The Latest: Canadians gather to mark Remembrance Day
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OTTAWA – Canadians across the country are reflecting on the sacrifices and service of Canadian Armed Forces members today as they mark Remembrance Day.
This year is also the 25th anniversary of the start of the Afghanistan war in which 40,000 Canadians served and 159 lost their lives.
This year’s ceremonies take place just weeks after the tragic fire at Canadian Armed Forces Base Wainwright. Four soldiers were killed and dozens were injured when a wildfire suddenly overtook a training exercise.
All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time.
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11:00 a.m. — The national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa observes two minutes of silence.
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10:52 a.m. — Governor General Louise Arbour arrives at the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa, her first as commander-in-chief.
Arbour is wearing a uniform. The governor general always wears a military uniform for the ceremony.
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10:50 a.m. — Virginia Hicks, this year’s Silver Cross mother, arrives at the national Remembrance Day ceremony, where she will lay a wreath on behalf of all mothers who have lost children in military service.
Her daughter, Sapper Mareibeth Short, was killed in a training exercise on Sept. 23, 2002 in Petawawa, Ont.
Hicks is a veteran herself, working in supply and logistics for 29 years.
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10:45 a.m. — Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife Diana Fox arrive at the National War Memorial for the national Remembrance Day ceremony. He shakes hands with the assembled dignitaries, including Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan.
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10:30 a.m. — The national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa gets underway as military bands and veterans march to the National War Memorial near Parliament. Thousands of people line the streets to watch the ceremony.
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10 a.m. — NDP Leader Avi Lewis issues a Remembrance Day message and, like other leaders, he pays special attention to those who died in the fire at CFB Wainwright last month.
“This Remembrance Day, we reinforce our commitment to a Canada where every veteran has a roof over their head, honour the legacy of those who defeated fascism by standing against hate, and rededicate ourselves to the task of building a peaceful world,” Lewis said.
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9:20 a.m. — Prime Minister Mark Carney issues a Remembrance Day message saying “rights and freedoms do not defend themselves” in an increasingly “dangerous and divided world.”
He says today is about honouring those who stepped up to serve their country through the generations. He reads the names of the victims of the Wainwright fire: Sgt. Morgan Wong, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Aidan Goulding, and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark.
“With their bright futures still before them, they chose to safeguard ours. We mourn their loss, stand with those recovering from their injuries, and hold their families and fellow service members in our thoughts,” Carney said.
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9:10 a.m. — A Remembrance Day procession has arrived at the National War Memorial in Newfoundland and Labrador’s capital city. Hundreds of people have gathered at the monument in St. John’s, despite the rain. The hushed crowd is preparing for two minutes of silence.
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9:10 a.m. — In a video clip released today of a speech she made in the legislature earlier this week, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says “wearing a uniform from the Canadian Armed Forces is a declaration that you will lay down your life for the values of this nation.”
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8:30 a.m. — People begin to gather along the fence line at the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.
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8:15 a.m. — Gov. Gen. Louise Arbour releases a Remembrance Day message calling on all Canadians to reflect on the courage and dedication of Canada Armed Forces members and the sacrifices made by their families and communities.
She says the Wainwright fire is a reminder that everyone who serves is a human being who “accepts risk on behalf of others and is supported by loved ones who share in the sacrifices that service often demands.”
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7:45 a.m. — In a video message honouring veterans, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the “cost of service has been brought home” in the wake of the Wainwright fire.
Poilievre also makes special mention of soldiers who served and died in Afghanistan on the 25th anniversary of the start of that conflict.
Poilievre’s Alberta riding includes the community of Wainwright.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 11, 2026