Business community challenged to step up for veterans
Posted Nov 8, 2010 05:08:41 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Waterloo business owner wants to take his Remembrance Day tradition one step further.
As he does every November 11th, Paul McGough, owner of Encore Inspired Casual Cuisine (formerly the Ali Baba), will offer local veterans a free steak dinner. All he asks is that they make a reservation so that he can avoid long lines and keep the veterans from waiting outdoors in the cold, as has happened in past years.
While McGough asks nothing more of the veterans (although they are encouraged to attend in military dress), he is asking something of his fellow business people.
“We do what we do because it’s the right thing to do,” McGough insists. “But we’d like other businesses in the community to find a similar or equal way of doing the same thing. Maybe the cab companies will offer the vets a free ride on that day or the grocery stores might offer a discount for vets.”
McGough speaks passionately about his father, a World War Two vet, and what it meant to him to be recognized at a recent steak dinner. McGough got the attention of diners on Remembrance Day, 2008, and mentioned that there were a number of vets who were there enjoying a free steak dinner. That prompted a spontaneous, 15-minute standing ovation.
“There wasn’t a dry eye in the house,” McGough recalls in thinking back to that night two years ago. “But it meant so much to me because it meant so much to my dad.”
McGough talks excitedly about what he believes can be accomplished here in Waterloo Region and how what we do could easily spread across the country.
“We do have a spirit here in this community that I think we can rally. I think we can make Kitchener-Waterloo the place that started this campaign that during the month of November, or at least on November 11th, businesses open up their hearts to these guys,” McGough enthuses.
But he’s not ready to stop there.
McGough believes upper levels of government should be involved in providing tax breaks to veterans during their twilight years so that they might have the means to travel Canada and see the fruits of their hard fought labour.
“I put the challenge out to Peter (Braid, MP for Kitchener-Waterloo) or Leeanna (Pendergast, MPP for Kitchener-Constoga) to put forward a private member’s bill,” McGough provokes. “And if they have to be embarrassed into doing that, let it be that way. But it’s the right thing to do.”
For now, McGough’s Remembrance Day tradition continues.
Veterans can make a reservation at Encore Inspired Casual Cuisine by calling 519-886-2550.
