven

                            4 – On the Sunny Side of the Street

                                         5 – Oh Danny Boy

                            6 – What Can I Say

                7 – Desafinado with Surprise Guest Julie Howard

       8 – Ragtime Band

9 – Lament

      10 – Bill Bailey Wont You Please Come Home

               11 – Achieved is the Glorious Work

                           12 – The More I See You

                                       13 – Outro – Tiger Rag

To check out upcoming Music in the Park concerts and other events, check out the following link!

The following recordings were made with no intent for profit and shall not be distributed as such. All rights concerning original pieces adapted for a trumpet quartet belong to members of the Skeleton Bones Band and other affiliates.

Fort Henry Discovery Centre

Video

Exhibit includes perspectives from life inside the Fort, from the Americans, from London, and from the citizenry of Kingston. Other exhibits focus on Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister, and his ties to Kingston.  More on Fort Henry

Over the next few weeks we plan on posting a number of “oldies but goodies photos” from the past 10 decades & beyond. Most of these photos have little or no captions. We retrieved them from both the Royal Military College of Canada library archives and an old shoe box full of photos laying around Panet House. Some will be easily identifiable but most may only be recognizable by those in the photos. If you can help us out please leave a short comment. Who, When & What was the occasion?

Layout and captions: Mike Shewfelt

Quiz from last week: 

Hi Bill, I’ll take a stab at the fellow in the white turtleneck – Barry Winfield, and the fellow on the extreme left is Ralph Sykes. I suspect the “tuggers” are recruits, Barry was a second year CFL and Ralph the fourth year CSL during that little experimental time so it would be either 1960 or 1961.

The large group in work clothing is my class (63) and was most likely taken prior to the start of the obstacle course in 1959.

5844 Dave Wall 

Ed: Good stab and thanks for participating.

Quiz for this week: In one of the photos (ROTP / RETP enrollment 1990) there are  two people; who are they and what is the significance of the photo?

More photos…

Read the rest of this entry »

An Impressive Art Collection at RMCC

By Kamille Parkinson, PhD

Early in 2010 the Royal Military College of Canada Museum was tasked with taking responsibility for the College’s art collection. While initially this new aspect of the Museum collections mightn’t have seemed too daunting, the reality of it is that the art holdings at RMCC are quite varied and extensive. Cataloguing and reconciling the art collection represented a major undertaking for the museum – and one of quite a different character than the historical collection.

The art collection was actually slated to appear on the Museum’s roster much earlier than 2010, but the lack of appropriate storage facilities was cited as a major reason for delaying the acquisition. With the creation of new storage facilities and office space in the newly renovated Fort Haldimand building, however, it became possible for the Museum to look after the art collection. Located approximately where the old swimming pool used to be, the new climate-controlled museum storage facility is equipped with compact shelving for RMCC related artifacts, and mobile racks for hanging framed works of art.

The final hurdle to be cleared before engaging with the art collection directly was finding someone with the expertise to do the work. The RMCC Museum hired Upper Canada Art Consulting to initiate and complete a Collection Management project for the art collection. Over the course of approximately 9 months (spread out over a year and a half of part-time contracts) the collection was fully photographed, described and catalogued, a management plan was implemented, and recommendations for care and conservation work were made.

The art collection at RMCC comes in at just over 1,000 discrete items. This, however, includes only two-dimensional works of art, such as paintings, prints, drawings and other works on paper. Three-dimensional works, such as sculptures and stained glass, have not as yet been addressed and may represent another phase of the collection management project. There are also thousands of photographs, both in the Museum and around campus, but it was felt that these are more truly archival documents and did not fall under the scope of the art collection.

The RMCC Art Collection is quite fascinating in many ways, not only for the diversity of media represented, but also for the subject matter, artists, and (in some cases) the manner of acquisition of particular works. Take, for example, a watercolour and pastel portrait of #444 Major-General William Bethune Lindsay, CB, CMG, DSO. This painting is by Canadian artist Richard George Mathews (1870-1955), a noted “reportage artist” who early in his career captured the likenesses of celebrities visiting Montreal. In later years he recorded Canadian soldiers during the First World War and made a name for himself as an artist-journalist in England. The portrait itself was found hanging in a small restaurant near Bayfield, Ontario by ex-cadet, #10263 Don Lovell, in 1979. Lovell purchased the portrait for $17.12 (including tax), and the owner of the restaurant (who had acquired the portrait with the business) offered to dispose of the picture so that Lovell could make better use of its mahogany frame. Knowing better, and intrigued by the insignia the sitter wore, Lovell took both frame and picture and, after a little research to discover who the sitter was, subsequently donated the picture to RMCC in 1981. The subject, Major-General Lindsay, in addition to being an ex-cadet, was a significant figure in Canadian military history for he served as the Chief Engineer of the Canadian Corps, 1916-1918. Lindsay entered the College in 1897, graduating in 1900. He was one of the early officers in the Royal Canadian Engineers, and, in August 1914 it was Lindsay who organized and trained the 1st Canadian Divisional Engineers. Thus this portrait went from obscurity in a diner to an appropriate home at RMCC, thanks to the sharp eyes and generosity of an ex-cadet.

