Padre’s Corner: Are We Living the Dream?
By Capt A-J Cottreau,
Many of us are familiar with Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech, “I Have a Dream.”
Dr. King’s dream was that one day his children, and future generations, would not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character.
Since Dr. King spoke those hopeful and inspiring words during the March on Washington in 1963, in many ways this dream of a fully inclusive and unbiased society is not fully realized. As a Chaplain, I find it disheartening that in 2025, some Defence Team members still experience disrespect, discrimination, and hardship based on their personhood.
It is my personal faith that God created all of humanity equally and that all people are deserving of respect, as a foundational principle. There is no one greater or lesser than anyone else. But my personal faith aside, as members of the Defence team, we all deserve fair, respectful, and equitable treatment no matter the time or the situation.
The Statement of Defence ethics contains a hierarchy of three general principles and expected behaviours:
(1) Respect the dignity of all persons;
(2) Serve Canada before self; and
(3) Obey and support lawful authority.
There’s a reason the first principle of defense ethics is “respect the dignity of all persons”. It all starts there. If we cannot respect the person standing next to us, within our ranks or in our work environment, then we cannot work together as a cohesive unit to achieve our common mission of defending our country, its interests, and its values while contributing to international peace and security.
We need to be able to trust the people we work with. Our profession is one in which there may be times when our lives are on the line. In that moment, we need to know that the person next to us has the integrity, loyalty, and courage to serve and protect everyone, no matter their background or circumstance.
So, if we hear someone make a disrespectful comment, let’s speak up and stand up for our peers. If we stay silent in those moments, it speak volumes. Let us continue to stand up for our values and ethics. Let our words and actions represent who we are as Canadian Armed Forces members and Department of National Defence employees.
We are all part of the same team. We come from a proud tradition. Let’s honour those who came before us and those who will follow our lead by always respecting the dignity of everyone.
