Deputy Chief Ron Gignac (second from left) at a special
ceremony in Belleville.Submitted by MNO Veterans’ Council President Joseph Paquette and Deputy Chief Ron Gignac
On September 11, Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) citizen and veteran Ron Gignac, Deputy Chief of Police for the City of Belleville, attended a special ceremony honouring the lost or injured during the 9/11 tragedy in 2001.
Many veterans of the MNO Veterans’ Council, like Deputy Chief Gignac, retired from the Canadian Armed Forces and gained employment in law enforcement, such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Provincial Police or Regional Police Services. Some veterans found employment within local fire departments, as paramedics or in search and rescue services.
Held at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, the Belleville Fire Department, Belleville Police Service and the Hastings-Quinte Paramedics gathered with Mayor Taso A. Christopher and members of the community.
Deputy Chief Ron Gignac provided a picture and wrote a heartfelt message about the occasion:
Hi friends and greetings.
I wanted to send this photograph for all of you to see. The Chiefs for police, fire, military, paramedic services, the Mayor, senior staff for the City of Belleville and many citizens (not seen in the pic) had a special ceremony at our complex in the City of Belleville, Ontario, on the 11th of September. The beam, [a Ground Zero artifact,] seen in the centre of the memorial display is from the Twin Towers.
We have a special ceremony each year to pray, remember, and pay respect to those lost in that tragedy and to thank our military, police, fire, security forces, and paramedic services in our ongoing duties. I was asked to speak at this year’s ceremony and made certain to include our partners in the emergency services, military, friends and families in the United States of America.
As seen from our flags at the ceremony, we stand together.
I am on the left side of the picture with the subdued lettered police kevlar vest on.
Blessings to all. Be safe out there,
Ron
The Ground Zero artifact will be installed in the new fire department headquarters, in accordance with the 9/11 Memorial Foundation’s guidelines.
Published on: September 25, 2015