Presenting a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal to my grade Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was in on 7 teacher, Allan Cherney. the anniversary of 9/11.

Prime Minister Harper was named World Statesman of Presenting Ken Taylor—our former Canada AM celebrated 40 years with a reunion the Year in New York at a ambassador to Iran—with a much show featuring hosts past and present, includ- gala I co-hosted. deserved award. ing Craig Oliver, Rod Black and Lisa LaFlamme.

U.S. Senator John McCain and With Korean War veterans at the Chatting with the Duchess of Cornwall, as Re- I renewed our acquaintance Niagara Garrison Community Coun- gina welcomed Camilla and Prince Charles in at the Halifax International cil, which promotes citizen-military late May. Security Forum. connections

[email protected] Senate of Canada, 621 Victoria Building, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A4 Tel: (613) 947-4097 . Fax: (613) 947-4091

A Busy Travel Year for the Senate Defence Committee

In Washington CFB Halifax

Navy Commander Steven Thornton commands the frigate, At the Canadian Embassy in Washington. HMCS Ville de Québec, and was our host during our visit aboard. West Coast Military Bases

Commodore Darren Hawco is Commander, Canadian Fleet Atlantic, briefing Senators Lang, Manning and me. On flight deck of CP-140 Aurora Long Range Patrol Air- craft at CFB Comox.

At Military Family Resource Centre, 12 Wing Shearwater, Steering a Navy training and patrol vessel in Esquimalt, with Executive Director Donna Rideout and Senator Dan B.C. Lang. 2

An Event Filled Year for our Military

Retired Chief of Defence Staff General Rick Hiller with Premier Brad Wall and me at the Party Last year’s Vimy Award winner, Major-General Jon Vance, was Convention. my guest in November at the annual Vimy Dinner in Ottawa. Dafoe Re-Dedication Women in Defence and Security

Re-dedication of cenotaph at the No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School, Da- Royal Canadian Air Cadet foe airfield, sponsored by the Wynard Sydney Reynolds of Nokomis Legion. helped me lay a wreath .

Celebrating Bomber Command Women in Defence and Security presented a $5,000 scholarship to Corporal Matina Wetzel.

Change at the Top

Canadian Bomber Command vet-

erans gathered in Ottawa to share their stories before flying to London for dedication of the Bomber Command Memorial by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth. Bomber Command suffered stag- gering losses in the Second World As Honorary Colonel of the Air Force, I attended War. Of the 120,000 who served, the change of command ceremony as LGen 55,573 were killed, including over Yvan Blondin (left) assumed command from 10,000 Canadians. LGen André Deschamps. 3

Another Booming Year in Saskatchewan!

The Rotary Club of Nutana raised $30,000 to rebuild a school in Haiti At the “Wings of Saskatchewan” conference sponsored by the Aviation that was destroyed by the earthquake. Council of Saskatchewan, the key to opening up our north.

With high school business students who are budding entre- preneurs at the annual Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce At the Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan celebration of excellence in Regina annual convention in October.

At Moose Mountain Ag Day with Dan D’Autremont, Speaker of the Roughriders Military Appreciation Day with Lt.- Saskatchewan Legislature, and MP Ed Komarnicki. Gov. the Hon. Vaughn Schofield. 4

Remembering Our Veterans and Our Fallen

Photo: Anne Sanderson, Wadena News. Photo: Anne Sanderson, Wadena News. Wadena’s Pipestone Royal Canadian Army Cadets With Wadena Legion members John Panio. Bill Wallin, Ed Leach, lower the colours. Allan Cherney and Thelma Holmstrom.

Photo: Susan Lowndes, Wadena News. Hon. June Draude and I were honoured to present Queen’s Diamond Jubilee pins to veterans at Kelvindell Photo: Anne Sanderson, Wadena News. Lodge in Kelvington on Remembrance Day. RCMP Wadena Detachment Colour Party. Joyce Dann - A Serendipitous Story Joyce Dann was a Wadena girl who joined the Women’s Army Corps in WWII, later married and moved to B.C.. Decades later, serendipity brought her back to us. It all began when I ran into a military historian who told us a Wadena woman was one of seven people featured on the Volunteer Service Medal. With some detective work and the good memory of Wadena Legionnaire Mike Sowa, we finally traced Joyce to Ontario. What followed was extraordinary. The two Legion branches in Wadena and Stoney Creek, Ontario, joined forces for a ceremony to make Joyce an Honourary Lifetime Member of Wadena Branch 62. The students from Wadena High School helped set up a Skype video link, and magically the ceremony was conducted cross-country. It was a chance for everyone to discover and celebrate a true home town hero. Sadly, Joyce Dann passed away this year, but not before touching the hearts of many, young and old.

