MERCHANT
NAVY DAY [Proclaimed as "MERCHANT
NAVY VETERANS DAY"]
For several
years the Company has been advocating that 3 September of each year
be designated as “Merchant Navy Day.” A Resolution to
that effect was passed at our Annual General Meeting in 2001. The
United Kingdom also has a similar designated “Merchant Navy
Day.”
Several other merchant navy veterans associations
have also been active trying to achieve the same objective; however,
not all agreed on what to call that day. Our choice was “Merchant
Navy Day” while other suggestions were “Merchant Navy
Veterans Day” and “Maritime Day.”
The League
of Merchant Mariner Veterans of Canada convinced Mr. Paul Bonwick,
M.P., (Simcoe-Grey) to table Bill C-374 on 5 June 2001 to designate
3 September as “Merchant Navy Veteran’s Day.” This
initiative received 1st Reading and then died on the Order Paper.
Mr. Bonwick then reintroduced the Bill at the next session as C-411.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 19 June 2003 and can be found in
the Statutes of Canada 2003, c. 17. Please refer to www.parl.gc.ca/legisinfo
and follow the links.
The Company is pleased at the outcome and invites
Members to recognize this day as they would the “Battle of the
Atlantic Sunday” and “Remembrance Day.”
Congratulations to all who contributed to this achievement.”
Text
of our original Resolution
WHEREAS
Canada’s motto A MARI USQUE AD MARE (From Sea to Sea) reflects
the past, present and future importance of the oceans and shipping
for the security and prosperity of Canada;
WHEREAS
Canadian merchant seamen and women play a continuing vital role in
ensuring this security and prosperity on behalf of all Canadians;
WHEREAS
on 3rd September 1939 only hours after the beginning of World War
2 the Canadian Government passed P.C. 2483[1]
that requisitioned merchant ships and made it an offence for merchant
navy seamen and women to be absent from their ships without authorization
from the master or a senior officer;
WHEREAS
on 3rd September the first Canadian service person[2]
was killed in action when Ms. Hannah Baird a merchant navy seafarer
was lost when the S.S. Athenia was torpedoed off the north
coast of Ireland;
WHEREAS
the continuing strength of the Canadian merchant navy is important
because it will be the first Canadian property and service personnel
placed on a wartime footing in the next national emergency [there
are more than 240 Canadian registered ships[3]
capable of operating in “dangerous waters” and more than
16,000 Canadian seamen and women[4] —
in addition, there are more than 136 Canadian “controlled”
ships registered outside Canada[5] ];
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED that the Federal Government designate a Special
Day by sponsoring a bill declaring 3rd September “Merchant Navy
Day” in recognition of the past, present and future importance
of the marine sector to Canada’s prosperity and security.
[1]
The Canadian Government promulgated a directive on 28 August 1939
requisitioning ships and seamen and women.
[2] The last Canadian service person to be killed in action was Lt.
G.A. Anderson, RCNVR on 9 August 1945.
[3] Canadian Merchant Fleet Lists 2000.
[4] 1996 Census.
[5] Analysis of the foreign-registered fleet’s share in Canadian
merchant shipping, Transport Canada, 1996.
[R-03-2001:
A Resolution to designate the 3rd of September each year as "Merchant
Navy Day"]
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