Lest We Forget: Beverly Memorial Cenotaph hosts Remembrance Day service
Edmonton's Beverly Memorial Cenotaph on Monday hosted its 104th Remembrance Day service to honour past and present veterans.
Col. J'lyn Nye of the 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, the emcee, delivered the opening remarks and a Treaty 6 Territory acknowledgement, which were followed by the national anthem.
Before the wreaths were laid at the cenotaph, The Last Post was played by Capt. Jonathan Page of the 15 Field Ambulance, followed by a two-minute silence and a bag-pipe performance of Lament.
Afterward, veteran Geoff Cysouw led the crowd in the Act of Remembrance and later powwoww dancer and singer Dezmond Morningchild performed an honour song. Gord Steinke, the Hon. Lt.- Col. of the 15th Edmonton Field Ambulance recited In Flanders Fields, and a prayer was led by Lt.-Col. Jim Hardwick.
On behalf of the federal government, MP Blake Desjarlais was the first to lay a wreath on the cenotaph, then MLA Peggy Wright and Coun. Ashley Salvador.Edmonton-Griesbach MP Blake Desjarlais spoke at Edmonton's Beverly Memorial Cenotaph Remembrance Day service on Nov. 11, 2024. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton)The MP for Edmonton-Griesbach spoke about those who are buried in the Beverly community and their commitment to peace.
"A tenuous peace comes at a great cost – the cost of our fellow community members. Those individuals (whose) names are inscribed upon this cenotaph … were brave, courageous, honourable everyday people," Desjarlais said.Const. Evan Jones of the Edmonton Police Service salutes the Beverly Memorial Cenotaph during a Remembrance Day service on Nov. 11, 2024. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton)Joe Luce, Canadian Armed Forces veteran and chairman of the Beverly Memorial Cenotaph Committee, spoke about the 104-year-old cenotaph – the oldest in Edmonton – and its reminder of the cost of peace and war.
"At this very site, the Beverly cenotaph stands as more than just a monument of stone and concrete. Each name etched into this cenotaph tells a story … of sacrifice, of courage and of enduring truth and freedom is never free," Luce said.
"We gather not only to remember … but to show our gratitude, our respect, and unwavering commitment to honouring the legacy of our fallen heroes."
The 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron flyby was cancelled due to unfavourable flying conditions.
The ceremony concluded with God Save the King.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police find bag carried by gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, say he likely fled NYC on bus
Investigators found a backpack in Central Park that was carried by the shooter, police said Friday, following a massive sweep to find it in a vast area with lakes and ponds, meadows, playgrounds and a densely wooded section called 'The Ramble.'
A police photographer recounts the harrowing day of the Polytechnique massacre
Montreal crime scene photographer Harold Rosenberg witnessed a lot of horror over his 30 years on the job, though nothing of the magnitude of what he captured with his lens at the Polytechnique on Dec. 6, 1989. He described the day of the Montreal massacre to CTV Quebec Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin.
Quebec premier wants to ban praying in public
Premier François Legault took advantage of the last day of the parliamentary session on Friday to announce to 'Islamists' that he will 'fight' for Quebec values and possibly use the notwithstanding clause to ban prayer in public places such as parks.
Northern Ontario man sentenced for killing his dog
WARNING: This article contains graphic details of animal abuse which may be upsetting to some readers. A 40-year-old northern Ontario man is avoiding prison after pleading guilty to killing his dog earlier this year.
'Home Alone' house up for sale for US$3.8 million in Chicago suburb – but not the one you're thinking of
Social media sleuths noticed that the house next door to the iconic 'Home Alone' house in Winnetka is now up for sale.
Purolator, UPS pause shipments from couriers amid Canada Post strike
Purolator and UPS have paused shipments from some courier companies as they try to work through a deluge of deliveries brought on by the Canada Post strike.
NDP's Singh forces debate on $250 cheques for more Canadians; Conservatives cut it short
With the fate of the federal government's promised $250 cheques for 18.7 million workers hanging in the balance, the NDP forced a debate Friday on a motion pushing for the prime minister to expand eligibility. The conversation was cut short, though, by Conservative MPs' interventions.
Sask. father who kept daughter from mom to prevent COVID-19 vaccine free from additional prison time
Michael Gordon Jackson, the Saskatchewan father who withheld his then seven-year-old daughter from her mom for nearly 100 days to prevent the girl from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, was handed a 12-month prison sentence and 200 days probation on Friday, but credited with time served.
Did daily cannabis use go up after Canada legalized it?
Health Canada says daily cannabis use has remained stable since it was legalized in 2018.