Most of the works in the art collection have much less drama attached to their arrival at RMCC, many of them having been presented to the College by graduating classes on the occasion of significant reunion years. Of this type of gift to the college, several are by artists who at the time were just starting to make a name for themselves, and the works today have significant value attached to them. In some cases works in the collection form part of larger donations made to the Museum by ex-cadets. Others have been presented as memorials, and still others have been straightforward commissions or purchases. As with any large collection, the works range from middling to fine in terms of their artistic merit, and from unknown artists to celebrated ones. There are works in the art collection by respected Canadian artists such as Manly MacDonald, C.W. Jefferys, Edward John Hughes, Thomas Hilton Garside, Forshaw Day, Robert Hyndman, Lawren Philip Harris, and Charles Comfort, to name just a few.

Of the artists mentioned above, there are two large paintings by Manly Edward MacDonald (1889-1971) in the collection at RMCC. One of these is a landscape painting of a lumber camp in early spring, a theme fairly typical of MacDonald’s work. Though he worked in Toronto he frequented the Bay of Quinte area and was fond of painting rural scenes and activities in all seasons. This particular work was given to RMCC by the Class of 1918, and was presented by Dr. Clarence C Cook (#H6890) on the occasion of their 50th anniversary in 1968. Quietly evocative of the chill of an early thaw, the work presently hangs in the main dining room of the Senior Staff Mess..

Charles Fraser Comfort (1900-1994) was commissioned, late in his career, to paint a posthumous portrait of No. 1557 Colonel William Reginald Sawyer, O.B.E., E.D, P.Sc, BSc, MSc, PhD (McGill), LLD (Queen’s), DSc Mil (R.M.C.), F.C.I.C. Director of Studies 1948-1967. It is a ¾ length portrait showing Colonel Sawyer standing in front of the Mackenzie Building and the Stone Frigate, wearing academic robes over his uniform. Charles Comfort had a varied artistic career as a commercial artist, noted portrait painter, landscape and abstract painter, war artist, teacher, and director of the National Gallery. His portrait of Colonel Sawyer shows his later interest in the work of old masters of the Netherlands, with its close attention to detail and high-gloss finish. This work underwent conservation treatment early in 2010 and is presently housed in museum storage. It will be returned to the Sawyer building once renovations there are complete.

A large proportion of the art collection at RMCC consists of limited edition prints, watercolours, and other works on paper, all of various vintages. While a portion of these items were gifts to the college, a larger percentage was acquired in the mid-20th century through the offices of former librarian Mr. John Spurr. In part pursuing what was likely a personal interest, many of Spurr’s acquisitions (facilitated by contacts he made at auction houses and galleries in England during WWII) deal with the Napoleonic era. These cover a range of subjects and include vintage limited edition maps and prints of key battles, caricatures by Thomas Rowlandson, other political cartoons, and illustrations of various types of uniforms of the day. This aspect of the collection also includes items addressing military and political events in late 18th and early 19th century North America.

Mr. Spurr’s collecting habit appears to also have led to the acquisition of some truly amazing examples of the art of watercolour painting. There are several paintings by Richard Simkin (1840-1926), such as Battle of Ciudad Rodrigo, Jan. 19th 1812, and a handful of works by Orlando Norie (1832-1901), including a large framed watercolour depicting the battle of Fuentes d’Onoro, 5th May 1811. A real jewel of the collection is a work by Christopher Clark (1875-1942), a noted British painter and illustrator of military and historical subjects, represented at RMCC by the stunning Cathédral d’Ypres, Nov. 1917. This large watercolour is a night scene depicting the ruins of Ypres Cathedral, with Canadian troops in the foreground and artillery bursts lighting up the sky in the background. It is hoped that the Museum will be able to issue limited edition prints of this work at some time in the future.

