Honour and Remember
Author: Blake C. Goldring
November 11, 2019
Each year on November 11, we pause to remember the great sacrifice our men and women in uniform have made for our country. While Remembrance Day marks the official end of World War One, it also presents an opportunity to reflect upon the sacrifice of those who have served in the Canadian military in the 101 years since the end of the First World War.
We are reminded that 2019 represents the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the 70th anniversary of the founding of NATO and the fifth anniversary of the end of Canada’s involvement in the Afghanistan conflict.
On Remembrance Day, we honour the bravery of those who have dutifully served our country and remember those we have lost and the loved ones they left behind.
At AGF, we paid our solemn respects in a Remembrance Day service led by Lieutenant-Commander Charles Edgeworth, the Senior Staff Officer at Canada’s Naval Reserve Headquarters.
For me, Remembrance Day carries added personal significance. In addition to serving as Executive Chairman of AGF Management Limited, I have also served our country as Honorary Colonel of the Canadian Army. In my 12 years of service, I had the great honour of getting to know a good number of our servicemen and women on a personal level.
Their commitment to our country inspires me and was the driving force behind my decision in 2006 to found Canada Company, a non-partisan charitable organization that supports members of the armed forces and their families.
One of the key ways in which Canada Company offers support is through the Canada Company Scholarship Fund, which provides the children of fallen soldiers with funding to support their post-secondary education.
The fund was created as a living memorial to families who have lost a loved one either in conflict or as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder brought on by their time in service. It stands as a tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. These individuals, and the families they’ve left behind, are all too easily forgotten and our society owes them a great debt.
We’re very proud to have awarded 53 students a total of $618,000 in Canada Company Scholarships since the fund was established in 2007.
But Remembrance Day isn’t only about those we’ve lost. It’s also about paying tribute to our veterans and celebrating those currently serving.
For its part, Canada Company also supports veterans and members of the military – and their families – with charitable endeavours, educational programs and knowledge-exchange initiatives that build bridges between Canada’s business community and its military.
My family has a long history of giving back to the communities that we serve. This compassionate philosophy is imbued in AGF and extends to Canada Company.
This Remembrance Day, as we reflect on the sacrifice of those lost, and honour the bravery of veterans and those currently serving, I call on Canadians and Canadian businesses to think about how we as a country can do more to better support our military personnel.
I know first-hand that we can benefit greatly from their unique skillset and experience.
Blake C. Goldring is Executive Chairman of AGF Management Limited.
About AGF Management Limited
Founded in 1957, AGF Management Limited (AGF) is an independent and globally diverse asset management firm. AGF brings a disciplined approach to delivering excellence in investment management through its fundamental, quantitative, alternative and high-net-worth businesses focused on providing an exceptional client experience. AGF’s suite of investment solutions extends globally to a wide range of clients, from financial advisors and individual investors to institutional investors including pension plans, corporate plans, sovereign wealth funds and endowments and foundations.
For further information, please visit AGF.com.
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