PERSIAN GULF VETERANS OF CANADA ADVANCE HISTORIC CAMPAIGN FOR WARTIME SERVICE RECOGNITION THROUGH BILL S-246, NOVEMBER 4, 2026
PERSIAN GULF VETERANS OF CANADA ADVANCE HISTORIC CAMPAIGN FOR WARTIME SERVICE
RECOGNITION THROUGH BILL S-246
NOVEMBER 4, 2026
“At no other time again in our history would veterans have to beg or lobby members of Parliament to pass a law to recognize them for their service in this country.”
—Senator Hassan Yussuff — Sponsor of Bill S-246
“Canada has not recognized any conflict since Korea as wartime service, despite the fact that veterans of the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and other conflicts participated in operations that can only be described as war. This reality must be recognized.”
— Member of Parliament Anita Vandenbeld
“Tragically, many of our Gulf veterans have already died waiting for this truthful recognition and acknowledgment of their service to be recognized for what it was, a war.”
—Michael McGlennon — Vice-President, Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada
“To call the intensity of the Afghan mission -- especially something like Operation Medusa -- anything less than wartime service is to minimize the sacrifice of those who died, those who were wounded and those who continue to live with that sacrifice today.”
— Retired Colonel Mark Gasparotto — Afghanistan Veteran
“Canada's Merchant Navy and Korean War Veterans waited decades for appropriate recognition of their wartime service. Their history reminds us that recognition delayed is recognition denied to many who have already sacrificed so much. The MNCTP stands in solidarity with the Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada and all those advocating for recognition, respect and fairness.”
— Stéphane Ouellette, President and Chief Executive Officer, Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project (MNCTP)
November 4 Parliament Hill press conference highlights all-party support for legislation
recognizing the service and sacrifice of Canada's modern war veterans.
PARLIAMENT HILL, OTTAWA | November 5, 2026:
The Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada reached another significant milestone in their longstanding campaign for formal wartime service recognition during a November 4, 2026, press conference on Parliament Hill supporting Bill
S-246, the Wartime Service Recognition Act.
The press conference brought together Senator Hassan Yussuff, Member of Parliament Anita Vandenbeld, veterans and representatives from multiple political parties, highlighting growing parliamentary support for legislation addressing a longstanding issue in Canadian military history.
Despite Canadian military personnel having served in armed conflicts since the Korean War, Canada has not formally designated subsequent military service as wartime service.
More than 4,000 Canadian Armed Forces personnel served during the 1990–1991 Persian Gulf War, while over 40,000 served in Afghanistan, where 158 Canadian military personnel lost their lives.
Bill S-246 proposes a national framework for recognizing wartime service based on operational risk, the intensity of military operations, exposure to physical and psychological harm, and the presence of armed conflict, whether formally declared or not.
The legislation would also require the government to establish transparent recognition criteria and publicly explain its decisions. It would not alter veterans' pensions or benefits.
At the press conference, Michael McGlennon, Vice-President of the Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada, emphasized that veterans have spent decades advocating for recognition, with many passing away before seeing their service formally acknowledged.
Retired Colonel Mark Gasparotto, an Afghanistan combat veteran, also described the extraordinary dangers and sacrifices experienced by Canadian military personnel during operations such as the 2006 Battle of Panjwaii, including Operation Medusa.
Defence Minister David McGuinty and Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight have committed to consultations with veterans, military experts and other stakeholders concerning the classification of past military operations.
The campaign has attracted support from across Canada's veterans community, including the Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project (MNCTP), which recognizes historical parallels with the decades-long struggles for appropriate recognition experienced by Canadian Merchant Navy and Korean War Veterans.
As Canada approaches Remembrance Day, the continued advocacy of Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada reinforces an enduring national responsibility: to ensure that all who served their country receive recognition reflecting the true nature of their service and sacrifice.
Contact Info
Persian Golf Veterans of Canada
Michael McGlennon
Vice-President
Email: vicepresident@persiangulfveteranscanada.ca
Website: persiangulfveteranscanada.ca
Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project (MNCTP)
Stéphane Ouellette
President and CEO
Email: ouellettes@rogers.com
Website:
www.alliedmerchantnavy.com
