Lead Line Naval Association of Canada Vancouver Island Newsletter July – August 2017 • Volume 32, Issue 4 Crew members from HMCS WINNIPEG currently on POSEIDON CUTLASS, form the number 150 on the flight deck, for Canada's 150th Celebrations on May 11, 2017. Photo by Cpl Carbe Orellana, MARPAC Imaging Services INSIDE THIS ISSUE President's Message ............................................2 Ship uniquely marks Canada 150 .........................8 NAC-VI AGM news .............................................3 Polar Flag to fly again .......................................10 NOTC officers learn about diplomacy ................ 4-5 Keel-laying ceremony for HMCS Margaret Brooke ..12 Veteran's Corner .................................................6 Brodeurs gift large collection to museum ......... 14-15 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE MEMBERSHIP AND EVENT UPDATE Fellow members, last year, we will be taking Canada. As I write this, it feels proxies back with us. To This fall, as well, we will be like summer has finally ar- this end, we will be gather- conducting a members sur- rived. It seems to have taken ing your proxies starting in vey regarding our luncheons awhile. August and working into and speaker program. Our We have had a busy spring September. Once the list of goal is to make sure our plans with a number of new initia- Director candidates is final- stay relevant to the needs and tives. The most recent was ized and the agenda for the wishes of the members. This an excellent presentation by meeting established, I will will also include the possibil- David Collins to the MARS send an email to you all with ity of special member events Trainees at Fleet School the details. (tours, visits etc.). Bill Conconi (Venture). All who attended A national initiative is the Our luncheon scheduled appreciated David’s stories building of our member base then to listen to Cadet CPO1 for September 28 will feature and examples of the diplo- as many branches, including Erin Lawless, who, along Rear Admiral Art Macdon- matic life of a naval officer. our own, are struggling to with her mother, member ald, who will speak about the The current group of trainees maintain membership num- Cindy Lawless, made a pre- overall state of the navy. graduates July 7 and we look bers as our demographics sentation about their trip to I trust you will have an en- forward to meeting with the shift. I will send out more Vimy in April for the 100th joyable summer wherever new intake in the fall. info on possible initiatives anniversary. You will recall your travels or activities take This fall, the National as we hear of them. Also, if we were able to help Erin out you. Ellie and I will be head- Conference and AGM is be- you have any ideas as to how with her travel costs. ing north on our boat, along ing held in St. John’s, New- to build our numbers, please Director David Cooper is with Director Steve White foundland. Rod Hughes send them to Bill Macdonald leading on the organization and Arden on theirs, to ex- and I will attend. Rod will who is heading our mem- of a Mess Dinner to cele- plore the waters at the north again be standing for a Na- bership program here. brate Canada’s 150th along end of the island. We will no tional Director position At our AGM on June 22, with Niobe Day October doubt come back refreshed (three years). I still have two I believe we established a 28 at the Yacht Club. More and ready to work into next years left in my term. As we record for a tightly run information will follow year. did when we attended the meeting, which allowed us when David returns from Yours Aye, National AGM in Ottawa to quickly move to lunch and his camper travels in eastern Bill VIA Rail is once again honouring the contribu- VIA RAIL OFFERS tions of the defence community by offering an ex- clusive discount for the summer season as part of DISCOUNT TRAVEL FOR Canada's 150th anniversary. VIA Rail is offering a 35% discount off best MILITARY, VETERANS available fare for travel until September 30, 2017 on board any VIA Rail regional train: • Jasper-Prince Rupert • Montréal-Jonquière • Montréal-Senneterre • Winnipeg-Churchill • Sudbury-White River This is a great opportunity for adventure seekers to experience these magnificent regions of Canada. Visit www.viarail.ca/en/canadian-forces 2 • LEAD LINE & NAC VI NEWS AGM AND VIMY STORIES An incredibly organized runs at a deficit of $2,500 per exexecutive ensured this year's year, monthly lunches have AGM was a quick one with all been increased by $5 per person business executed in about a and dues have been increased half hour. to: Continuing on are President • Regular Member $75 Bill Conconi, Vice President • Serving Member $60 Rod Hughes, Treasurer Peter • Associate Special $20 Bey, Secretary Mike Brossard, • Member and Spouse $120 Membership