On Memorial DayBruno Plourde said his thoughts were about the comrade he lost while they were both stationed in Afghanistan.
“He holds a special place in our hearts today,” he said Tuesday morning at Place Canada in Montreal. “For all the people who died – or who sometimes came back, but not entirely as individuals.”
The veteran served 40 years in the Armed Forces and also served in Congo and Bosnia. He and a comrade were serving in the same regiment in Afghanistan when he was killed. Canada's mission to this country lasted from 2001 to 2014.
Mayor-elect Soraya Martinez Ferrada, assisted by Terrence Deslage, lays a wreath at the cenotaph during the Remembrance Day ceremony in Montreal, Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
When Memorial Day comes around, Plourde said it's easy to remember those who paid the highest price; what's even harder, he said, is remembering them every other day of the year.
Under heavy snowfall, the first of the season, the ceremony began just after 10:30. The 438th Tactical Helicopter Squadron conducted a 21-gun salute and flyover, attended by dignitaries including Soraya Mayor-elect Martinez Ferrada and Assemblyman Mark Miller, a former infantry commander. More than 100 people attended the ceremony.
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“I have a lot of emotions today,” said Vincent-Gabriel Lamar, a Canadian Army corporal who served in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011. “I lost probably all my friends from Afghanistan.”
According to him, his comrades did not die in battle. Rather, he lost them gradually after they left the troops and “lost their minds,” he said. Others simply disappeared, he said, after he lost sight of them.
“This is the time of year when I remember them,” he said, adding that he doesn't mind being outside in cold and windy weather, saying those who died in service have endured far worse.
He said there are many mental health services available for active duty and retired workers, but many still don't feel comfortable seeking help. It took him months before he said he was ready to take the step himself.
Len Kander was among those watching the ceremony. The former elementary and middle school teacher said he always tried to teach his students about the legacies of those who served, adding that it was deeply personal to him. He said his father and many of his uncles served in World War II, including some who were seriously wounded.
“The last city I taught in was Harrow, Ont., and we actually participated in a parade and a service,” he said, adding that he and his partner are currently visiting Montreal. “The students were really excited to see that.”
He said he doesn't think students are as aware of the sacrifices made by veterans like his family members and said “a lot of that has been lost in the last few years.”
“To move forward, we need to see what happened before so we don’t make the same mistakes,” he said. “That’s what we have to teach students: It’s not just about them, it’s about all of us.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 11, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
