Canadians gathered on Remembrance Day for ceremonies held in communities across the country, with the national observance at the National War Memorial in Ottawa led by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Veterans Affairs Minister Jill Arbour, who laid wreaths on behalf of the government. The ceremonies honour the men and women who served and died in military conflicts, and this year's observances carried particular weight for several reasons.
This year marks 25 years since the war in Afghanistan began. About 40,000 Canadian Forces members served in the conflict, which lasted more than 12 years and was the largest Canadian deployment since the Second World War. Canada lost 159 members in Afghanistan. In her message for the day, Arbour stressed the sacrifices made by troops and their families, and three Second World War veterans were expected to attend the Ottawa ceremony.
The day also came weeks after a fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, in Alberta, that killed four soldiers. The fire spread from a grenade launcher range after sudden strong winds. As of November 4, 39 people had been injured, 14 of whom had been released, while 25 remained in hospital. The soldiers who died were identified as Wong, Farrell, Goulding and Lykkemark. Three separate investigations into the incident are under way, including one by military police. A separate Remembrance Day ceremony was held at CFB Wainwright, which Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was scheduled to attend.
The Ottawa ceremony included aerial elements, with CF-18 fighter jets and a Black Hawk helicopter flying over the National War Memorial. Griffon, Chinook and Cormorant helicopters were scheduled to fly over local ceremonies in other communities. Silver Cross Mother Virginia Hicks was to lay a wreath in Ottawa. Hicks lost her daughter in a 2002 training incident at CFB Petawawa, in Ontario, and her presence underscored the personal cost borne by military families long after the guns fall silent.
The day also marked anniversaries for two institutions tied to military service. The Royal Canadian Legion, founded in 1926, marked its 100th anniversary, a milestone for the veterans' organization that has supported former service members and their families for a century. The Royal Military College of Canada, in Kingston, Ontario, marked its 150th anniversary, and about 300 cadets were scheduled to attend the college's parade, bringing the day's commemorations to the country's training institutions as well as its memorials.
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