'We will remember them': Thousands gather for historic Winnipeg Remembrance Day service
Thousands gathered at the RBC Convention Centre on Monday to bear witness to a sombre and historic Remembrance Day ceremony.
Crowds of veterans, service men and women, and civilians were flanked by Lt.-Gov. Anita Neville, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, and Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham.
Wreathes of remembrance were laid and a torch ceremony was held during a reading of “In Flanders Fields.”
The doleful notes of The Last Post sounded throughout the silent crowd.
“This morning, as we reflect upon our blessings, we ask that we may be faithful stewards of the freedom that has been granted,” said Capt. Gabriel Boucher, who served as master of ceremonies.
A wreath to honour 17 Wing Winnipeg is laid at a Remembrance Day ceremony at the RBC Convention Centre on Nov. 11, 2024.
As speakers highlighted ongoing global conflicts currently being fought, including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, much attention was paid to the past. This year marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Rev. Paul N. Johnson spent much of his address recounting the bloody battle in Normandy and the contributions and sacrifices made by countless Manitobans.
On June 6, 1944, around 160,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches to begin an effort now remembered as the beginning of the end of the Second World War.
Among them - Captain George Alexander Harris, a priest who left his comfortable post at Winnipeg’s All Saints Anglican Church to join the fight.
“That night, with a battalion he jumped out of a C-47 with all the others. With many others, he was dead before the day was done. We will remember them.”
Rev. Paul N. Johnson addresses attendees at a Remembrance Day ceremony at RBC Convention Centre on Nov. 11, 2024.
Manitoba’s contribution on the shores that day are storied, from the tanks of the Fort Garry Horse and the 1st Hassars, who were first ashore on Juno Beach, followed closely by the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
“Many of them didn’t even make it to shore. Almost a third of the landing crafts were lost to German mine defenses, along with many of the men they carried. Those who made it to shore, they weren’t safe either.”
In a statement, Kinew thanked members of the Canadian Armed Forces, their families and their loved ones for what they have given to the province.
“In their sacrifice and service, each of us as Canadians have been given a great gift of a country that upholds democracy and a life of hard-won freedoms.”
- With files from CTV’s Jon Hendricks and the Canadian Press
Some of the most vivid film footage of the D-Day landings 75-years ago was shot by a Canadian military film unit using technology obtained from U.S. allies. Canadian soldiers land on a Normandy, France beach during the D-Day invasion June 6, 1944. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Department of National Defence)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec man, 81, gets prison sentence after admitting to killing wife with Alzheimer's disease
An 81-year-old Quebec man has been sentenced to prison after admitting to killing his wife with Alzheimer's disease.
Canada Post quarterly loss tops $300M as strike hits second week -- and rivals step in
Canada Post saw hundreds of millions of dollars drain out of its coffers last quarter, due largely to its dwindling share of the parcels market, while an ongoing strike continues to batter its bottom line.
'Immoral depravity': Two men convicted in case of frozen migrant family in Manitoba
A jury has found two men guilty on human smuggling charges in a case where a family from India froze to death in Manitoba while trying to walk across the Canada-U.S. border.
Prime Minister Trudeau attends Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Toronto with family
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a Swiftie. His office confirmed to CTV News Toronto that he and members of his family are attending the penultimate show of Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' in Toronto on Friday evening.
Trump supporters review-bomb B.C. floral shop by accident
A small business owner from B.C.'s Fraser Valley is speaking out after being review-bombed by confused supporters of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump this week.
Pat King found guilty of mischief for role in 'Freedom Convoy'
Pat King, one of the most prominent figures of the 2022 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa, has been found guilty on five counts including mischief and disobeying a court order.
Nearly 46,000 electric vehicles recalled in Canada over power loss risk
Nearly 46,000 electric vehicles from Kia, Hyundai and Genesis are being recalled in Canada over a potential power loss issue that can increase the risk of a crash.
Trump chooses Bessent to be Treasury secretary and Vought as top budget official
President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that he'll nominate hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, an advocate for deficit reduction, to serve as his next treasury secretary. Trump also said he would nominate Russel Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget.
Canada's tax relief plan: Who gets a cheque?
The Canadian government has unveiled its plans for a sweeping GST/HST pause on select items during the holiday period. The day after the announcement, questions remain on how the whole thing will work.