MNCTP APPOINTS BEN HAIGHWAY AS CAPE BRETON REGIONAL DIRECTOR — OPGENESIS PART 2: GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING, DECEMBER 15, 2025
MNCTP APPOINTS BEN HAIGHWAY AS CAPE BRETON REGIONAL DIRECTOR — OPGENESIS PART 2: GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING
DECEMBER 15, 2025
Parade marshal Walter Stewart led the way as veterans, members of the Cape Breton Naval Veterans Association, and local cadets took part in a parade commemorating the Battle of the Atlantic, Sunday outside the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion in Sydney (May 03, 2015)
“I am honoured to serve as the MNCTP’s Regional Director for Cape Breton Island. Our naval and merchant navy veterans, their families, and our coastal communities have an extraordinary story to tell—from Sydney Harbour’s convoys to sacrifices remembered in Newfoundland and across Canada. Working with the Cape Breton Naval Veterans Association (CBNVA), MNCTP, and our community partners, we’ll support our veterans, energize Sea Cadet engagement, recognize volunteers, and honour key commemorations such as the SS Caribou—while elevating Cape Breton’s stories to a national stage. For Merchant Navy Veterans' Day 2026, our goal is to bring veterans to Ottawa where health permits and ensure full inclusion online when travel isn’t possible, so Cape Breton’s legacy and that of our veterans are truly seen and celebrated.”
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Ben Haighway, Treasurer, Cape Breton Navy Veterans Association (CBNVA), and MNCTP Regional Director, Island of Cape Breton.
“Cape Breton Island is one of the beating hearts of Canada’s maritime story. From the coal and steel of industrial Cape Breton to the Sydney Harbour fortifications and battlefront convoys of the Atlantic Wars, this region has carried more than its share of sacrifice and service and has always punched above its weight in terms of contribution and character. Ben brings a deep respect for that legacy, strong ties to the veteran community, and a practical, grounded leadership style that will help us connect remembrance with education, tourism, and community pride. With Ben’s leadership on the ground—and a clear focus on veterans, youth, volunteers, and key commemorations such as the SS Caribou—we are better positioned than ever to support and showcase that legacy in a way that honours the past and inspires the future.”
— Stéphane Ouellette, President and CEO, MNCTP
Sydney, Nova Scotia / Ottawa, Ontario – The Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project (MNCTP) is proud to announce the appointment of Mr. Ben Haighway, Treasurer of the Cape Breton Naval Veterans Association (CBNVA), as the MNCTP Regional Director for Cape Breton Island.
In this new role, Mr. Haighway will help advance the shared mission of the MNCTP and the CBNVA to honour the Allied Merchant Navy, the American Merchant Marine, and the broader maritime community, while deepening public understanding of Cape Breton’s pivotal role in Canada’s naval and merchant shipping history.
As Treasurer of the CBNVA, Mr. Haighway has been actively engaged in supporting naval and veteran communities across the region, contributing to local remembrance ceremonies, community events, and support networks for veterans and their families. His appointment as Regional Director formalizes and expands his role in linking local partners with MNCTP’s national and international commemorative initiatives.
- Honour Unsung Heroes– Bring Merchant Navy and Navy veterans from Cape Breton and possibly across the country to Ottawa for official recognition during Merchant Navy Veterans Day, September 2026.
- Revitalize Sea Cadet Engagement– Support where possible the revival of the Sea Cadet Service in Cape Breton to ensure the Passing of the Torch to future generations and promoting over a century of shared history.
- Champion Volunteer Service– Highlight the vital role of the CBNVA in preserving shared history, heritage, and cultural values, while cultivating recruitment and retention strategies grounded in a warrior ethos of Honour, Loyalty, and Duty.
- Commemorate the SS Caribou– Recognize the 85th Anniversary of the sinking of the SS Caribou, a tragedy that deeply touched Cape Breton and Newfoundland communities, and in which several Association members had family who perished.
