Mandate

The Canadian Battlefields Foundation is an educational foundation with the mandate to remember Canada’s role in wars and military operations since the beginning of the 20th Century through its battlefield study tours, other educational activities and commemorative events.

Objectives

  • Educate the public with respect to the role played by Canada and each of her armed forces in wars and military operations since the beginning of the 20th century
  • Underwrite an annual bursary program for study and research in Canadian military history since the beginning of the 20th century
  • Support and encourage Canadian universities in the teaching of and research into Canada’s role in wars and military operations since the beginning of the 20th century
  • Commemorate the service and the sacrifice of all Canadians who have served their country in the cause of freedom
  • Work with Le Mémorial, a museum founded in 1988 in Caen, Normandy, and other partners who share an interest with the Foundation and its objectives
  • Accumulate and manage funds and other resources to further the mandate and objectives of the Foundation
  • Broaden the base of the Foundation and increase participation
  • In furtherance of these charitable purposes, to carry on ancillary and incidental activities which may be agreed upon by the directors of the Foundation

Goals

Public Education

  • Disseminate information through a web site and other electronic media
  • Publish a newsletter twice per year
  • Manage a visitor’s guide and assistance program at selected Canadian battlefields
  • Enhance the educational value of the Foundation’s facilities including:
    • The Canadian Memorial Garden
    • The “belvedere” near St. Lambert-sur-Dives
    • The “Point 67” site on Verrières Ridge South of Caen
  • Identify other suitable sites with educational potential
  • Prepare and publish pamphlets and other material to enhance a visitor’s experience at selected Canadian battlefields and theatres of operations
  • Preserve the studies produced through the foundation’s bursaries and other initiatives and ensure their availability to the Canadian public
  • Encourage wide media coverage in the fields of interest of the foundation
  • Preserve and archive the records and documents of the Foundation to facilitate further research
  • Encourage the teaching of Canadian military history in our schools and universities,
  • Increase membership in the Foundation by 5% per year
  • Ensure a balanced tri-service approach

Bursary Program

  • Accumulate and manage a bursary trust fund
  • Operate an annual bursary program involving pertinent studies through on site visits to selected battlefields and the production of research papers. The program has a targeted participation of a minimum of 12 Canadian university students selected by a competitive process.
  • Periodically introduce or facilitate, alone or with like-minded partners, other bursary programs or on-site studies
  • Continue to increase the number of Canadian universities that grant academic credits for participation in the Foundation’s study program
  • Increase the level of public exposure and recognition of the value of the Foundation’s academic program

Research Program

  • Maintain a research element in all battlefield tours organized by the Foundation
  • Underwrite and assist selected research and publications in the Foundation’s fields of interest
  • When appropriate, facilitate selected and pertinent research endeavours of other organizations, agencies or individuals
  • Provide a point of contact for Canadian and foreign researchers, agencies and other interested individuals
  • Ensure a balanced tri-service approach to the research program

Commemoration

  • Conduct annual commemoration events at selected battlefields
  • Ensure the maintenance, preservation and improvements of the physical memorial facilities in the care of the Foundation
  • When appropriate, facilitate selected commemoration events initiated by others
  • With the assistance of partners, manage a battlefield guide program in Normandy and possibly other areas
  • Produce commemorative material
  • Enhance the personal understanding and appreciation of Canadian and foreign visitors to Canadian battle sites and to assist in their commemorative endeavours
  • Ensure the Foundation’s commemorative program provides a balanced tri-service recognition

Partnership

  • Continue to participate in the activities of the board of “Le Mémorial”
  • Monitor developments and preserve the Foundation’s interests in the Canadian Memorial Garden in Caen
  • Develop and maintain long term agreements with the Foundation’s partners, namely:
    • Veterans Affairs Canada
    • The Royal Canadian Legion
    • Wilfrid Laurier and other universities
    • The Department of National Defence
    • The Canadian War Museum
    • Other suitable partners
  • Monitor and support developments and activities at the Juno Beach Centre

Financial

  • Continue the prudent custody and management of the Foundations funds and investments through the development of a cash and investment management policy in concert with the Trust Fund
  • Support The Canadian Battlefields Scholarship Trust Fund
  • Launch a $500,000 fundraising campaign to ensure the long-term financial well being of the Foundation
  • Encourage planned giving
  • Apply funds in the following priorities:
    • The scholarship and education program
    • The commemorative program
    • Other initiatives
  • Review potential financial risks to the foundation and ensure appropriate protection measures are taken