'We need to remember them': New memorial wall unveiled at day of remembrance for fallen officers
A new memorial was unveiled Sunday at the Alberta Legislature, as families and colleagues gathered to pay homage to Albertans who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Since 1876, 101 police and peace officers were killed in the line of duty.
A monument honouring them, the Pillar of Strength, was unveiled on the legislature's south lawn in 2006. Sunday, for the 24th annual Alberta's Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Day, a new memorial was revealed outside of the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General's office.
Inspired by the Pillar of Strength, and designed by Calgary Sgt. Jason Hiscock, the new memorial wall bears the names of the 101 fallen officers.
The annual reading of the names is a moment Chris Young, Alberta Federation of Police Associations president, said is always emotional for him. It's a time to pay tribute to the officers and the people who love them.
"It's important to realize the sacrifice made, not only by our members or our officers, but by their families. It's a calling to be a police officer, and it's a profession that the whole family sacrifices for," Young said.
His friend and colleague, Sgt. Andrew Harnett, was killed in 2020. Freedom isn't always free, said Young, and it's important to remember that public safety comes at a cost.
"It's a horrible tragic thing when someone loses their life for others, protecting them, protecting our society, and we need to remember them," he said. "We need to."
Leslie Lukawy was one of the visitors Sunday to lay a wreath at Sunday's ceremony. Her sister, Cst. Christine Diotte, was killed in 2002 in Banff.
"She loved her job, she loved helping people," Lukawy said.
She comes almost every year, she said, and added that it's almost like a family. She sees many of the same faces year after year, and people know what each other are going through.
"You're never the same," she said.
The memorial happens across the country on the last sunday of September.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jessica Robb
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.