Recognizing the Spanish Civil War vets

by Chris Arsenault
Rabble.ca
November 11, 2005

As poppies adorn every respectable lapel, cannons blare and politicians make speeches praising sacrifice for country in this, the year of the veteran, one group of Canadian freedom fighters dwindles without a penny in pensions or official recognition.

Jules Pavio was 19, working in a Sudbury department store when he decided to head for Spain along with more than 1,200 other Canadians, to join the fight against fascism.

The year was 1936. General Francisco Franco led a military coup against Spain’s elected leftist government. Western democracies, trying to appease an increasingly aggressive Adolph Hitler, issued an arms embargo against the Spanish Republic.