Remembrance Day

Legion member Tim Spencer holds one of three wreaths that were smashed apart at the Duncan Cenotaph. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

3 wreaths trashed at Duncan Cenotaph

“These wreaths are meant to commemorate the people who died fighting for their country”

Legion member Tim Spencer holds one of three wreaths that were smashed apart at the Duncan Cenotaph. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Avid volunteer Kurt Holstein stands at his station at Great Canadian Superstore in Langford, where he’s been selling poppies every day between 4 and 6 p.m. for the past two weeks. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

94-year-old Langford resident selling poppies every day

Kurt Holstein expects to keep giving back, as long as his health holds up

Avid volunteer Kurt Holstein stands at his station at Great Canadian Superstore in Langford, where he’s been selling poppies every day between 4 and 6 p.m. for the past two weeks. (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
Petty Officer Second Class Jacob Russell, left, stationed at Maritime Forces Pacific in CFB Esquimalt; and Cpl. Nicholas Kerr, a Canadian army reserve member who grew up in Victoria, will be part of the military sentry group standing vigil at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Remembrance Day. (Russell photo courtesy MARPAC; Kerr photo courtesy Department of National Defence)

Multiple Greater Victoria connections to Remembrance Day sentry group in Ottawa

Petty Officer Second Class Jacob Russell, reserve Cpl. Nicholas Kerr to stand vigil at war memorial

  • Nov 9, 2021
Petty Officer Second Class Jacob Russell, left, stationed at Maritime Forces Pacific in CFB Esquimalt; and Cpl. Nicholas Kerr, a Canadian army reserve member who grew up in Victoria, will be part of the military sentry group standing vigil at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Remembrance Day. (Russell photo courtesy MARPAC; Kerr photo courtesy Department of National Defence)
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks during a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Federal leaders remember sacrifices, injustices endured by Indigenous veterans

Flags on federal government buildings lowered to acknowledge the service of Indigenous veterans

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks during a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Veteran Jeffrey Shepherd walks back to the house with his wife Christine from their backyard in Casselman, Ont., on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

The Burden: veterans’ injuries take toll on families and caregivers

Advocates and others say federal supports fall short of what is needed

Veteran Jeffrey Shepherd walks back to the house with his wife Christine from their backyard in Casselman, Ont., on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay uses his phone as he arrives for a cabinet meeting in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Tens of thousands of Canadian veterans who sustained long-term injuries from their military service are waiting to find out whether Veterans Affairs Canada will approve their disability claims. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

The Backlog: Thousands of veterans with disabilities are waiting years for support

Tens of thousands of veterans are waiting to see if their injuries qualify them for support

Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay uses his phone as he arrives for a cabinet meeting in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Tens of thousands of Canadian veterans who sustained long-term injuries from their military service are waiting to find out whether Veterans Affairs Canada will approve their disability claims. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Canadian soldiers Benjamin Van Eck, left, and Dan Campbell are shown in Kandahar, Afghanistan in this 2007 handout image. While Campbell would eventually settle down to start a family, Van Eck struggled with drug addiction and homelessness after hanging up his uniform before his lifeless body was found on the streets of London, Ont., this past June. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Dan Campbell, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

The Streets: Ottawa faces calls to step up on veteran homelessness

Grassroots organizations have stepped in to feel in the gaps left by government services

Canadian soldiers Benjamin Van Eck, left, and Dan Campbell are shown in Kandahar, Afghanistan in this 2007 handout image. While Campbell would eventually settle down to start a family, Van Eck struggled with drug addiction and homelessness after hanging up his uniform before his lifeless body was found on the streets of London, Ont., this past June. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Dan Campbell, *MANDATORY CREDIT*
FILE – The Canadian flag flies at half-mast at the funeral for Lionel Desmond and his mother Brenda Desmond at St. Peter’s Church in Tracadie, N.S. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. Desmond killed his mother, wife and young daughter before taking his own life earlier in the month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

The Caseload: Veterans Affairs staff overwhelmed by number of vets assigned to them

An internal review released in 2019 found case managers spent more time filling out paperwork than helping veterans directly

FILE – The Canadian flag flies at half-mast at the funeral for Lionel Desmond and his mother Brenda Desmond at St. Peter’s Church in Tracadie, N.S. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. Desmond killed his mother, wife and young daughter before taking his own life earlier in the month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Grade 11 Brookswood Secondary student Charlie Farquharson, 16, wrote and recorded a rap song for Remembrance Day last year as part of a Grade 10 class assignment. He did the entirety of the project from his home computer using software he was already familiar with, calling writing and recording music a hobby. (Special to Langley Advance Times)

B.C. teen writes, records rap to bring Remembrance Day to forefront for youth

16-year-old Charlie Farquharson says youth should be engaged in different ways

Grade 11 Brookswood Secondary student Charlie Farquharson, 16, wrote and recorded a rap song for Remembrance Day last year as part of a Grade 10 class assignment. He did the entirety of the project from his home computer using software he was already familiar with, calling writing and recording music a hobby. (Special to Langley Advance Times)
A rock with the message “Every Child Matters” painted on it sits at a memorial outside the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, in Kamloops, B.C., on Thursday, July 15, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canadian flag to be raised Sunday on federal buildings, in time for Remembrance Day

Flag will be hoisted at sunset on Sunday, lowered Monday for Indigenous Veterans Day, then raised