Further evidence of the depth and breadth of the art collection at RMCC is indicated by the presence of original works by 19th century artists such as Washington F. Friend (c.1820-1886), Kingston-based Jean Redpath Drummond (c.1845-c.1920), Admiral Henry Wolsey Bayfield (1795-1885), and Emeric Essex Vidal (1791-1861), all of whom are also represented in national and provincial collections.

While one can marvel at the unanticipated scope of the art collection at RMCCC, its impressiveness is slightly mitigated by the appalling condition in which some of the works were found. At the start of the project a “sweep” was done of the campus, making note of and transferring large quantities of artwork to the museum. A good number of paintings and prints were retrieved from the basement of a building on campus, covered in plaster dust, some with water damage or frames beyond repair, and others simply filthy with accumulated grime. In one notable instance, the back of a large oil on panel by William Thurston Topham (1888-1966) was used as a work surface and there is a drill hole through the front of the painting. A few works were also found in attics, their condition not materially helped by excessive heat and humidity. The majority of the items acquired by John Spurr were also retrieved from the library building (where the air conditioning reliably fails each summer), the sauna-like conditions there being especially bad for works on paper.

Most of the paintings already on display across the RMCC campus are in fairly good condition and were left where they were hanging, though not a few prints were removed because they were becoming very badly faded through continuous exposure to light. (These were generally replaced by works that are less susceptible to that type of damage.) Some paintings on panel and on canvas have been displayed and moved around the campus for many years, and several of these have battered frames, or the surface of the painting itself has been damaged. Of the latter case, some are scratched, have food and other stains, and others have suffered severe impacts that have caused the paint to crack in an outward radial pattern. Clearly it was time for the art collection to be taken in hand.

At present approximately 20% of the catalogued art collection at RMCC is on display and the remaining 80% is in storage – a ratio that corresponds exactly with a general rule-of-thumb regarding museum and gallery display practices. There are plans afoot to establish some kind of rotating exhibition of works from the collection so that more of it can be seen and appreciated, and so that sensitive pieces do not suffer from prolonged exposure to light. While most items in the art collection would lend themselves to temporary display, approximately 5% of the collection in storage is in such poor condition that it really should not be subjected to the stresses of display again. (As a case in point, two panoramic watercolours painted in 1815 by Emeric Essex Vidal, one showing Point Frederick and Kingston Harbour and the other showing Sackett’s Harbour in New York, were displayed for so long that they have faded almost to the point of illegibility.) Another 10% of the collection requires professional cleaning and conservation treatment.

The difficulty with properly caring for an art collection such as the one at RMCC is of course one of resources. As at many museums, operational funding at the RMCC Museum is profoundly stretched, and the amount that can be devoted to the purchase of archival-quality storage materials or to having conservation work done is frustratingly small. Typically, museum/gallery fundraising efforts and donations are directed towards high-profile projects to which donor names can be attached, not to more prosaic purposes such as staffing and supplies. The collection, including museum artifacts, can unfortunately suffer in consequence. Museum personnel everywhere tend to develop a sort of fatalistic attitude towards these circumstances, but it is a situation that really should not exist.

When the collection management project for the RMCC art collection was initiated, it was impossible to foresee the scope and quality of the artwork housed therein. Ranging in date from the early 18th-century to the present day, in genre from portraiture to abstract art, and by artists from talented amateurs (including former cadets) to internationally recognized professionals, the art collection at RMCC is impressive for its depth and variety. It is a unique collection that reflects and celebrates the long history of the College, as well as the values and traditions that established and supported its heritage.

Kamille Parkinson holds a PhD in art history from Queen’s University and is the owner of Upper Canada Art Consulting, specializing in collection management, art research, writing and consulting. www.uppercanadaartconsulting.com

“To learn to know and understand each other…” RH Vincent Massey at the Opening of RMC Saint-Jean

Taken from “Speaking of Canada: A selection of speeches, made while in office, of the Right Hon. Vincent Massey, C.H., Governor-General of Canada, 1952-1959,” by Vincent Massey. 

We would like to acknowledge with thanks – 3572 MGen (ret) Frank Norman who provided the text and suggestion for the article which 25366 NCdt Mike Shewfelt transcribed and posted in e-Veritas.

Je n’ai pas à insister sur le rôle que le Collège militaire royal de St-Jean est appelé à jouer dans notre défense nationale. Absorbés comme nous le sommes aujourd’hui par un besoin d’armes innombrables, aussi déroutantes dans leur complexité qu’accablantes dans leur coût, nous n’osons oublier que même au sein d’une armée moderne l’élément humain demeure toujours le point central et dominant. L’art de la guerre ne sera jamais vraiment mécanisé tant qu’il restera aux mains des hommes.

