News Releases
- May 2 event supports the Soldier On Afghanistan Relay from Trenton to Ottawa, honouring Canadians who served in Afghanistan and their families.
- Canadians encouraged to write messages to veterans on Walls Of Support at participating BMO branches along the Soldier On Afghanistan Relay route
- BMO will be announcing contribution to the Support our Troops Program
OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - May 1, 2014) - BMO Bank of Montreal will host Canada's Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Robert Nicholson, on Friday, May 2 to thank members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have returned from Canada's military mission in Afghanistan. The event also promotes the Soldier On Afghanistan Relay.
Ill or wounded veterans will carry the last Canadian flag to have flown at International Security Assistance Force Headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan in a specially built baton, from the Canadian Forces Base Trenton to the Afghanistan Commemoration Parade in Ottawa.
In keeping with its history of supporting Canadian men and women in uniform and their families, BMO has created Walls of Support at 17 branches along the Soldier On Afghanistan Relay route. Canadians are encouraged to contribute a message to the Wall of Support; the messages will be collected and sent to the Department of National Defence.
The relay starts May 4 in Trenton and ends in Ottawa May 9, which has been declared a National Day of Honour by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Please click here for more details and the official route.
| What: | Soldier On Afghanistan Relay Celebration Event | ||
| Who: | Attendees (available for interviews onsite) | ||
| • | Minister of National Defence, The Honourable Robert Nicholson | ||
| • | Sandra Henderson, Senior Vice President, BMO | ||
| • | Commodore Mark Watson, Director-General, Morale and Welfare Services, Canadian Forces | ||
| • | Major Jay Feyko and Sergeant Dan Matthews, Official Representatives of the Soldier On Afghanistan Relay | ||
| When: | Friday, May 2, 2014 | ||
| Event begins at 8:45 a.m. ET, with remarks at 8:50 a.m. ET | |||
| Where: | BMO Bank of Montreal Capital Centre Branch | ||
| 269 Laurier Ave W | |||
| Ottawa, ON | |||
About BMO and the Canadian Defence Community
BMO has a long history of supporting national defence efforts. During the First World War, BMO established temporary branches to pay troops at various encampments throughout Canada, and overseas Canadian men and women in uniform were paid through the bank's Waterloo Place office in London. During the Second World War, BMO's president George Spinney headed the National War Finance Committee, which oversaw the sales of Victory Loan bonds. During the post war years when Canada had forces stationed in Europe, Bank of Montreal branches on the bases provided banking services for Canadian servicemen and -women and their families. BMO Bank of Montreal is the official bank of the Defence Community in partnership with Canadian Defence Community Banking (CDCB). CDCB is specifically designed for the Defence Community and offers cost-effective banking plans with unique features tailored to the military lifestyle and needs. For more information, visit http://www.bmo.com/cdcb.
Erin Marranca, Toronto
erin.marranca@bmo.com
(416) 867-3996