A new monument has been unveiled in Sydney to pay tribute to the men and women who sacrificed their lives during Canadian peacekeeping missions.
The monument honours four Cape Bretoners who were killed on duty, and focuses on the blue beret, helmet, and ball cap worn by peacekeepers.
Michele Gardiner, the monument’s designer, is the wife of a peacekeeping veteran.
“I think it's the final chapter,” said Gariner. “We've recognized and honoured our veterans from the Second World War, in Korea, now were recognizing the veterans that wore the blue beret.”
There have been more than 50 peacekeeping operations since 1956. Nearly 3,500 UN personnel have died globally.
Of that number, 122 were Canadians.
“They weren't soldiers, they were peacekeepers,” said Pat Horvath, the widow of a peacekeeper. “They were over there to hold the line, and that would mean a great job when you have two countries against each other.”
More than 100,000 Canadians have served on UN peacekeeping missions over the years, with thousands from the Maritimes.
“We're the pioneers. We had to write the rules. We had to come up with the strategy and rules of engagement. Nobody else had ever done this before. But who better to do it than us,” said Karen McCrimmon, Parliamentary Secretary for Veterans Affairs.
Police officers also go overseas. Among them, 22 officers from the Cape Breton Regional Police Service have served on 24 missions.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore.
