Fake war veterans at ceremonies prompt new safeguards from Ottawa

The federal government has implemented new rules covering how veterans are invited to citizenship ceremonies, following the discovery of fake servicemen last year at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Hamilton, Ont. and Ottawa. 

Citizen and Immigration Canada (CIC) says it has has implemented a number of safeguards, including having CIC officials liaise with regional veterans' associations, verify their records, and prevent dishonourably discharged veterans from participating.

"The steps above will ensure that [Canadian Armed Forces] members and veterans may continue to play an important role in welcoming new citizens to the Canadian family, while ensuring that incidents such as the one referenced does not happen again," said CIC spokeswoman Nancy Caron. 

• Fake war veteran at citizenship ceremonies leads to federal review
• 'Sergeant' Franck Gervais scandal: Why people impersonate soldiers
• Gervais pleads guilty to illegally wearing military gear 

The review follows the discovery of fake veterans at events last year. Donald Lemmond, 67, was caught posing at Hamilton-area events as both an American and Canadian veteran, wearing service medals from the Vietnam and Afghanistan wars, among others.

Lemmond attended local citizenship ceremonies and in 2014 spoke at Mohawk College's Remembrance Day ceremony, which included a video commemorating Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, who was killed in the attacks on Parliament Hill on Oct. 22.

A similar case unfolded in Ottawa, when a Quebec man was caught posing as a decorated soldier during ceremonies at the National War Memorial. Franck Gervais pleaded guilty to charges including unlawful use of a military uniform and is to be sentenced on Aug. 4. 

'Doing our homework'

Mohawk College said it has also changed its policy because of the Lemmond incident.

[Lemmond] is a lonely isolated man who really has no family, no friends, no life.- Lawyer Dean Paquette

The school "will be doing our homework and verifying the service record of guest speakers at our Remembrance Day ceremonies," said spokesman Jay Robb.

Lemmond, meanwhile, received a suspended sentence and 12 months probation on June 9, after also pleading guilty to unlawful use of military uniforms and medals. 

​In an apology read in court, Lemmond said he was "extremely sorry" and said he thought the medals, which he admitted he'd purchased, would give him "a little more authority." 

Those medals included also decorations for being a prisoner of war, the Purple Heart, the Silver Star and the Bronze Star. 

Lemmond was described in court as a member of the Canadian Reserves from 1974 to 1986.

'Minor ego boost'

In court, his lawyer, Dean Paquette, said Lemmond claims he was abandoned as a child, placed in a residential school, adopted at five and sexually assaulted by his adopted father and uncle until he was 16.

​"One could understand the role he was playing gave him a level of self respect, perhaps a false one, but a level of self respect he probably never had experienced in his life," Paquette said, though he admitted those parts of Lemmond's past are self-reported. 

Paquette said, however, he has seen the scars of a quadruple bypass Lemmond had three years ago. He's due back in hospital in two weeks to remove blood clots in his legs.

"[Lemmond] is a lonely isolated man who really has no family, no friends, no life and with dim prospects for his future given his health," Paquette said.

Justice Timothy Culver expressed sympathy. But, he said: "The amount of suffering, both mental and physical, and the needs that veterans carry from the fields of battle really are diminished when someone who isn't entitled to those honours claims them."

"You really didn't gain anything other than some, I suppose, minor ego boost," Culver added.