Poilievre, Blaney Announce Funds to Complete Cenotaph Project
“Fallen, but not Forgotten” receives $3000 from Veterans Affairs to remember our soldiers
Metcalfe, ON —Pierre Poilievre, Member of Parliament for Nepean-Carleton, was joined by Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs Canada, on Wednesday. The visit was to announce that the Fallen, but not Forgotten initiative, which will add the names of four fallen soldiers to the World War One monument, will receive a $3000 contribution from the federal government as part of the Cenotaph and Monument Restoration Program.
“The financial support and encouragement from the community has been overwhelming since we first launched this initiative in June,” said Poilievre. “I would like to thank the Minister for recognizing the importance of this project, and for coming down to Metcalfe today to make this announcement. It is gratifying to know that younger generations will have special places and memorials like these to reflect on the courage of remarkable men and women in uniform for years to come.”
“Our Government is determined to ensure that the actions of Canada’s heroes are remembered, and funding the Metcalfe Cenotaphs demonstrates that we will never forget their sacrifices for our freedom,” said Minister Blaney.
The Cenotaph and Monument Restoration Program offers funding to assist communities across Canada to properly preserve their places of remembrance, reflection and thanks for those who have served Canada. The program provides up to fifty percent of the final cost of a project, while local community groups are required to provide the remaining portion.
The total amount that has been raised between community contributions and the government grant for Fallen, but not Forgotten is now over $7000. Work on the Metcalfe monuments will start during the next couple of weeks, and will include the addition of the missing soldiers’ names: Private Ernest Lytton Bonsall, Private William Edward Murphy, Private E. Thomas Henry Poole, and Gunner Arthur Workman. Due to the lack of available space on the World War I cenotaph, a new sub-base will be added with the new names pre-inscribed. The World War II monument and flag base will also be cleaned and restored to create a uniform appearance.
Fallen, but not Forgotten was launched earlier this year when one of Poilievre’s constituents brought to his attention that some names of fallen soldiers were missing from the cenotaph. The constituent, Coreen Atkins-Sheldrick, started her research in 2000 after hearing stories from several of the local veterans. As a volunteer at the Osgoode Township Historical Society, as well as an avid Genealogist and ex-Air Force ‘brat’, the collection of these stories soon became her full-time occupation, resulting in the discovery of these omissions.
