Veteran’s Week is underway in Canada, with a candlelight vigil to honour the fallen starting it off in Ottawa Monday night.
The gathering at the Centrepointe Theatre drew hundreds of veterans, as well as many others there to participate and simply say their thanks.
“(My) service, as far as I’m concerned, raised me to be a man,” said veteran Regis Vachon. “Before that I didn’t know too much about the world.”
Candles were passed from veterans to 150 younger people during the ceremony, echoing the famous “pass the torch” line from In Flanders Fields.
“I’m delighted that we have gathered today to honour the selfless contributions of our veterans to our country and to our community,” said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, himself the son of a Second World War veteran.
The night also gave tribute to the contributions and pain of military families, including naming a street after veteran Jerome Jodoin.
“He would’ve been just tickled pink over all of this,” said his son Gerry Jodoin. “He was a real veteran, loved veterans and the legion and just loved life in general.”
“It truly is the family that is the strength behind the uniform,” said Vice-Admiral Paul Maddison, commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.
“(They) enabled out veterans to do what they did and enables us in uniform today to do what we love.”
Veteran’s Week activities continue all week, ending with the national Remembrance Day ceremony Sunday at the National War Memorial.
With a report from CTV Ottawa’s Katie Griffin
