I am pleased to announce the ‘Hire a Local Veteran‘ initiative has come to our community and I hope our local businesses will give priority hiring status to our Veterans.

Our Canadian Armed Forces’ personnel and Veterans are dedicated and loyal individuals who have experience that transcends all industries in Canada.

They receive world-class training and are recognized throughout the world for their exceptional work-ethic and determination to complete the mission.

As they transition to civilian life, their mission changes but their abilities remain and it is this fundamental point that led to the launch of ‘Hire a Local Veteran.’

Through this new initiative, I am calling on businesses in our community to give priority hiring status to equally qualified Veterans and retiring Canadian Armed Forces members.

Interested businesses can contact my offices in either Strathroy (519-245-6561) or Wallaceburg (519-627-4899) to sign up. I look forward to announcing several businesses in the coming weeks and months.

In addition to this local effort, the Minister of Veterans Affairs has established an email address where job opportunities can be directed to our Veterans community. The email address is [email protected]

Each year, between 4,000 and 5,000 Canadian Armed Forces members leave the military with an average age at release of 37 years.

Over the course of their military careers, our Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans become skilled in many areas such as: planning, communication, project management and leadership in addition to being trained and have vast experience in the skilled trades.