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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-04-22, Page 22 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, April 22, 2015 Romeo Dallaire to visit Huron -Bruce Marco Vigliotti Huron Expositor Allan Thompson's cam- paign to flip Huron -Bruce for the federal Liberals is get- ting a boost from a world- renowned former Canadian military officer. Romeo Dallaire, a retired Lieutenant -General and for- mer Senator, will visit Clin- ton and Kincardine next month to campaign with Thompson, becoming the latest Grit heavyweight to tour the area in the run-up to this year's federal election. Dallaire, who resigned his seat in the Upper Chamber last year to dedicate more time to working on the child soldiers file and a third book, will address a midday rally for high-school students in Clinton on May 15 before delivering what Thompson's campaign is calling a "major speech" to the Kincardine branch of the Royal Cana- dian Legion later in the night. His planned visit follows a tour of Huron -Bruce last month by former Prime Minister Paul Martin, who appointed Dallaire to the Senate in 2005. More details about Dal- laire's additional stops in the riding will be released at a later date. Thompson, a former jour- nalist with the Toronto Star, first became familiar Dal- laire when he was reporting on his efforts during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, in which Dallaire served as commander of an ill-fated United Nations peacekeep- ing mission. He would then document Dallaire's descent into a breakdown caused by post- traumatic stress disorder from the mission and later, his re-emergence into public life. "Romeo is a national icon, a dear friend and perhaps the most admired Canadian alive today," Thompson said in a prepared statement. "I'm thrilled that he's taking time from his hectic sched- ule to come and visit Huron -Bruce" Thompson also made two trips to Tanzania to report on Dallaire's testimony before the Rwanda war crimes tribunal and trav- elled with the Quebecois general to Sierra Leone in 2001 for The Star to report on a fact-finding mission on the plight of war -affected children. He said the working rela- tionship forged between him and the general over the years has now evolved into "a close friendship." Thompson also said Dal- laire "insisted on visiting Huron -Bruce" to help sup- port his candidacy, despite the retired Senator's busy schedule. After returning from his UN duties, Dallaire authored a best-selling memoir about Peter Bregg/Supplied Huron -Bruce Liberal candidate Allan Thompson talks with retired Canadian general Romeo Dallaire in Goma, Congo back in 2012. his experience during the conflict in Rwanda, called: Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda. Since then, Dallaire has become an international celebrity, addressing hun- dreds of audiences around the world about the Rwanda tragedy and dedicating his time to the plight of child soldiers and war -affected children. His second book, They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children, focused on the work of the Romeo Dal- laire Child Soldiers Initiative. Thompson returned to Africa again with Dallaire in 2012 on a trip to Rwanda, Uganda, Congo and South Sudan during a film shoot that resulted in a documentary on ATTENTION ADVERTISERS! DEADLINES Our Weekly Deadlines are as follows: ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL Friday @ 2:00 pm Huron Expositor 8 Main St., Seaforth PH: 519-527-0240 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com OFFICE HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 9am - 5pm CLOSED TUESDAYS Dallaire's crusade on behalf of child soldiers. Tickets for the event at the Kincardine Legion cost $20 and can be purchased online at http://lpc.ca/a7de. Scoreboard Seaforth Shuffleboard April 15 Men's high: Bob O'Brien 4 wins, Erich Matzold, Red Vantyghem and Harvey Norton 3 wins. Women's high: Olave Little and Joyce Matzold, 3 wins. Plat: 1114 e 111006 (Ciuntry inn 13th ANNUAL WEDDING & EVENT FAIR Saturday and Sunday April 25th and April 26th from 12pm • 4pm Tour our Inn, Garden, Historic Coach House, Garden Room Reception Halls, Guest Rooms & Coach House Suites Come meet some of our favorite vendors Everyone is welcome to attend and admission is FREE Consider Hessenland for your next Event! 10% OFF our Saturday Wedding Packages for Friday and Sunday Weddings 519-236-7707.866-543-7736 between Grand Bend & Bayfield on Hwy. #21 www.hessenland.com - Email: hessen@hessenland.com