Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Security and Defence

Issue 6 - Fourth Report of the Committee

Thursday, December 12, 2002

The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence has the honour to table its

FOURTH REPORT

Your Committee was authorized by the Senate on Thursday, November 21, 2002 to examine the proposal of the Valiants Group for the erection of statues in downtown Ottawa to salute the heroic wartime sacrifice of certain valiant men and women who fought victoriously for the independence of Canada during the 17th, 18th 19th and 20 centuries, and helped mightily to establish Canada's nationhood. On November 25, 2002 the Committee referred this matter to its Subcommittee on veterans Affairs.

On December 11, 2002, the Subcommittee heard testimony from Mr. Hamilton Southam, President, Valiants Group, Dr. Sydney Wise, Historian, Valiants Group, and Lieutenant-General (ret'd) Charles Belzile, Grand President, Royal Canadian Legion and representative of the Valiants Group. In addition, the Subcommittee sought written comments from the Ministers of Canadian Heritage, Public Works and Government Services, National Defence and Veterans Affairs as well as the Chair of the National Capital Commission.

In his testimony, Mr. Southam indicated that while agreement had apparently been reached with the NCC as to the location on Elgin Street, there were three reasons why the project had been dropped by the Government: sixteen statues were too many, too many officers had been chosen vis-à-vis other ranks in the two World Wars, and the cost of the project was too high. Also, military statues are out of place in the heart of the capital of a peace-loving nation like Canada. In his presentation, Mr. Southam indicated that the Valiants Group was ready to discuss other options including: reducing the number of statues, adjusting the proportion of officers to other ranks chosen from the World Wars, and lowering the cost.

Having received the testimony of Mr. Southam and the other representatives of the Valiants Groups, and having reviewed the positions of the four government departments and one agency, your Committee finds that the proposal for the commemoration of valiants is laudable. Therefore,

Your Committee recommends that the Government of Canada reconsider the Valiants project, taking into account the proposals of the sponsors to reduce the number of statues, alter the choice of valiants, and lower the costs.

Respectfully submitted,

NORMAN K. ATKINS

Member of the Committee