Legion president meets students to teach the values of ‘never again’

The last time John Graham donned his military dress uniform to meet with students of Joamie Ilinniarvik School in Iqaluit, one child asked him why he wore a big chocolate coin on his chest.

The student was pointing at the Canadian Forces’ Decoration medal pinned to Graham’s blue blazer. It is awarded to officers and non-commissioned members of the Canadian Forces who have completed 12 years of service.

“It looks like a big loonie,” he conceded. “But it’s great we engage that way with the youngsters.”

Graham, an officer in the Canadian Reserve Forces from 1985 to 2021, is president of the Royal Canadian Legion branch 168 in Iqaluit. He served as the legion’s first Nunavut district commander, filling the role for 14 years after it was created in 2000.

John Graham, an officer in the Canadian Reserve Forces from 1985 to 2021, is a former Nunavut district commander with the Royal Canadian Legion branch 168. (Photo courtesy of John Graham)

First thing Nov. 8, he once again spoke with Joamie students about the meaning of remembrance, before beetling over to the Legion cenotaph for today’s Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony at 10:30 a.m.

As well, Graham worked all week to plan Iqaluit’s traditional Remembrance Day ceremony which will be held Nov. 11 at the cadet hall. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and the service begins at 11 a.m.

“It’s probably the biggest event that we organize in the year,” he said.

“We usually have about 500 people show up for the event at the cadet hall. It’s well attended, well supported by the community.”

Attendees this year will include representatives from the RCMP, the Joint Task Force North Nunavut detachment of the Canadian Armed Forces, and members from both the 795 Air Cadet squadron and the 1st Canadian Ranger Patrol Group.

The bugler this year is a former cadet Newkinga Moss and the bagpiper will be Jonathan Ferraby.

Nunavut Commissioner Eva Qamaniq Aariak will be among the dignitaries present. Youths from the high school are also typically well represented at the ceremony, Graham said.

“What the legion’s trying to promote through remembrance is the passing of the torch to the new generation so that the sacrifices that were made in the past are not forgotten,” Graham said.

His grandfather, John Currie, fought with the South Lothian and Borders Light Infantry during the First World War at the Battle of the Somme in France. He lost a lung to mustard gas, Graham said.

Approximately 1.2 million soldiers were wounded or killed during the five-month Somme Offensive in 1916.

Graham’s father was too young to serve in the Second World War and signed up for the civil defence forces in Scotland as an adolescent.

“We live in such a crazy world. We’re supposed to learn from history, but humanity doesn’t seem to do that right,” Graham said.

“I feel that I’ve done my bit to ensure that that torch is being passed on as much as I can.”