A rock with the message “Every Child Matters” painted on it sits at a memorial outside the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, in Kamloops, B.C., on Thursday, July 15, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A ceremonial flagged is raised as people attend the Xe xe Smun’ eem-Victoria Orange Shirt Day Every Child Matters ceremony to honour victims of the Canadian Indian residential school system while at Centennial Square in Victoria, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. The Assembly of First Nations says it has found a solution to raising the Canadian flag on Remembrance day, while continuing to grieve for Indigenous children who died at residential schools. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Assembly of First Nations says raise Canada flag alongside ‘every child matters’ flag

‘Until all children are recovered, named and returned to their homelands’

A ceremonial flagged is raised as people attend the Xe xe Smun’ eem-Victoria Orange Shirt Day Every Child Matters ceremony to honour victims of the Canadian Indian residential school system while at Centennial Square in Victoria, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. The Assembly of First Nations says it has found a solution to raising the Canadian flag on Remembrance day, while continuing to grieve for Indigenous children who died at residential schools. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Sooke artist Linda (Gord) Gordon created this painting in memory of Second World War veteran Jack Cockrell. (Contributed - Linda (Gord) Gordon)

A token of remembrance: veteran commemorated through art

Sooke artist Linda Gordon creates painting of Jack Cockrell

Sooke artist Linda (Gord) Gordon created this painting in memory of Second World War veteran Jack Cockrell. (Contributed - Linda (Gord) Gordon)
This tree on Sparrowhawk Avenue in Royal Bay was decorated with handmade poppies created by Diedre Moran for Remembrance Day. (Photo courtesy Deidre Moran)

Colwood resident spins 100 crocheted poppies, fills tree with remembrances

Neighbours, community members invited to leave remembrances on a second adjacent tree

This tree on Sparrowhawk Avenue in Royal Bay was decorated with handmade poppies created by Diedre Moran for Remembrance Day. (Photo courtesy Deidre Moran)
A previous edition of Operation Raise a Flag is seen. Canadians across the country are once again invited to buy a flag to be planted outside the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre in Toronto this Remembrance Day. (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre)

British Columbians invited to help plant 30,000 flags at Canada’s largest veteran facility

Toronto’s Sunnybrook Veterans Centre seeking nation-wide support to plant flags for Remembrance Day

A previous edition of Operation Raise a Flag is seen. Canadians across the country are once again invited to buy a flag to be planted outside the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre in Toronto this Remembrance Day. (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre)
The Canadian flag flies at half mast over the Peace tower and parliament buildings in Ottawa on October 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

PM says Indigenous talks may offer “solution” so Canada can honour war dead

The flag has been flying at half-mast at federal buildings since late May

The Canadian flag flies at half mast over the Peace tower and parliament buildings in Ottawa on October 22, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Poppies are seen on the National War Memorial after Remembrance Day ceremonies, in Ottawa on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. The Royal Canadian Legion is hoping to return to a sense of normalcy with its annual poppy campaign this year, thanks to fewer COVID-19 restrictions in place across the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Legion hoping sense of normalcy returns to this year’s poppy campaign

More people physically present with donation boxes this year thanks to looser COVID-19 measures

Poppies are seen on the National War Memorial after Remembrance Day ceremonies, in Ottawa on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. The Royal Canadian Legion is hoping to return to a sense of normalcy with its annual poppy campaign this year, thanks to fewer COVID-19 restrictions in place across the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Members of the Sidney Concert Band perform at 2019’s Salute Our Veterans concert. (Sidney Concert Band)

Sidney Concert Band announces Nov. 7 Remembrance Day concert

Salute to Our Veterans concert to be held at Mary Winspear Centre

Members of the Sidney Concert Band perform at 2019’s Salute Our Veterans concert. (Sidney Concert Band)
Second World War veteran Fred Seeley was presented the first poppy at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 91 in Langford Oct. 29. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)

PHOTOS: First poppy presented to West Shore WWII veteran

Ceremony signifies start to Royal Canadian Legion poppy campaign

Second World War veteran Fred Seeley was presented the first poppy at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 91 in Langford Oct. 29. (Jane Skrypnek/News Staff)
Heritage Canada says the national flag will remain at half-mast leading up to Remembrance Day instead of hoisting it up to be lowered again. The Canadian flag flies at half-mast on the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill on Canada Day in recognition of the discovery of unmarked graves of Indigenous children at residential schools. Thursday, July 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Legion to hoist flag at National War Memorial on Remembrance Day then lower it

Legion also recommending that its branches throughout Canada do the same

Heritage Canada says the national flag will remain at half-mast leading up to Remembrance Day instead of hoisting it up to be lowered again. The Canadian flag flies at half-mast on the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill on Canada Day in recognition of the discovery of unmarked graves of Indigenous children at residential schools. Thursday, July 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
Heritage Canada says the national flag will remain at half-mast leading up to Remembrance Day instead of hoisting it up to be lowered again. The Canadian flag flies at half-mast on the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill on Canada Day in recognition of the discovery of unmarked graves of Indigenous children at residential schools. Thursday, July 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Flag won’t be hoisted to be lowered again for Remembrance Day unless Trudeau wants

Flags flying at half-mast at federal buildings since discovery of unmarked residential school graves

Heritage Canada says the national flag will remain at half-mast leading up to Remembrance Day instead of hoisting it up to be lowered again. The Canadian flag flies at half-mast on the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill on Canada Day in recognition of the discovery of unmarked graves of Indigenous children at residential schools. Thursday, July 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle