Commemorating Remembrance Day on Nov. 11 is an opportunity for Canadians to remember and thank those who served in past conflicts.
We are lucky that wars on the scale of those that made an indelible mark on older generations have not touched the general population of younger Canadians in the same way.
As time marches on, there are fewer of the older generation of soldiers left at the cenotaph ceremonies these days.
Yet we shouldn’t think that means we don’t have veterans in need of our help.
Some of our youngest veterans – such as those who served in Afghanistan – also bear psychological and physical scars from their service to our country.
We may not see them at Remembrance Day ceremonies as often. Their missions may be perceived by the public through a more complex lens than those of past military men and women.
Yet their war wounds – including post-traumatic stress disorder that surfaces long after their combat missions are over – are just as real as those of earlier generations of soldiers.
The federal Liberals campaigned on greater help for veterans, including reopening some service centres and improving pensions. Some progress has been made in the year since, but more work remains. Veterans shouldn’t have to navigate a Byzantine bureaucracy or battle to get the help they need to resume their lives with dignity. It’s up to all of us to keep the pressure on.
As Canadians we owe it to all veterans to show our thanks, not just on Nov. 11, but through our collective willingness to provide the help they need, including timely access to mental health services and other real practical assistance, the rest of the year as well.
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