February 6, 2014
Ottawa
Department of Veterans Affairs
A masterfully crafted ice sculpture of a Great War Canadian "troop train" was officially unveiled earlier this evening during an annual Winterlude ice sculpture illumination ceremony in Ottawa. Parm Gill, MP for Brampton–Springdale and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, and the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Tom Lawson, were on hand to officially light up the ice sculpture and to pay tribute to the Canadian men and women who served and sacrificed during the First World War.
The annual ice sculpture illumination ceremony is the result of a long standing partnership between Veterans Affairs Canada and Winterlude event organizers, formerly organized by the National Capital Commission and now Canadian Heritage. This year's ice sculpture, commemorating the centennial of the start of the First World War, depicts soldiers saying goodbye to their loved ones as they board a train to depart for war. The troop trains brought many of these young volunteers to Valcartier, Quebec, where the men received their first taste of military training before setting sail for England.
The Troop Train ice sculpture is located in the Crystal Garden at Confederation Park, in downtown Ottawa. For more information on Winterlude 2014, please visit the Canadian Heritage website. To find out more about Veterans Affairs Canada and how you can get involved in remembrance activities, visit the Veterans Affairs Canada website today.
Nicholas Bergamini
613-996-4649
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Marisa Monnin
819-997-7788
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
All Other Enquiries
1-866-522-2122
National
Veterans Affairs Canada
