An opportunity, not a burden

Capt Steve Saunders, Princess of Wales' Own Regiment:

His wife, Roxanne Saunders, a local school principal, had given birth to their daughter just two weeks before and neither of them wanted him to be away.

But it was a chance of a lifetime.

While he had become a police officer out of a desire to help others, this was a chance to do good on a global scale.

"I had an opportunity to go someplace else in the world and help the oppressed," he said.

His desire to act was bolstered by a trip to New York City in 2001 to help find survivors after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. He and more than a dozen other Kingston Police officers went down to help recover bodies.

Saunders returned with a need to help bring about some justice against the terrorists responsible.

Despite the bad timing, he and his wife agreed he couldn't pass up the opportunity.

The opportunity to help, to contribute. The CF has warts and blemishes - I know them well. But that's the sort of soldier, the sort of human being that our Canadian Forces attracts. And it's why our military is such a source of pride and admiration for me and millions of other Canadians.