Liz Hoffman Memorial Commendation 2024

Robyn Hynes

When I think of the challenges faced around the world, I often think of the well-known Mr. Rogers quote. As he once said: “When I was a boy, I would see scary things on the news. My mother would say to me : “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.””

Today, amid the conflicts and suffering, it is our CAF members who are those helpers stepping up to protect, serve and support others in times of need.

Today, we recognize another very special group, the recipients of this commendation, who are, in a sense, the helpers of the helpers.

You have made a profound and lasting impact on the lives of those who serve. Your dedication, compassion and efforts have not only supported CAF members, but also empowered them to do their important work. And for that we are grateful.

General Jennie Carignan

And the old proverb, it's one of my favorite ones, is absolutely true.

You're never too small to make a difference, because anybody who's ever spent a night in a tent with a mosquito knows there is no such thing as too small to make a difference. Every individual matters. Everybody is important.

And the people we are honouring today have made the Defence Team, a more resilient, more inclusive, and stronger team.

And for that, Élise, Jennifer, Fay and Natasha’s Wood Foundation, on behalf of everyone in the CAF, we thank you. Merci. Meegwetch.

Dominic Lecours

The first recipient is Élise Vallée; please accept your award.

Elise Vallée

We chose a theater, called “Théâtre des Petites Lanternes”, that developed a play to talk about operational stress injuries, but using the words of people who have experienced it, the families who are experiencing it, the children who are experiencing it, the colleagues who are experiencing it. So, what they did was they developed a play with 5 actors. It was mandatory for all military members and civilians to participate, so we had several thousand people watch the play. It was extremely well received, rather than a PowerPoint presentation, it was presented with human beings, with emotions.

What some people told me was that, now, living with this situation, it gave them the right from that moment on, to let people know what they were living, how they were living it. And I had several civilian employees tell me that they wish they had known this before. When I read about the award, I was really honoured. I thought it was the best award I would receive throughout my career, and as my career is coming to an end, it is truly a beautiful gift for the entirety of my career, which has been extraordinary in the heart of the Canadian Armed Forces and in the Department.

Dominic Lecours

Our next recipient is Natasha's Wood Foundation. As Fay lives in Australia, accepting the award on her behalf Kristina Davis. Please step forward to accept the award.

Fay Maddison

We started the Natasha’s Wood Foundation because we saw this great need within families when moves were happening, when one of those parents’ loved ones was injured, we knew that the children deserved something that was really special and just for them. I wanted the website to be a hub. We directly work with Ryan Cane at PSP to support kids and have fun.

So okay, literacy camps, fun reading camps, doing artwork. Two picture books that have come out are illustrated by children that have gone to these camps. Google Canada, now running Natasha's Wood coding camps with music. I mean, how fantastic is that? Because it's virtual. Doesn't matter where you live.

I love to see kids come into these camps. Enchanted gardens are made. It's about bringing kids together in really safe environments for them to have fun and to make new friends.

Footage: Natasha’s Wood – A Pollen Fairy Named Squirt

“Follow me into Natasha's Wood.”

Fay Maddison

I've never put the Foundation forward for any award, but the Liz Hoffman, because it's coming from a woman who wanted to make change and so this award is not taken lightly by us. We are absolutely so thankful for this recognition from the Ombudsman's Office.

And Liz Hoffman, I believe that she would have been a great fairy or dragon or unicorn for the Natasha's Wood Foundation.

Dominic Lecours

Our next recipient is Jennifer McStravick.

Jennifer McStravick

I was awarded a $10,000 grant to start a community garden closer into the PMQs so families could actually get to it. There's a water source, they can feed themselves and have fresh food and exchange food, especially with today's insecurities. I also started a support network.

When I arrived in Borden, I realized a lot of families had not connected because of the pandemic.

We are all each other's family. We are each other’s support and so to have that disconnect; it needed to change. And so I developed a support network. We help families in crisis with resources, many different things, whether it was something, you know, as simple as trying to find, you know, something for their child, for funding a respite care, to domestic violence.

We help pretty much anybody in any situation.

Receiving the Liz Hoffman Commendation is, I think, one of the greatest honours I could ever have. I'm very aware of who she is and also to receive it from under the Ombudsman. I am such an advocate for fairness and equality, in any situation for anyone.

It's truly an honour and a privilege to be here today, and to be receiving this.

Dr. Andrea Hoffman

My mom is a wonderful person. She really started her career as an Ombudsman and she worked at a number of universities and colleges and then really transitioned into the role of one of the senior investigators with the Department of National Defence.

I think one of the things that was really important, though, about my mom was not just the work that she did professionally, but was a lot of the work that she was doing outside of her main job. And so she was a volunteer with many organizations, countless committees, and really worked at local levels all the way up to sort of international initiatives. That for most people it wasn't just about her work and about her volunteering, but it was also just about the kind of person that she was. And she was a wonderful person, and I think she made people just feel very seen and heard and made people feel very special.

I really want to acknowledge the hard work and the dedication of the recipients today. So to the Natasha’s Wood Foundation, to Élise Vallée, and to Jennifer McStravick. I want to thank you for your resolve, your leadership, your dedication and your commitment to the DND CF and leaving the world a better place than how you found it.

Thank you.