Large turnout at Petawawa, Ont. Remembrance Day ceremony
A large audience turned out at the Petawawa, Ont. cenotaph for Thursday's Remembrance Day ceremony.
For many in attendance the events in Afghanistan from this summer are still fresh in the mind and weighing heavily, as a high number of troops were deployed to the region throughout Canada's mission there between 2001 and 2014.
Canadian Armed Forces veteran Ken Miles changed his usual Remembrance Day routine to attend the event in Petawawa this year. In years past, Miles would attend ceremonies in Ottawa, honouring his friend who was lost in service to his country.
"My best friend was killed and I go to Beechwood every year," says Miles, a 35-year veteran who served ten tours overseas. "And this year we came to Petawawa because of obviously what's going on in the world."
One hundred and fifty-eight Canadian lives were lost during Canada's mission in Afghanistan - one out of every four of those deaths were deployed from CFB Petawawa. It's one more reason why Remembrance Day in the town absorbed by the military base is so important.
"This town suffered greatly as a result of the losses in Afghanistan and the huge amount of soldiers that were over there in Afghanistan," Petawawa Mayor Bob Sweet tells CTV News. "It's a very difficult time for many, many people here and I'm pleased to see the respect the civilians pay towards the military themselves."
Young or old, the significance of the day was felt by all in attendance. For Capt. Kieran Marks, this was his first time attending Remembrance Day ceremonies in Petawawa after being stationed at the base in 2018 following training.
"It's really nice to see everyone come back out and be here presently to remember," says Marks. "It's more significant perhaps; there's a tighter knit community. Everyone in Petawawa has been touched by conflict before, like Afghanistan. There's veterans that are still here."
"We must always remember the people who have come before us," says Miles, remarking on his visit back to Petawawa, where he spend two thirds of his career. "So it's very important, especially for this small community."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Vehicle rams into crowd outside Mexico cathedral, injures 16
A vehicle rammed into a crowd outside a cathedral in Mexico and injured at least 16 people Saturday night, local authorities said.
Daylight saving time ends next week
Millions of Canadians will notice their clocks turn back by one hour on Nov. 3, marking the end of daylight saving time this year.
How to make sure your used clothes go to the right place – and not to organized crime
Giving away used clothes for a second life feels like an act of charity – and it often is. But it’s become more complicated. A W5 investigation has discovered allegations that organized crime players are muscling in on charities to access their donation bins.
Gold prices have surged in 2024. Here’s how to get in on the gold rush
Not all that glitters is gold, but the value of the precious metal has been surging this year.
Satellite images show damage from Israeli attack at 2 secretive Iranian military bases
An Israeli attack on Iran damaged facilities at a secretive military base southeast of the Iranian capital that experts in the past have linked to Tehran's onetime nuclear weapons program.
B.C. election results: NDP gains ground in latest release of mail-in ballot data
Elections BC released its first partial results of the final count in B.C.'s 2024 provincial election Saturday afternoon, and the data shows NDP candidates gaining in some tight races.
Shohei Ohtani partially dislocates left shoulder during World Series Game 2, status TBD
Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani partially dislocated his left shoulder during the seventh inning of Saturday's Game 2 of the World Series against the New York Yankees when he tried to steal second base.
Trump refers to CNN's Anderson Cooper by a woman's first name
Former U.S. president Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to CNN anchor Anderson Cooper with a woman's first name in recent days as the Republican presidential nominee focuses his closing message on a hypermasculine appeal to men.
Canadian cities struggling to get past 'Whac-A-Mole' solution to homeless encampments
Canadian cities are struggling with the seemingly intractable problem of homelessness and trying various approaches to stop people from sleeping rough, often with mixed results.