A second-year History student at Laurentian University, Elias Parent had an interesting summer. He was in France working a seven-month contract as a bilingual interpreter for the Juno Beach Centre, enriching the educational experience for visitors to the centre from all over the world.
Established in 2003, the Juno Beach Centre is Canada’s Second World War museum. It pays homage to the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives during the war, of which 5,500 were killed during the Battle of Normandy and 381 on D-Day (June 6, 1944).
The centre was opened by veterans and volunteers with the vision to create a memorial to honour all Canadians who served during the Second World War. It is the centre’s mandate to “preserve this legacy for future generations through education and remembrance.”
“I’m a history buff, especially when it comes to World War Two and the Cold War,” Parent said. “History is so important. It’s a subject that we cannot forget because looking back at history can help us prevent future mistakes. We learn from the past.”
At the age of 18, Parent is the youngest hire the Juno Beach Centre has ever made. Working independently in France offered rewarding opportunities for learning and personal growth, he said. In particular, Parent found his multilingual skills to be invaluable.
“I’m a Franco-Ontarian, and one of the highlights about this experience is that my French has improved so much.”
Thanks to multicultural and multilingual interactions with visitors and other workers at the centre, Parent has even picked up a little Italian and some German along the way.
Parent enjoys talking about his experiences.
“I love sharing history with people and enlightening them about important historical events. I’ve had some incredible interactions with veterans from the Korean War, World War Two, and others. Being able to hear about these people’s experiences has been powerful.”
Parent credits his family and the Cadets program for his curiosity and discipline. His interest in history seems genetic. His mother, Rosanne, also studied History at Laurentian, earning her BA in 2019. “Education has always been encouraged in our family,” said Parent, who explains outside of the classroom and home, he’s learned a great deal about history from his experience in the
Cadets program. “I joined Cadets when I was 12, and I’ll age out of the program at 19, so I’ve been a cadet for nearly seven years.”
When asked about plans for the future, Parent says he’s not sure, but has an interest in the Canadian Army Reserves. For now, he looks forward to continuing his schooling at Laurentian University.
Elias Parent’s words of inspiration
“Participating in Cadets has taught me values and discipline, and has helped me make new friends.”
James Stewart is a writer in North Bay. Inspire is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