Director Bill Mac- These dues will come into donald, and Directors at Large effect in January 2018. David Cooper and Steve White. The brevity of the meeting left Directors David Collins and plenty of time for a presenta- Gerry Pash retired from their tion by Cadet CPO1 Erin Law- appointments making room for less, whose trip to Vimy for the Diana Dewar and Patrick Hunt 100th anniversary was support- to step up as Directors at Large. ed by the NAC-VI. It was announced that In addition to sharing a slide Treasurer Peter Bey may be presentation and the history she stepping down next year and learned, Cadet CPO1 Lawless the executive is looking for a made cards of her photos and replacement. gifted them to everyone at the Cadet CPO1 Erin Lawless talks to NAC-VI members. As the assocition currently meeting. NAC-VI Executive Committee President Bill Conconi [email protected] 250-652-1634 Past President Michael Morres [email protected] 250-592-8897 Vice President Rod Hughes [email protected] 250-472-8905 Secretary Mike Brossard [email protected] 250-544-1425 Treasurer Peter Bey [email protected] 250-652-2225 Membership Services Bill Macdonald [email protected] 250-661-3731 Director at Large Diana Dewar [email protected] Director at Large David Cooper [email protected] 250-472-8905 Director at Large Patrick Hunt [email protected] Director at Large Steve White [email protected] 250-652-8215 special appointments Editor Carmel Ecker [email protected] 250-661-1269 Photography John Webber [email protected] 250-920-4159 Historian Stan Parker [email protected] 250-734-3360 Webmaster Eric Griffiths [email protected] 250-537-0608 Naval Association of Canada – Vancouver Island (NAC-VI) mailing address: P.O. Box 5221, Victoria, BC, Canada V8R 6N4 LEAD LINE • 3 & NAC VI NEWS David Collins speaks to young officers at Naval Pacific Training School. NAVAL OFFICERS AND DIPLOMACY WHAT IS DIPLOMACY FOR A YOUNG NAVAL OFFICER? By A/SLt Jérémie Fraser Generally, this notion is in four countries including look, how we interact with not dealt with in depth. For Romania and Pakistan. Prior local populations and how we The most recent gathering someone who just graduated to this, he had 16 years of comport ourselves can leave of NAC members and Naval Canadian Forces Leadership naval service, retiring as a lasting impressions. It is an Pacific Trainig School Venture and Recruit School in Saint- lieutenant-commander. important narrative to keep students offered something Jean-sur-Richelieu, to serve His presentation on De- in mind as we prepare for new officers don’t often dis- Canada is correlated with de- fence and Naval Diploma- fruitful careers deploying to cuss in their MARS training. ployments abroad and follow- cy created a bridge between foreign waters. Instead of learning the rules ing orders. However, there is a our "hard" MARS training This presentation would not of the road or specific light lot more behind it than using and how the navy supports have been possible without characteristics regarding fixed fire arms and polishing shoes. Canada’s diplomatic interests. the gracious participation of aids to navigation, they heard Collins’ lecture provided HMC Ships are not just the Naval Association of Can- a lecture about international his audience of young officers platforms for constabulary ada. The goal of this organiza- relations from NAC member with a refreshing and realis- operations, but can project tion is to educate Canadians and former diplomat David tic impression of an aspect of Canada’s interests and values about the too often misunder- Collins. naval business that we have in other ways. Using real life stood role of the Royal Cana- It’s easy to forget that behind not yet encountered. examples, he demonstrated dian Navy. I specifically want every element of technical He came to us with an im- how every Canadian sailor to thank David Collins and knowledge learned at Naval pressive CV: a career diplomat who steps ashore in a foreign Bill Conconi, without whom Pacific Training School, there in political-military affairs port is, in fact, an ambas- none of this would have been is a bigger picture at play. who rose to be an ambassador sador for Canada. How we possible. 4 • LEAD LINE & NAC VI NEWS LEGION RECEIVES 2017 QU’EST-CE QUE LA GENERAL SIR ARTHUR DIPLOMATIE POUR UN JEUNE CURRIE AWARD OFFICIER DE LA MARINE? On Saturday, May 13, Dominion President David Flannigan accepted, on behalf of The Royal Canadian Par Ens2 Jérémie Fraser Legion and its more than 275,000 Legionnaires, Valour Canada’s 2017 General Sir Arthur Currie Award. Pour un jeune officier habitué de se faire donner des The award was presented during a gala event in leçons sur des points spécifiques des règles de la route Calgary, with TV personality Rex Murphy as the maritime ou des caractéristiques lumineuses spécifiques featured speaker.