RCMP member stands in honour at the Cenotaph at Riverside Park for Remembrance Day 2023/via Paul James
Despite the forecast threatening rain, around two-thousand turned out Saturday morning to mark this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony.
The ceremony saw dignitaries and members of the Canadian Armed Forces, cadets, and the RCMP turn out with their honour guards to mark the occasion.
Among those laying a wreath in honor of Canada’s veterans included Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, MLA’s Todd Stone and Peter Milobar, as well as MP Frank Caputo.
This year saw 419 Squadron do its traditional fly-over shortly after the moment of silence.
However, this will be the last time for a while that the Canadian Air Force will grace the skies over Kamloops during Remembrance Day ceremonies.
“They are trying to figure out something else, different assets to do maybe something different in the future, but as far as talk of a trainer flying over the Cenotaph, this will be the last time this year for the near future,” Kamloops Legion President Daniel Martin told Radio NL earlier in the week, noting its not for a lack of willingness from 419 Squadron.
“They are always so keen on coming and very looking forward to the next time so the collaboration between the City and 419 and ourselves is excellent and it is so easy to talk to them.”
Martin says because the Air Force still doesn’t know what fighter jets are going to be replacing the CF-18’s, the Hawk Trainers which do the flybys are being retired until a new fighter jet – and its trainers – are activated.
“It is time for their timeline to be traded up for a new plane, but the problem is, we don’t know what planes the Government of Canada will buy for the Canadian Armed Forces, therefore they don’t know what trainer they need,” Martin said.
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- Canadian Airforce training jets do a fly-over the Kamloops Remembrance Day ceremony on Saturday/via Paul James
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- RCMP honour guard stands in formation at Riverside Park in Kamloops to mark Remembrance Day Saturday/via Paul James
The ceremony in Kamloops was one of thousands which took place across the country on Saturday.
In Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended Remembrance Day ceremonies.
He shook hands with veterans and dignitaries at the National War Memorial and in a statement, encouraged Canadians to wear a poppy and observe two minutes of silence.
He called Remembrance Day an opportunity to recognize members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have courageously answered the call of duty when it was needed most.
– With files from The Canadian Press
