Ceremony commemorating end of Afghan mission streamlined
Posted Jun 25, 2011 8:22 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The idea of an elaborate ceremony to honour Canada’s participation in the Afghan mission, and the 156 Canadian soldiers who have been killed in that country since 2002, has been scaled back.
That’s according to the Calgary Herald which reports the idea didn’t win the approval from Chief of Defence Staff General Walter Natynczyk.
A Canadian Forces spokesman is quoted as saying Natynczyk feels such a ceremony would be awkward, not only for Canadians, but for Canada’s allies when they still have soldiers fighting combat missions in Afghanistan.
The original plans for the Canadian ceremony called for a large number of troops and an exhibition by the Snowbirds during a September gala on Parliament Hill.
Instead a more subdued tribute is now being planned.
