On Friday, at the annual No. 2 Construction Battalion Remembrance Ceremony in Nova Scotia, Minister Sean Fraser, on behalf of Ministers Ginette Petitpas Taylor and Bill Blair, announced an investment for five new projects based in Nova Scotia, totalling over $124,000 to support education, remembrance and honouring of No. 2 Construction Battalion and their families.
The funding supports projects such as a new memorial, exhibits, community events and research projects to honour the memory and legacy of No. 2 Construction Battalion — the first and only all-Black battalion-sized formation in Canadian military history.
Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, said in a news release, “Members of No. 2 Construction Battalion, their families and their descendants deserve recognition and acknowledgement for the sacrifices they made to serve Canada. Despite their commitment to fighting for Canada, they unfairly faced discrimination, but they showed immense resilience and continued to serve their country.”
The Minister added, “The Government of Canada remains committed to providing funding for educational events and remembrance activities of No. 2 Construction Battalion, so that Canadians can learn and commemorate the legacy of these brave men.”
No. 2 Construction Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, also known as the Black Battalion, was created on July 5, 1916, during the First World War. Following the end of the First World War, the unit was officially disbanded on September 15, 1920, without ceremony or recognition for their service or sacrifices on behalf of Canada.
This announcement follows the historic apology to the descendants of the battalion by the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defence in July 2022. In preparation for the apology, the Department of National Defence (DND)/Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) worked with the National Apology Advisory Committee, who issued a report outlining eight recommendations to make the apology meaningful for No. 2 Construction Battalion descendants.
An additional two million dollars will be provided to Veterans Affairs Canada’s Commemorative Partnership Program by DND/CAF, over the next four years, to invest in commemorative projects honouring No. 2 Construction Battalion.
Another call for applications will open later this fall.
