Veterans Affairs Canada is moving toward taking ownership of Canada’s largest private military cemetery after the century-old charity responsible for the site asked the federal government to take it over.The National Field of Honour in Pointe-Claire, Que., is the final resting place of thousands of veterans, including those who otherwise may have been buried in paupers’ graves.“The Fund has asked the Government of Canada to take over the cemetery,” said an April 27 departmental briefing note. “The department is in the final stages of required due diligence on this request and will continue working closely with the Last Post Fund.”The document, titled Last Post Fund’s National Field Of Honour, said Veterans Affairs is working with the charity to preserve the cemetery as a place of remembrance.“The department is working with the Last Post Fund to ensure the National Field of Honour remains a solemn place of commemoration,” said the note. “The Last Post Fund is an important stakeholder.”Blacklock's Reporter said the Last Post Fund has maintained the cemetery for decades under the motto: “No man who has given his services in defence of his country should be buried as a pauper.”The organization’s past presidents included General Sir Arthur Currie, commander of the Canadian Corps during the First World War.Under the proposed deal, the Last Post Fund would hand the cemetery to the federal government at no cost and transfer remaining money from its perpetual care fund.“The Last Post Fund proposes a gratuitous transfer of ownership of the cemetery and a transfer of any remaining funds in their perpetual care fund, estimated at $900,000 in 2025,” said the note.Veterans Affairs asked the Department of Public Works to inspect the property and determine how much Ottawa would need to spend to bring the cemetery into compliance with federal Crown property regulations..The department previously budgeted $24.4 million over five years to maintain veterans’ graves, including $1.57 million for the Last Post Fund cemetery.Veterans Affairs currently owns two cemeteries — God’s Acre in Esquimalt, B.C., and Fort Massey Cemetery in Halifax — and contributes to maintenance at Beechwood National Military Cemetery in Ottawa.“No new cemeteries have been acquired by the department since the 1940s,” said the briefing note.The department said hundreds of fields of honour exist across Canada, typically consisting of groups of veterans’ graves within cemeteries.“According to the Last Post Fund, its cemetery is considered the largest private cemetery in Canada,” said the note.Veterans Affairs is responsible for maintaining approximately 250,000 eligible veterans’ grave markers spread across more than 7,800 cemeteries nationwide.The Last Post Fund was established in 1909 with a mandate that includes ensuring eligible veterans receive a dignified funeral and burial.
