WebPosted Tue Dec 14 18:13:35 2004
OTTAWA---The Department of Veterans Affairs is hoping to avoid another
round of criticism about doing too little to help old soldiers make their
way to commemorative celebrations in Europe by offering a travel subsidy
to mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Holland.
Minister Albina Guarnieri will lead an official delegation of veterans to
the Netherlands for the event in May.
More than 200,000 Canadians took part in the liberation of
Holland. More than 7,600 died during fighting.
"In May, we will ask our veterans to cross the ocean yet again to join
the Netherlands in celebrating its liberation," said Guarnieri in a
statement on the department's website.
"With this travel subsidy, we hope many of the veterans who fought to
liberate the Netherlands 60 years ago will be able to return and
celebrate with our Dutch friends."
The first 1,500 veterans who can show they served in Holland between
September 1944 and May 1945 will be eligible for a $1,000 subsidy for travel-
related costs.
Last spring, veterans were angered that Canada's delegation to
France to commemorate the 60th anniversary of D-Day included only
60 veterans. The government eventually offered D-Day veterans a
similar $1,000 subsidy.
On Tuesday, Guarnieri also launched the Year of the Veteran.
"The Year of the Veteran will be a national history lesson, a national
show of gratitude for our veterans and an opportunity to renew our
commitment to remembrance and to pass that tradition on to a new
generation," she said.
Copyright (C) 2004 CBC. All rights reserved.
Zeer goed!
Maple Leaf Up!
Anders had ik wel gegaan en zou je wel kunnen meerijden, maar helaas.
