The mission which resulted in the largest loss of life in Canadian Peacekeepers’ history was commemorated in Thorold on Friday.
On Aug. 9, 1974, an unarmed cargo aircraft on a routine flight was shot down by Syrians, killing all nine Canadian Peacekeepers on board.
A plaque to honour Canadian Peacekeepers was installed in Memorial Park last year, and this year, for the second time, peacekeeping, military and other dignitaries gathered at the Park, as Padre Keith Piddick summarized, “to thank our Peacekeepers who have served as beacons of hope in an often cruel and dangerous territory; keeping hostile neighbours apart and protecting vulnerable women and children from violence.”
Canada, and the world, owes them a deep debt of gratitude, Piddick continued, for the loss of life Peacekeepers have suffered, as well as the injuries, “both physical and emotional.”
According to Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey, National Peacekeepers Day was established in Canada in 2008.
“We acknowledge 125,000 Canadian Peacekeepers who keep Canada and many others safe internationally, in some of the most volatile areas” around the world, he added. “To the veterans here today, there are no words to express our gratitude.”
MPP Jeff Burch thanked the Niagara Chapter of Peacekeepers, as well as the RCMP and OPP, and other police forces who continue to support peacekeeping, and those who deliver humanitarian aid while restoring peace around the world.
“More than 300 Niagara residents have volunteered for tours of duty since 1956,” said Mayor Terry Ugulini. “Canada has shifted from peacekeeping to peace-making.”
Following the Last Post and two minutes of silence in memory of those who died in the line of duty, retired Sgt. Rachel Pilon announced representatives of the various organizations as they laid wreaths at the Thorold cenotaph. Among them was George Ledwon, Vice President of the Canadian Association of Veterans for United Nations Peacekeepers.
