I am 69 years old and retired after 20 years of service in the Canadian Armed Forces, including twelve years with the Royal Canadian Regiment. Having reached the rank of sergeant, I came to the realization—due to injury—that the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and I had something in common: we had both peaked in our military careers. I then remustered to the Air Force and retired before I had the chance to serve on a ship.

My first civilian job was as a tow truck driver with the AMA in Calgary. I later finished my working life driving a tow truck for AJ Towing in Chilliwack. It seems that service has been a constant theme throughout my life—whether helping people in need or serving my country. As we say in the RCR: Pro Patria.

This is why I have chosen to take on this challenge. Quite frankly, there are better men than me—people more capable of delivering an outside-the-box solution to our current situation with Americans. But I believe that if Canadians are tired of always being on the defensive and are ready to face this challenge head-on, then perhaps they are also ready for a bold proposal. I am calling for a tithing.

I am not a financial expert, but as a soldier, I know that in any war, you need ammunition to fight it. Right now, the ammunition we need is money—to counter the battle plan being forced upon us.

If the people of Calgary Shepard are tired of the same thing over and over again, maybe it’s time to try something new. If you are willing, I will take this message to Ottawa and see if we can convince the rest of Canada.

Yes, this is a sacrifice. But I’m not asking you to charge over the top—I’m asking you to endure short-term pain for long-term gain.

Pro Patria.