The 31st annual Peacekeepers Memorial Parade is set to take place at Esquimalt Memorial Park this Wednesday, August 9th.
The ceremony which begins at 7 p.m., marking National Peacekeepers’ Day, will be attended by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, Ginette Petitpas Taylor.
This event seeks to honor the contributions and sacrifices of veterans, Canadian Armed Forces personnel, police, and civilians who have participated in peace support operations around the world.
Minister Petitpas Taylor, who also holds the position of Associate Minister of National Defence, will play a significant role in the event, including the unveiling of a commemorative poster.
This year holds special significance as it marks the 75th anniversary of the first United Nations peacekeeping operation, specifically the 1948 UN Truce Supervision Organization responsible for overseeing the armistice between Israel and neighboring Arab States.
Additionally, it commemorates the 35th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to UN Peacekeepers.
Tragically, August 9th marks the largest single-day loss of lives during peace operations. On this day in 1974, nine Canadian Forces members lost their lives when their Buffalo aircraft was shot down over Syria.
The aircraft, painted in white and blue United Nations colors, was mistaken for an Israeli fighter jet by Syrian Forces.
The BC Government was the first in Canada to declare a Memorial Day to honor individuals who have lost their lives in the service of peace.
This initiative eventually gained national recognition in 2008, becoming a National Day of Remembrance. The local commemoration is organized by the British Columbia Chapter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association in collaboration with Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt.
Joining Minister Petitpas Taylor in the ceremony will be Maritime Forces Pacific Chief of Staff, Captain Peter Sproule, along with municipal representatives, leaders of veteran’s organizations, and Silver Cross parents, Shaun and Sheila Fynes.
The event will commence with a moment of remembrance silence, followed by the dignitaries placing poppies in a wreath at the cenotaph. As a salute to the occasion, a CC-130 Hercules aircraft from 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron will conduct a flyby.
The ceremony extends its invitation to veterans who have participated in peace operations, as well as members of the Canadian Armed Forces, RCMP, municipal police forces, and civilians.
Attendees who have served in peacekeeping capacities are encouraged to wear their blue or orange berets, symbolizing their service.
The War Memorials on the grounds of the BC Legislature and at Esquimalt Memorial Park
commemorate all those who have fallen in the defence of Canada in two World Wars, the Korean War, in the Service of Peace and Canada’s military support to Afghanistan.
“We are not only remembering those who have died in operations,” said Paul Paone.
“We also remember those whose experiences are complicit in their subsequent death or whose service was cut short regardless of the cause, no matter their mission at home or abroad.”