Le facteur humain des services armés requiert toutefois plus qu’une nourriture saine un bon lodgement ou des soins medicaux suffisants, quelque essentielles qui puissant être toutes ces conditions. On doit aussi trouver dans l’armée cet accord du raisonnement et du sentiment, ce mélange d’intelligence et de volonté, d’élévation d’esprit et de ferveur spirituelle qui s’imposent dans toute entreprise malaisée et ardue. Nous en sommes venus à ranger tout cela sous le titre de morale militaire. Chacun des hommes contribute une part personnelle plus ou moins forte à cet état d’esprit, suivant ses dispositions et sa compétence. C’est aux officiers cependant qu’incombe la responsabiité première de maintenir le moral des troupes. Là réside donc votre tâche non moins que votre privilège. Le rôle, le but du Collège militaire royal de St-Jean, sera de vous préparer à ce devoir noble mais peu facile.

L’ouverture d’un établissement comme celui-ci au Canada français arrive fort à propos. Dans notre pays la tradition militaire aura été avant tout française. La Nouvelle-France était une colonie missionnaire. Les relations commerciales avvec les Indiens, quelle que fut leur importance, ne devaient pas faire oublier l’oueuvre christianisante et civilisante de la France. Les premières troupes au Canada ne se composaient point de conquérants sans merci venus pour exploiter et opprimer les indigenes. L’amitié des peu-plades indiennes, en effet, avait déjà été acquise par des moyens pacifiques. A une époque où la mère patrie, la France, s’avérait la plus grande puissance militaire d’Europe, de belles figures françaises telles que Frontenac, d’Iberville et Montcalm réussirent à obtenir le respect et l’admiration de tous, y compris du vieil ennemi, l’Anglais.

Cette fière tradition ne s’est jamais éteinte. Plusieurs d’entre nous se souviennent du regain qu’elle a connu pendant la première guerre mondiale, alors que naissait cette unité célèbre, le Royal Vingt-Deuxième, régiment canadien don’t nous avons tous raison d’être fiers et qui fut caserné autrefois à l’endroit même ou nous nous travons aujourd’hui. Vous le savez tous, ce régiment comprend maintenant trois bataillons don’t l’un a vu le feu en Corée. Un autre est présentement engagé sur ce front éloigné. J’admire fort la valeur, les succès récents du Vingt-Deuxieme, mais ce qui m’impressionne surtout c’est la qualité particulière, la tenue de ce célèbre régiment. Ses membres s’enorgueillissent avec raison de la tradition militaire inhérent à l’histoire de la région qui lui a donné naissance. Ceux qui, comme moi, ont eu le privilège de relations plus ou moins étroites avec ce régiment affirmeront sans contredit qu’il symbolise non pas une innovation mais un renouveau, purement canadien, des traditions léguées par les grand colonisateurs militaires du passé.

I must also remind you of one more matter doubtless familiar to most of you. You all no doubt admire the historic buildings of the College, placed as they are on this beautiful site on one of the great rivers of Canada. The site of this College is doubly appropriate. St. Jean gained its significance as an outpost of Montreal, which itself was once an outpost of Canada. Montreal, we are told, was founded by the gallant soldier, Maisonneuve, not as a result of calculated military strategy but in obedience to the visions of those who saw it as a defence of Christian civilization in a wild and pagan country. Maisonneuve’s first responsibility was to defend the hospitals and schools of a Christian civilization. This noble tradition was never quite effaced by the crowding commercial interests of later years.

St. Jean itself comes into the picture a century later as a fur-trading post, not as a fort. It achieved particular prominence on the occasion of another great crisis in the history of our country. Destroyed at the close of the Seven Years War (by order of Vaudreuil), it was rebuilt during the American Revolutionary War when Carleton erected “two redoubts a hundred feet square and two hundred yards apart connected by a strong palisade.” This was the time when the Quebec Act had clearly expressed that the British colonial policy, far from being narrowly English, was broad enough to find room for the culture and for the religion of “that sweet enemy France.” It was then that Canadians, French in speech and in tradition as they were, decided that the British Empire could offer them the kind of freedom which they sought. It was through St. Jean that American invaders made their entry into the country in the critical year of 1775. They crossed the scarcely defended frontier but found little welcome from the inhabitants. It was by way of St. Jean that many of them retreated during the following year, leaving behind them a territory and a people content to remain British because they were free not to be English.

