Veterans, Ottawa feud over field's future

The National Field of Honour lies within the Lakeview Memorial Gardens in Pointe Claire.

Marked off from the remaining graveyard with a large stone arch, the Gate of Remembrance, the field is the final resting place of about 15,000 soldiers who have served Canada. A tall white cross stands at its centre, in memory of Arthur Currie, a renowned Canadian general who fought in World War I.

In June, a special commemorative plaque will recognize the field as a national historical site, but some fear its symbolic status may be undermined by impending legislation in Ottawa.

"What's sort of upsetting is that they want to declare the military cemetery in Ottawa a national cemetery, but we are already here as a cemetery for veterans and soldiers who pass away," said Guy Rousseau, manager for the Quebec branch of the non-profit Last Post Fund, which handles burials for the military deceased through funding by the Ministry of Veteran Affairs.

Last month, a bill designating Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa as Canada's national cemetery-similar in style to Arlington in the United States of America-sailed through the House of Commons without any opposition after being introduced by the federal government.

Since then, the Canadian Senate has passed it through a first and second reading, and the bill is now in front of its standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology.

"We're going to give the Committee a historical presentation on the cemetery in Pointe Claire," said Rousseau, who will be going to Ottawa this Thursday along with a small delegation.

Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia, whose Lac St. Louis riding encompasses the cemetery, said worries about the Field of Honour are slightly premature.

"It doesn't take away from any other military cemetery," he said. "I would encourage anyone who might be upset by this to look at it from another angle, which is that it elevates the sacrifice of all people who served in the military and the RCMP."

Whereas only a section of Beechwood would be dedicated to soldiers, which also serves as a place of burial for Canadian captains of industry, government figures, or RCMP officers, the whole field in Pointe Claire is dedicated to the armed forces and veterans.

Rousseau said nationalizing a single cemetery would be contrary to Canadian military tradition, which usually sees it that soldiers are buried near their families, not a single place of importance.

"People from Halifax or Vancouver won't have a great chance to be buried in Ottawa," said Rousseau.

Rousseau maintained his objection was over the symbolic nature of the bill, not over any financial concerns. "I don't think it's going to hurt us," he said, adding the Ministry of Veteran Affairs does have an obligation toward Last Post Fund branches all over the country.

"I don't think that is the crux of the issue," Scarpaleggia agreed.

Copies of the bill itself, C-17, make no mention of any funding issues.

However, the money question was brought up in the Senate. According to official Parliamentary meeting minutes, Senator Emard Corbin of New Brunswick asked whether federal funding would be provided for Beechwood. He was given a tentatively positive response.

And Quebec senator Joan Fraser asked whether the committee responsible for studying the bill would be willing to meet with a delegation of the West Island site. "Will the chair undertake to hear from representatives of the National Field of Honour […] where there has been dismay about this rush to create the new status for the Ottawa cemetery?" She asked last Wednesday.

<@Cp>Chronicle, Raffy Boudjikanian<@$P>