Busy Beavers!

Purrr! My name is Simone the cat. My favourite First World War cap badges are the ones with felines like me. Some Canadian units had big cats like lions and lynxes on them, but cats weren’t the most common choice. Instead, it is a very different creature with big teeth—the good old beaver! This hard-working Canadian animal appears on badges like the one for the Royal 22^e Régiment.

Nicknamed the “VanDoos,” this French-speaking regiment was formed in Quebec 100 years ago. Its members have served in all our country’s wars and in many peace support missions over the years. They spent lots of time in Afghanistan during the Canadian Armed Forces’ efforts there. Our soldiers left this country in Southwest Asia in 2014 after almost 13 years of helping the Afghan people build a safer and more peaceful land.

It was very dangerous duty and, sadly, 158 Canadian Armed Forces members died.