Winnipeggers honour Canada’s fallen soldiers

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This article was published 11/11/2024 (547 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Memories of past battles and a reminder of ongoing wars marked the Winnipeg Convention Centre’s Remembrance Day ceremony Monday morning.

Capt. Gabriel Boucher looked out at the large crowd as he emphasized the importance of remembering history.

“Canadians often seem all too ready to forget that great events that let them develop and prosper in freedom. Many even fail to remember that young Canadian men and women played a major role in the greatest seaborne invasion of all time,” he said.

Monday served as a formal commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Residents, along with current and former military personnel, gathered at the downtown service hosted by the Joint Veterans Association. Lt.-Gov. Anita Neville, federal Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal, Premier Wab Kinew and Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham laid wreaths to remember lost soldiers during the formal ceremony.

More than a dozen ceremonies took place across Manitoba to remember members of the Canadian military.

“To all of our veterans, we extend a simple, yet profoundly heartfelt message: thank you,” Boucher, who acted as master of ceremonies, told the crowd.

Rev. Paul N. Johnson, a recently retired cleric who served the St. John’s Anglican Cathedral in Winnipeg for more than 12 years, recounted the Battle of Normandy in front of the crowd. The historic battle claimed thousands of Canadian military lives.

“We can’t forget. We just can’t. Everyone who died in battle to protect our freedoms and everyone still out there fighting… it’s the least I can do.”–Carol Waite

On D-Day, about 14,000 Canadian soldiers landed at Juno Beach, marking the beginning of the Battle of Normandy and the end of the Second World War. By the end of the bloody battle, Canadian casualties exceeded 18,700. More than 5,000 Canadian soldiers were killed.

An 26-meter-long poppy blanket comprised of thousands of fabric poppies lay on a table at the ceremony. Winnipegger Sheilah Lee Restall was behind the project, which commemorates members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Monday’s service brought Carol Waite to tears as she remembered several of her relatives who fought in the Second World War.

“We can’t forget. We just can’t. Everyone who died in battle to protect our freedoms and everyone still out there fighting,” she said. “My family died fighting for me and my children, it’s the least I can do.”

Johnson reminded the public to remember the current wars being fought around the world, including major conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

“Let this day be more than a single time of remembrance. Let it be, rather, a reminder to remember,” Johnson said.

Currently, there are 4,385 Canadian forces personnel deployed around the world on various training, conflict and peacekeeping missions.

Johnson encouraged attendees to live lives of service and sacrifice for the betterment of mankind.

“The only true hope for our future as a human civilization is working in a good way with the whole beautiful creation,” he said.

The ceremony also recognized the 10-year anniversary since the end of the mission in Afghanistan and 60 years of peacekeeping operations in Cyprus.

Veterans Affairs Canada estimates the current Second World War and Korean War veteran population in Canada to be 25,500 people as of 2021.

Connor Coleman thanked current and former Canadian military members for their service. Stories of battle and sacrifice from loved ones and veterans he met throughout his life led the Ontario native to go to Iraq in the mid-2000s for humanitarian work.

“I saw horrible, awful things during my time out there, but what (veterans) had to endure was much, much worse,” he said. “Our world would probably look a lot different if it wasn’t for them.”

In a written statement ahead of the ceremony, Kinew remembered all who sacrificed their lives for their country.

“And they understood, just as we must remember today, that the work to further this project of Canada, to uphold our freedoms and our democracy, must always continue,” the premier stated.

Nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca

Nicole Buffie
Multimedia producer

Nicole Buffie is a reporter for the Free Press city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the Free Press newsroom as a multimedia producer in 2023. Read more about Nicole.

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