Reginans Honor Veterans With Remembrance Day Ceremonies – Regina | The Canadian News

Regina residents paid their respects to veterans on Remembrance Day at various events throughout the city.

A ceremony at the Saskatchewan Legislature War Memorial featured Royal Regina rifles and a 21-gun salute.

An event led by a legion at the cenotaph in Victoria Park had hundreds of attendees of all ages.

The Rev. James Balfour says this year’s ceremony held special significance.

“One of the things that made today’s ceremony so much more moving was the presence of all the members of the Canadian military, the nurses who are here in Saskatchewan, helping out in the midst of the pandemic,” said Balfour.

“That goes back to that oath you take when you join the military: to serve Canada before you do yourself.”

Balfour is a retired lieutenant commander in the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve and said the ceremony was a “wonderful turnout.”

“It was heartening to see that this still matters and means something to people,” said Balfour.

“I think of the people I know when I was in the military and in the chaplaincy, I think of the people I know who came back from Afghanistan and came back and they weren’t the same people who left.”

Balfour said he also thinks about his grandfather and uncles who served and all of his compatriots who continue to serve.

“Remembrance Day is not just about remembering wars, it is about remembering service and sacrifice and putting self-interest first,” added Balfour.

At the ceremony, Balfour spoke about gratitude and then told reporters that it rings more true in the past two years.

“I think after these last 19 months, it’s really nice to be able to meet with other people, but (also) it’s important to get together and remember all those people who work to get us back to this point,” Balfour. said.

Naval League of Canada Vice President Gordon Basaraba said he would also like to see people remember the sacrifices others made to win freedom.

Basaraba was also satisfied with Thursday’s participation.

“I hope we are coming out of our pandemic and I hope this is the first step for people to come out again and join the communities,” Basaraba said.

“I’m happy to see, with the weather we’ve had today, how many people really came to Victoria Park for service, it just shows how resilient and strong the people from Regina are.”

Basaraba said that Remembrance Day for him is dedicated to remembering the people he served with, who were much older than him and were no longer alive.

“I had an uncle who was in the Korean War and he passed away, and this is the day we think of him and his sacrifice,” added Basaraba.

Basaraba said he was happy to see all the young people who came out.

“I think it is very important that our young people understand the sacrifices that were made.”