Ottawa, Ontario
One of the last surviving Veterans of the Great War, Mr. Paul Métivier is an ambassador for Veterans. In addition to his stalwart service to the nation early in the life of the 20th Century, Mr. Métivier raised a family and continued to contribute to the common good of the nation.
As a strong advocate of Veterans' Week and commemorative events, Mr. Métivier has been actively involved in the celebration of Veterans' accomplishments and in the commemoration of their sacrifice. For the past several years, he has graciously accepted to represent Veterans at commemorative ceremonies, in particular but not exclusively, at events held during Veterans' Week. Mr. Métivier is consistently sought out by the media, for he is well known in Ottawa for his integrity, humility, intelligence and sense of humour.
In 1998, on the occasion of the 80th Anniversary of the end of the First World war, Mr. Métivier travelled to Vimy, France, where he was presented with the Legion of Honour during a commemorative ceremony. Upon his return to Canada, a certificate of appreciation for his selfless contribution to the war effort, signed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, was presented to him by the Minister of Veterans Affairs.
In addition to several pilgrimages and numerous media interviews, Mr. Métivier accepted to attend the ceremony of the repatriation of the remains of The Unknown Soldier from French soil in May 2000. This event was very significant to him as his own pilot son was shot down in Europe during the Second World War.
As a knowledgeable voice of the Great War, Mr. Métivier has participated in several foreign documentaries on the Great War, both for film and television. Mr. Métivier provided the producers with an oral account of his personal experience on the Western Front during the First World War. These precious interviews and documentaries are an enduring reminder of those brave Veterans who sacrificed so much for their country.
In addition to faithfully attending the annual November 11th ceremony at the National War Memorial, Mr. Métivier has accepted annual invitations from the Canadian War Museum to attend their ceremony on the 11th and to meet the visiting public and respond to questions from Canadians about his role in the First World War. At a 102 years of age, Mr. Métivier continues to fascinate visitors with personal glimpses into his experience.