Councillor seeks city support for new Afghan war memorial
Light armoured vehicle would be purchased from non-profit after fundraising effort
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Friday, July 10, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A city councillor is calling on the city to apply for a light armoured vehicle that will be installed as an Afghan war memorial.
The LAV III became an iconic image of the Canadian Armed Force's mission in Afghanistan. Decommissioned LAVIIIs are being offered to communities to serve as memorials for the mission. - photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons |
Coun. Phil Moon Son said he intends to put forward a motion on the subject at an upcoming council meeting.
Moon Son said he was approached by a community member who hopes the city will vote in favour of applying for the LAV III from Canada Company, an organization which attempts to bring the military and communities together. The vehicle became an iconic image of the Canadian Armed Forces' mission in Afghanistan.
"I thought it was a great initiative because I want to get our veterans memorial enhanced a bit," Moon Son said. "As you know it's quite old and there haven't been any enhancements in a long time."
The non-profit company states in a news release that 250 surplus Canadian Forces LAV IIIs with all functional components removed will be installed as monuments over two years in Canadian communities that successfully apply.
Moon Son said the idea is that a fundraising effort will cover the approximately $15,000 cost to bring up the vehicle and further money will be raised to mount it.
"We don't anticipate the City of Yellowknife putting in anything, but we needed the city to submit the application," he said.
The process is still in the extremely early stages and would need council to vote in favour of submitting the application at the least.
Fredericton, N.B., was selected as the first community to receive one according to local media reports.
A committee made up mostly of retired military members will decide which applicant communities receive the monuments.
The committee, according to the company's website, considers several factors such as community ties with the conflict, the Canadian Forces, potential monument location, visitor accessibility and community engagement.
There are several direct connections to the war beyond the military presence in the community.
Lt. Andrew Richard Nuttall was killed Dec. 23, 2009 by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. He had spent three years in Yellowknife in his youth before moving south.
Cpl. Jordan Anderson was among six Canadian soldiers killed by a roadside bomb July 4, 2007. He had lived in Inuvik and has family who live in Yellowknife.
The war claimed the lives of 158 Canadian soldiers and more than 600 were wounded in action.
