INUVIK
We are fortunate to live in a country where democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law are fundamental principles, says veteran Fred Church.

Fred Church will be leading this year's Remembrance Day ceremonies at East Three School on Nov. 11. Church has not missed a Remembrance Day ceremony in more than 50 years. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

"If it wasn't for our men and women going overseas and fighting when they had to, you could be wearing a different country's uniform, speaking a different language," said Church, second vice-president of the McInnes Branch 220 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Inuvik.

"You wouldn't have the freedom to walk to the store and get that quart of milk. This is for the rights of our people and the freedom and the very basic fundamentals that we have growing up. We're one of a few countries like that."

Church became a member of the Inuvik legion when he arrived in town January 1970. He was a peacetime soldier with the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, starting in the reserve forces in Winnipeg at age 17.

"We do this as a job," he said when asked about anti-war sentiment.

"When we join the forces we're there as a job working for our country, and if we have to go overseas or go to a conflict or peacekeeping, that's just part of our job. We're not anti- or pro-military or anything. We're doing a job and it's best for us we keep it out of our country. We don't want it on our home grounds."

Though many Canadians were involved in the war in Afghanistan, some of the younger generation weren't around or don't have strong memories of when the country was at war, said Church.

Canada officially withdrew from Afghanistan on March 14, 2014, after more than 12 years of involvement. According to Government of Canada statistics, more than 40,000 Canadian Armed Forces members were deployed in Afghanistan, making it the largest deployment of Canadian soldiers since the Second World War.

"The thing is you can only 'anti' so much at a time and then you're going to have it in your backyard and then what will these people do?" he asked.

"They'll be yelling and screaming, 'Where are our people to defend us?'"

The Canadian Forces have always been well-respected in the North, Church added.

"You'd be surprised actually the number of Northerners we've had join the Canadian Forces and are serving side by side with everybody else," he said.

According to Veterans Affairs Canada, 115,674 Canadian service men and women have lost their lives in war since the start of the First World War.

Church encourages people to come out and remember the men and women who died for this country on Nov. 11 at East Three School. The ceremony will start at 10:30 a.m.

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