And now today in this historic area, on this ancient site, men of our three services and of our two cultures come together for a common task. For this task you receive here is not just training, but education. This education is intended to fit you once more to defend our western Christian civilization whose roots, French and English, go far deeper than the bitter but passing struggles of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They go back to the time when Western Europe was building up its common life on the foundation of liberty and of law. It is the quality of that life which requires that you come here for education as much as for training. The defence of our way of life is more than a technique. It is a calling. One cannot defend unfamiliar ground. You come here to know what you have to defend as well as how to defend it. Undoubtedly you learn here military science along with the new techniques, the new methods and devices that scientific advances have made possible, but you are also directed to the understanding of values which are permanent. They are not old because they are always renewing themselves. And in learning how to understand and to defend these values you receive here certain virtues which may be somewhat neglected elsewhere; the classic virtues of duty, discipline, and of good manners.

May I say one thing more. I have to offer you a very special and personal piece of advice. You are here together – French- and English-speaking Canadians, with every obligation and every opportunity to learn to know and understand each other’s language, culture, and character. Do not neglect this precious opportunity, which comes to you just at the age when you are in a position to profit from it to the full. Your minds are open and your judgment is generous. Learn to speak and think and feel together. Do not forget what is your own, but develop the understanding and sympathy that come from speaking another’s language, not only with the tongue, but with the mind and with the heart.

You have a great and noble tradition behind you and a great and worthy task before you. May you be inspired by both to go forward to your work with energy and enthusiasm. Remember always that you are to defend not only the soil of your country but the life of your civilization, and remember that your civilization has this great quality: it can be defended only by those who understand it with their minds and who adorn it with their conduct.

Layout by 25366 Mike Shewfelt

______________________________________________

Please give our Home Inspector & Realtor partners a call.

Check Out Home Inspector & Realtors By Province Below the Map

AB-BC-MB-NB-NL-NS-ON-PEI-QC-SK

e-Veritas is supported by highly professional partners – Check them out by province.

3625 Colonel (ret) Arthur C WADE – Class of 1956

We received word shortly prior going to press that Art Wade passed away on Saturday, 23 June. Besides his classmates and Ex Cadets from his era, Art will fondly be remembered by Ex Cadets and staff from the Royal Military College of Canada as the Executive Vice President of the RMC Club / Foundation from the mid 1990s until 1999.

WADE, Col (Ret’d) Arthur Casebourne – August 12, 1932 – June 23, 2012 – WADE, Col (Ret’d) Arthur Casebourne died on June 23, 2012 at the Perley Rideau Veterans’ Health Center (PRVHC) surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by his beloved wife Beverley Ann (Walsh), his devoted children Meg Seal (Glenn), Casey (Alexandra), Allison Johns (Peter) and his dear grandchildren, Kaiti Seal, Tori Holm (Erik), A.J. Seal; Courtney, Remy and Jac Wade; and, Adam, Kelly and Steven Johns. Predeceased by his parents, Arthur and Alice Wade, and his siblings, Jackie and Richard. Art was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta and attended Royal Roads, Royal Military College (RMC), and the University of Toronto, obtaining a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree in 1957. Art further expanded his career by attending the National Defence College in Kingston and later obtained his Management Consulting Certification. During Art’s 30 year military career, he commanded 4 Field Squadron in Germany and was the Commander of the School of Military Engineering in Chilliwack, BC, as well as other postings in Canada, Germany, England, and Tanzania. In the 1980s, he held a position at Public Works Canada, followed by seven years as a consultant to the Government of Bermuda, and, a fundraising position back at RMC in Kingston. Art returned to Ottawa in 1999 where he continued to fundraise for RMC. He was the proud honorary Lt. Col. of 3 Field Squadron in Ottawa. He enjoyed leisure time playing golf and bridge in the company of good friends and family. In the early 2000s, Art was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) and continued his long courageous journey with this debilitating neurological disease. The family gives heartfelt thanks to the staff at the Perley Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre, where Art called home for the past three years and to Dr. D. Grimes and Dr. K. Nickerson. Donations can be made in his memory to the Perley Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre or the Ottawa Hospital Foundation Parkinson Research Consortium. A memorial service will be held at Beechwood National Memorial Centre, 280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 28th, 2012, preceded by a visitation at 10 a.m. There will also be a visitation on Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Beechwood.  Source