- Promote Cape Breton’s Legacy– Position Cape Breton as a national and international historic centre of maritime excellence and remembrance—a living symbol of Canada’s enduring seafaring heritage.
Local funding discussions are already under way to support veteran participation and broaden the national reach of these initiatives. Under OpUNITY, the MNCTP and its partners will seek additional opportunities for collaboration with municipal, provincial, federal, and industry stakeholders to scale this impact across Canada and abroad.
About the MNCTP
The MNCTP is a Canadian-led initiative dedicated to honouring the Allied Merchant Navy, the American Merchant Marine, and today’s global shipping industry. Through strategic partnerships, commemorative programming, and public education, the MNCTP highlights the decisive role of merchant seafarers in wartime and peace, while connecting historical sacrifice to contemporary issues of global trade, security, and resilience.
Associated Links
- Sydney Harbour Fortifications Restoration Project (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia) - A Retrospective: OpGENESIS: Part 1, December 11, 2024 | MNCTP |
- Project Origin – The Passion – The Inspiration | MNCTP |
- Timeline – The Events that Lead to Its Creation and Beyond | MNCTP |
- Guardian of the Gulf: Sydney Cape Breton and the Atlantic Wars, by Dr. Brian Tennyson and Dr. Roger Sarty | MNCTP |
- Guardian of the Gulf: Authors Special Acknowledgement to Stéphane Ouellette, Founder of the Sydney Harbour Fortifications Society and the Chapel Point Society | MNCTP |
- Restored Second World War-era Cape Breton battery opens on D-Day | CTV ATLANTIC | June 7, 2023 |
- Restoration saves 'derelict' WW II-era battery in Sydney Mines | CBC | July 27, 2020 |
- War Comes to Sydney Harbour | Legion Magazine | March 17, 2020 |
- Sydney Harbour Fortifications Print Media Coverage (1991-1992) | MNCTP |
- Sydney Harbour Fortifications Print Media Coverage (1990) | MNCTP |
- Sydney Harbour Fortifcations
Print Media Coverage (1989) | MNCTP
|
Contact Info
Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project (MNCTP)
Stéphane Ouellette
President and CEO
E-mail: ouellettes@rogers.com
Website: www.alliedmerchantnavy.com
Cape Breton Naval Veterans' Association
Bruce Haighway
Treasurer and MNCTP Regional Director, Island of Cape Breton
Email:
bthaighway@outlook.com
OpGENESIS PART 2: GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING - A QUICK RECAP
Chapter I: From Two Determined 19-Year-Olds To Over a 30-Year Fight For Remembrance
Two Young, Challenged Men Lit the Spark That Became OpGENESIS: Part 1
Sydney Harbour Fortifications to be Demolished: 1988 CBC — Cape Breton Report
The Honourable Senator Joseph A. Day: Second Reading of
Bill C-411 to Establish Merchant Navy Veterans Day in Canada
June 17, 2003
Senator Day acknowledged that the Sydney Harbour Fortifications Project—and the subsequent actions and contributions that flowed from it—helped provide impetus for Merchant Navy Veterans' Day.
A Glimspe Into the Future:
THE HONOURABLE SENATOR JOSEPH A. DAY LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE AWARD
JANUARY 21, 2020
"Over the past two decades, the late Honourable Senator Joseph A. Day and the Senate of Canada have been steadfast champions of our unsung sailors and wartime heroes. From sponsoring Bill C-411 to establish Merchant Navy Veterans' Day, to hosting Merchant Navy Day receptions in the Senate Foyer and providing ongoing support behind the scenes, Senator Day’s leadership and friendship to the Merchant Navy community leave a legacy of service that must continue to guide our work today."
— Stéphane Ouellette, President and CEO, MNCTP
Chapter II – From the Sea to the National War Memorial: Establishing Historic Merchant Navy Veterans Day in Ottawa, September 3, 2004 (to be continued...)
