Faces of Freedom

Simon Mailloux proves that he is not easily broken. What some might see as a career-ending injury, Mailloux saw as an opportunity to redefine himself and his place in the Canadian Armed Forces

When it comes to extreme weather and natural disasters, Josh Bowen has seen Canada at its worst. As a member of the Canadian Armed Forces for 13 years, his career took him to the front lines and in emergency command centres of the 2011 Manitoba floods, the 2013 flood in southern Alberta, and the massive Fort McMurray wildfire of 2016, to name a few.

Bettina Fuchs enlisted in the Canadian Forces in 1985, seeking a good job and professional advancement. During her 25 years of service, she was amongst the first Canadian military women to serve in combat when the Gulf war erupted.

A member of the Canadian Armed Forces, Chief Warrant Officer Dominique Geoffroy enlisted in 1987, and went on to serve on deployments around the world, including a United Nations Mission to Haiti in 1997.

In this season of the Faces of Freedom podcast, we're taking you to missions at home and around the world. Hit that subscribe button because season five launches 6 November 2021.

Kerry Mould's military career spans over two decades. He has served across the country and abroad on two peacekeeping missions in the Golan Heights and East Timor.

Born in Pembroke ON, Wendy Jocko is the Chief of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation and comes from a long line of Indigenous Warriors. Following in the footsteps of both her parents and five uncles, she served for 23 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, including two peace support missions in the Balkans.

Originally from Belleville, Ontario, Mark Charlton was an Air Cadet and member of the Infantry reserves, before transferring to the regular force in 1979. After completing his basic and radio operator training, he was posted across Canada and served on peacekeeping and NATO deployments around the world, including a United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Golan Heights.

Faces of Freedom is back! Coming up in August, we'll have five unique stories of Canadian peacekeepers who have served across all regions of the world. Subscribe and stay tuned!

As part of their efforts to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Orillia Secondary School organized A Walk to Remember, where dozens of students participated in one-kilometer walks throughout their neighborhoods to commemorate the anniversary. The episode puts a focus on youth involvement within commemoration, and includes interviews with the teacher responsible for spearheading the initiative, Ms. Leanne Young, as well as three students who participated.

Both Anne and Howard McNamara served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Bambi Gray was born and raised in Kingston, Ontario — one of Canada's proudest military cities. She enlisted in 2011 and went on to serve her country for seven years as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Serving with the 5th Canadian Armoured Division, Guy Crowther celebrated his 21st birthday in unique fashion - by helping liberate the Netherlands in the final days of the war.

Growing up in Kent, England, Jaye Edwards was known as an adventurer to those who knew her. Eventually, her sense of adventure would lead her to fly planes during the Second World War, as part of the Air Transport Auxiliary.

David Adlington served with the Royal Canadian Regiment in the Second World War. He participated in the Italian campaign, in the critical Battle of Ortona, where he was injured.

Stanley Edwards was a Calgary Tanks trooper and participated in the Dieppe Raid. He was captured by German soldiers and became a Prisoner of war. He escaped merely days before the end of the Second World War. This episode was created using the audio from our “Heroes Remember” series. Sadly, Mr. Edwards passed away in 2019, at the age of 96. We are preserving his legacy.

Elsa Lessard enlisted in the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service, commonly known as the WRENs, in 1943. During the Second World War she served in a secret communications station where she helped intercept messages from German U-boats that were hunting Allied convoys in the North Atlantic.

Both Anne and Howard McNamara served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Anne joined as part of the Entertainment Unit, helping boost morale across North America and Europe, while her future husband Howard served as a Spitfire pilot in the North African and Italian Campaigns. They are the faces of this year's Veterans' Week poster.

Retired Major Jay Feyko is the National Manager of Solider On, a Canadian Armed Forces program that empowers physically and mentally injured members to embrace an active lifestyle. He joins us to talk about the role his team plays in supporting ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans on their journey to recovery, and the difficult task of choosing Team Canada for each Invictus Games.

Sports have always played a key role in the life of Retired Captain Ryan Carey, who played in the Canadian Football League before joining the Canadian Armed Forces. He joins us to talk about how returning to those competitive roots to prepare to represent his country in archery, sitting volleyball, and swimming at the Invictus Games has impacted his life.

Retired Corporal Jessica Garneau joins us to talk about how she has relied on the Soldier On program after her career was cut short as a result of a psychological injury. She shares her tips on how to stay motivated during the COVID-19 pandemic and how training helped her overcome her personal challenges.

After leaving his career as a vehicle technician, retired Sergeant Chris Zizek was encouraged to apply to Soldier On to compete in the Invictus Games and now, he relishes how competition has made such a positive impact on him as well as his children. Chris tells us the story of his journey towards positive change.

Retired Chief Warrant Officer Junior Gosse served as a Military Policeman across the Army, Navy and Air Force. His career included postings across Canada and deployments to Iran and Somalia. He joins us to talk about how Soldier On programs have helped him overcome the physical and mental health challenges he has faced in his post-military life.