Crossing Canada to Raise Awareness for Veterans

Warren Parke is a man on a mission. He wants to know how much the service of a veteran is worth to our government. He also wants to know why so many first nations don’t have a clean supply of drinking water. He is a humanitarian, an adventurer, a father, a proud Canadian, and now an advocate for people’s rights.

Some might think him to be a little bit mad. He is walking across Canada carrying a symbolic cross adorned with painted poppies and first nations symbols and even a pride flag. Warren started his journey from Kelowna, B.C. in the middle of December. That’s correct. He decided to take a stroll across Canada in the middle of the winter! Keep in mind he isn’t exactly the athletic type or even in the best physical condition. He broke his ankle just before setting out and he suffers from sprains in his other foot. He also likes the occasional cigarette along the way and suffers from a few other medical conditions. 

So what made him decide to pick up and set on such a crazy journey?

Kim Krause had the chance to ask him in person when he strolled through their little town of Schreiber, Ontario on the north shore of Lake Superior, an area know for temperatures dropping as low as minus 30 Celsius at this time of year. Kim says "I was sceptical at first, ready to discount him as just another crazy attention seeker with some misguided agenda. I had been made aware of his story through social media and was quickly alerted when he approached town and started his descent down the hill to a small but enthusiastic crowd. I was told he would be at the cenotaph in a few minutes and headed out to find what kind of person would attempt such a feat. With my gear set up and ready to roll I introduced myself and was greeted by a warm and friendly smile. I jumped right in with my first question. I was struck by how modest he was, by his own account he is not a man of many words but when he speaks his passion shows. His catch phrase is a response to a report on how the government of Canada has not taken the sacrifices of veterans seriously enough, “Veterans are not asking for more than I can give”.

With no real plan in place, Warren is relying on hope and faith to guide him and help him accomplish this mission. He is planning to get to Ottawa before the end of February and voice his concerns upon arrival. His optimism is contagious and his determination to a cause in these tough times is a fresh breath of warm air. A nice contrast to the usual arctic blasts that blow through town in the winter.