Paul Lagace still waging 'war'

IF THE Ol' Columnist ever went to war, I'd want Paul Lagace right beside me in the trenches. He's a man, who never gives up the fight, even against tremendous odds. He's also a retired sergeant with scars on his heart.
After years and years of battling the Canadian military, almost singlehandedly, he's releasing his paperback, 'Bullies in Power,' later this week and it's one as the blurb says "is written from the heart with a down-to-earth style intended to move the reader along a path of life as experienced by a family dealing with the challenges of poverty and racially-movitated abusive authorities. This book conveys a powerful message that love, hope and determination provide the tools necessary to overcome life's challenges."
During the course of nearly a decade, Lagace has told me a detailed story of his problems with a plethora of evidence. Now the general public will know of his plight.
It's also a love story, despite the paperback title.
Simply put, in 1979, the soldier, then a corporal and based in Kamloops, fell in love with a native Indian woman, named Amy. She had a small boy named Ken, and she was going through a divorce from a man named John.
Because of the legal system, Paul and Amy were prevented from legally marrying since as Lagace told a radio interviewer: "She would have lost her status and so would her son, but in the process she probably would have lost custody of her son as well because the status of the boy would have been in jeopardy and the natural father would probably have attempted to take custody of the boy."
The three, Paul, Amy and Ken, lived off base.
Then Lagace was transferred to North Bay, Ontario in 1982.
When he sought military housing, he told the base officials that he was living common law and had a dependent son.
"When I arrived there, we were placed on the list awaiting a PMQ (Private Married Quarters) and so we found it necessary to rent," he told the interviewer.
It was then Lagace had a rude awakening and what he considered outright discrimination.
During the official introduction to the base, a Roman Catholic padre, a major, opposed Amy and Paul's relationship and told him so.
"'Why don't you leave your Indian wife, send her and her son back to British Columbia, find yourself a nice Catholic girl, some of your own kind,' were his first words to me," said Lagace, who added that the major said: "You bring nothing but trouble to yourself."
It was the start of a litany of troubles for the Lagace family.
Later, the corporal was denied family medical, dental and other services, including moving allowances.
The "attitude and approaches" disturbed Lagace so much he complained to the Human Rights Commission, however, according to Lagace he had to wait for the internal redress of grievance, within the military. That grievance was never settled until December 1988 when a Federal Court told the military to change its policy concerning "common-law relationships."
In the meantime, Lagace told the radio interviewer: "They stopped all action for career advancement, including officer training plan ... they basically shut the door on it."
All because of his relationship with Amy.
In the Author House paperback (also available through amazon.ca in Canada), Lagace makes a scathing case, not only in his situation, but in other so-called questionable practices throughout the Canadian military, and he names names.
While the military might have tried to put a damper on Lagace's career, he gained a Bachelor's Degree from the Open University of British Columbia and in 1990 he was awarded the Governor General's Silver Medal for Academic Excellence.
After retiring from the Canadian Armed Forces in 1994, he became an addictions counselor and now is a client services coordinator with the AIDS Society of Kamloops.
When Paul and Amy visited my home, I could see the love and devotion they had for each other.
Sadly, Margaret Amy-Louise Walkem died on March 25, 2002.
However, Paul Lagace remembers her with these words in the paperback's dedication page: "My darling Amy, I have often envied your patience and tolerance as we walked our challenging path. Your quiet demeanour calmed many of those outside storms that accompanied me from work. My most wishful dreams of a soul mate could never compare to the enchanting reality of your gaze."
THAT'S ICE: Since I have been glued to Hurricane Katrina coverage on TV, I missed the Vipers' Blue-White inter-team game at the Multiplex on Sunday night. Play-by-play broadcaster Todd Miller filled me in with a report: Andrew Coburn and Wade Davison scored two goals each as the White side grabbed a 6-3 win over the Blues before 586 fans. Aaron Volpatti and Troy Cherwinski also contributed to the cause. Chay Genoway, David Arduin and Chris Cowell were the Blue goal-getters. Tonight, the Vipers open their exhibition season, at home, against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
IT'S MILLER TIME: The smooth-talking broadcaster had this to say about his job with the BCHL club: "Dr. (Duncan) Wray and the Vipers have given me a great opportunity here in a great city and, you know what, I love every moment working for this hockey club and the people I work with."