Sergeant (Ret’d) Bill Toussaint

Bill Toussaint was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1947. His mother’s family successfully made their way to Canada through the underground railway. His father immigrated from Grenada in the search for work. Toussaint grew up in a community called Whitney Pier, a diverse community filled with many different cultures.

Toussaint joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1966, at the tender age of 22. With two siblings and an uncle already serving in uniform, the decision to enlist came easy, especially at a time when work was sparse in the Maritimes. “I always wanted to join the army,” he says.

 “You live a structured life in the army, very different from the outside.”

After completing basic training in Kingston, Ontario, Toussaint joined the 4th Artillery Regiment at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Gagetown in New Brunswick. Shortly thereafter, he began training as a vehicle technician, a trade that would eventually take him across Canada and around the world.

Toussaint did most of his work on base, whether in Europe or in Canada. But he also deployed to Egypt and Israel as part of the United Nations Emergency Force Middle East, a peacekeeping mission to help maintain the ceasefire between Egyptian and Israeli forces. For three months, he was stationed at a listening post in the desert where he looked after generators and other mechanical equipment.

Ten years into his service, Toussaint wanted a change and asked to become a refrigeration and mechanical system technician. “It was a highly sought after trade, there weren’t that many of us. It was the best thing I ever did.”

With longer postings and fewer deployments, the change meant more stability for him and his family. He spent the remainder of his career working at smaller air force radar sites, with an ever-growing list of responsibilities that included looking after the antennas tracking aircrafts, working on heating, ventilation, pressurization and air conditioning systems; and maintaining cooling towers, compressors, and skating rinks.

Some of Toussaint’s best memories in the military were made these bases. By 1989, Toussaint was back in his beloved Maritimes with a posting to CFB Summerside. Little did he know, this would be his last. While taking an advance refrigeration course, a company from New Brunswick approached him about a civilian position in his field. While he had not considered releasing until then, Toussaint felt the timing was right and took the leap.

“The radar bases were not only welcoming, they felt like a small community.”

Changing his career path allowed him to explore the trade he loved outside the military. But his experience in the CAF gave him the transferable skills he needed to succeed in the private sector. Armed with the knowledge and skills of the refrigeration trade, he also had a fantastic work ethic and was driven to succeed wherever he went.

However, the transition to post-service life was not without its challenges – his new workplace was a bit of a culture shock. “The first year was the hardest, you live a structured life in the army, very different from the outside.”

“The highlight of my career is the people I joined with, and the friends I still have today.”

The biggest difference he felt was the loss of the camaraderie he had found in the army. Looking back on his career, it was the people he met along the way that made the army a second home for him. “The highlight of my career is the people I joined with and the friends I still have today. You know, it’s the comradeship and the way we looked out for each other and how we treated each other.”

Today, Toussaint is still connected to the military community. He is the past president of the Royal Canadian Legion and volunteers as a Service Officer and Poppy Campaign Chairperson. He is dedicated to helping Veterans and making sure future generations understand the importance of remembrance.

“I hope students and the children know what happened…that what people sacrificed was their life and not let that go to the wayside.”

With courage, integrity and loyalty, Bill Toussaint has left his mark. He is one of our Canadian Veterans. Discover more stories.