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The Queen Honours Canadians for

In February, receiving my Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Hon. Dr. Gordon L. Barnhart, S.O.M., Saskatche- wan’s Lieutenant-Governor. His wife, Naomi, is on the My dad Bill Wallin, with fellow veterans and Wadena Le- right. gion members Ed Leach and Mike Sowa.

Front, left to right: Arthur Ross (), Fred Slowski (Wadena), Walter Tarnowetski (Foam Lake), John Usipiuk (Wynyard), Anthony Bohaychuk (Kelvington), Leslie Beard (Kelvington), Clarence Gronsdahl (Kelvington), Ronald Dickson (Wadena).

Middle, left to right: Pamela Wallin, James Marshall (), Francis Shirley (Kelvington), George Keller (Quill Lake), Thelma Holmstrom (Wadena), Michael Hlady (Wynyard), Frank Blosser (Kelvington), Mike Tokarchuk (Kelvington), Boyd Pladson (Kelvington), John Evans Colville (Wadena).

Rear, left to right: Victor Gislason (Leslie), William Wallin (Wadena), Elmer Olafson (Quill Lake), Ed Leach (Wadena), John Scratton (Foam Lake), Mike Sowa (Wadena), John Bencharski (), Allan Cherney (Wadena), Barry Needham (Wynyard), Bob Govan (Quill Lake), Keith Graham (Quill Lake), Leo Eberts (Wynyard), Hon. June Draude. 6

Service to Community and Country

Presenting my father, Bill, with the medal, was a very spe- cial moment for me. He served in the RCAF during the Sec- ond World War. Clancy Gronsdahl from Kelvington clearly enjoyed himself as Hon. June Draude and I presented his medal.

In Nova Scotia, at Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s Dia- Corporal John Bencharski, a Reservist from Elfros, served mond Jubilee ceremony with members of the New Glas- in Afghanistan. gow Police. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal In this 60th year of her reign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has graciously permitted Canadians to celebrate in a tan- gible way—through the presentation of Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals for significant contributions to their commu- nities or for achievements abroad that brought credit to Canada. It was a great honour for me to be presented a medal by our former Lt. Gov., the Hon. Dr. Gordon L. Barnhart.

As a senator, I was in turn permitted to nominate 30 of my fellow citizens for the honour. I chose to recognize some of our war veterans in Wadena and surrounding communities for the credit they brought to us all by serving during the Second World War, the Korean War and the war in Afghanistan.

At a ceremony in late September at the Wadena Community Legion Hall, our MLA, the Hon. June Draude, and I made the presentations. The veterans brought a large number of family members with them for what turned out to be an emotional time. 7

Season’s Greetings from My Family to Yours

Sister Bonnie, my mom Leone, my dad Bill and me. With Bonnie, my nieces Courtney and Haley, and PM Harper. Send a Message to Our Troops! At this time of year, while we gather with family, please remember our troops serving abroad, far from their families. Send them greetings. Tell them how much you appreciate what they are doing. Yes, Canada’s combat mission in Af- ghanistan is over, but the Canadian Forces are still training Afghan soldiers and police. They are also in Congo, Sudan, the Middle East, Cyprus, Kosovo, Haiti, the USA as well as at sea in the Mediterranean, the Arabian Sea, the Caribbean and elsewhere. For all those in harm’s way, our hearts are with you.

To contact our troops: http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/commun/message/index-eng.asp

For more on CF operations around the world: http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/operations/index-eng.asp

Saskatchewan’s Federal Team Working for You

Please feel free to contact me anytime with questions and ideas. [email protected] Senate of Canada, 621 Victoria Building, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A4 Tel: (613) 947-4097 . Fax: (613) 947-4091 www.pamelawallin.com 8