Veterans

Close to a thousand people packed Kal Tire Place for Vernon’s Remembrance Day ceremony Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. (Brendan Shykora - Morning Star)

Vernon Remembrance Day ceremony honours Canadian veterans, peacekeepers

The ceremony was held at Kal Tire Place for the first time since 2019

 

Veteran Adele Lacoursiere made 400 dish cloths and has donated them to the Archway Society. (Contributed)

Military vet hand stitches cloths for vulnerable Vernon women

Veteran taught herself to make them during COVID to keep busy

 

Veteran Stephen LaSalle is shown in Ottawa, on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. When LaSalle first injured his foot in a military training exercise, he had only heard the stories about what it was like to deal with Veterans Affairs Canada. Five years later, the reservist naval lieutenant can talk about the experience firsthand. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Frustration, anxiety persist as Liberals claim success on wait times for veterans

An estimated 23,000 veterans are waiting for their disability claims to be processed by the federal department

 

Matthew Heneghan and Pte. Colin Wilmot’s enjoyed watching hockey and cheering on the Oilers together. (Contributed)

Column: Remembering my dearest brothers and sisters on November 11

‘I never thought I’d ever be as brave or as heroic. It was their grief I related to.’

  • Nov 11, 2022
Matthew Heneghan and Pte. Colin Wilmot’s enjoyed watching hockey and cheering on the Oilers together. (Contributed)
The Victoria Cross Medal belonging to Pte. James Peter Robertson is seen in an undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Tilston Memorial Collection of Canadian Military Medals, Canadian War Museum

‘War hero of the family’: Canadian War Museum acquires 3 more Victoria Crosses

Museum now has 36 of the 73 Victoria Crosses awarded to Canadians in the First World War

The Victoria Cross Medal belonging to Pte. James Peter Robertson is seen in an undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Tilston Memorial Collection of Canadian Military Medals, Canadian War Museum
Vernon’s Remembrance Day ceremony will take place at Kal Tire Place Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. (File photo)

UPDATE: Remembrance Day ceremonies staged in Coldstream and Vernon

Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Friday, No. 11

Vernon’s Remembrance Day ceremony will take place at Kal Tire Place Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. (File photo)
Veteran Stephen LaSalle is shown in Ottawa, on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. When LaSalle first injured his foot in a military training exercise, he had only heard the stories about what it was like to deal with Veterans Affairs Canada. Five years later, the reservist naval lieutenant can talk about the experience firsthand. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Frustration, anxiety persist as Liberals claim success on wait times for veterans

More than 23,000 veterans have disability claims that are waiting to be processed

Veteran Stephen LaSalle is shown in Ottawa, on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022. When LaSalle first injured his foot in a military training exercise, he had only heard the stories about what it was like to deal with Veterans Affairs Canada. Five years later, the reservist naval lieutenant can talk about the experience firsthand. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Royal Canadian Legion Westbank 288 treasurer Liz Dickson and president Anne Fox. (Jacqueline Gelineau - West K News)

Okanagan Indigenous veterans were stripped of their status after war efforts

Westbank First Nations held a ceremony for Indigenous veterans day

Royal Canadian Legion Westbank 288 treasurer Liz Dickson and president Anne Fox. (Jacqueline Gelineau - West K News)
Chief Petty Officer First Class (retired) Jake McDavid stands in Ottawa, on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Veterans’ parade returns to national Remembrance Day after two-year hiatus

Parade was cancelled the past two years due to health concerns associated with the COVID-19

Chief Petty Officer First Class (retired) Jake McDavid stands in Ottawa, on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
A mural featuring a scoreboard and a great blue heron is being created on The Roster. (Lacey & Layla Art rendering)

Free meal for veterans, Armed Forces members at Vernon restaurant on Remembrance Day

The Roster Sports Club is marking Remembrance Day with a free soup and sandwich offer

A mural featuring a scoreboard and a great blue heron is being created on The Roster. (Lacey & Layla Art rendering)
Vernon Legion president Bill Balcaen pins a poppy on Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming for the official Poppy Campaign launch, which begins Friday, Oct. 28. Poppies and donation boxes will be available at various locations around town, along with two new special tap boxes. The Legion will also be at Saturday’s Vipers game selling poppies. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)

Vernon Legion kicks off poppy campaign

Remembrance Day symbol sold around town

Vernon Legion president Bill Balcaen pins a poppy on Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming for the official Poppy Campaign launch, which begins Friday, Oct. 28. Poppies and donation boxes will be available at various locations around town, along with two new special tap boxes. The Legion will also be at Saturday’s Vipers game selling poppies. (Jennifer Smith - Morning Star)
Retired Staff Sgt.-Maj. Kathy Rochlitz (left), Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin, Craig Thompson, Dave Sinclair and Norm Scott pose for a photo after presenting the first poppy at Government House on Oct. 25. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

B.C. lieutenant governor presented with first poppy to kick off 2022 campaign

Funds raised from annual Royal Canadian Legion poppy campaign supports veterans

Retired Staff Sgt.-Maj. Kathy Rochlitz (left), Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin, Craig Thompson, Dave Sinclair and Norm Scott pose for a photo after presenting the first poppy at Government House on Oct. 25. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Medical marijuana is shown in Toronto, Nov. 5, 2017. An internal audit outlining significant problems with Ottawa’s administration of hundreds of millions of dollars in medical marijuana for veterans is being met with shock and concern by mental-health providers and others.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy

‘Wild West’: Audit on veterans’ medical cannabis sparks calls for oversight, research

Probe sparks calls to better protect at-risk veterans and taxpayer dollars

Medical marijuana is shown in Toronto, Nov. 5, 2017. An internal audit outlining significant problems with Ottawa’s administration of hundreds of millions of dollars in medical marijuana for veterans is being met with shock and concern by mental-health providers and others.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy
B.C. filmmaker Eric Brunt is working to preserve as many Second World War veterans’ stories on film as possible. (Credit: Phil Hossack)

‘Last possible second’: B.C. filmmaker racing to preserve remaining WWII veterans’ stories

Average Canadian WWII veteran now 97 years old

B.C. filmmaker Eric Brunt is working to preserve as many Second World War veterans’ stories on film as possible. (Credit: Phil Hossack)
A group of Canadian veterans headed to the mountains of Whistler Saturday (Aug. 27) for a hike drawing attention to chronic pain. (Black Press Media file photo)

Veterans seek adventure in Whistler to bring awareness to chronic pain

12 veterans helicoptered to Whistler peak Saturday (Aug. 27) for 7 km hike

  • Aug 29, 2022
A group of Canadian veterans headed to the mountains of Whistler Saturday (Aug. 27) for a hike drawing attention to chronic pain. (Black Press Media file photo)
Medical marijuana is shown in Toronto, Nov. 5, 2017.The federal government is reimbursing a record number of veterans for medical marijuana, with new figures showing Ottawa shelled out more than $150 million in the last fiscal year alone – more than double the amount just three years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy

Ottawa on track to spend $200M per year on cannabis for veterans

Compensation for medical cannabis began in 2008 and has skyrocketed since

Medical marijuana is shown in Toronto, Nov. 5, 2017.The federal government is reimbursing a record number of veterans for medical marijuana, with new figures showing Ottawa shelled out more than $150 million in the last fiscal year alone – more than double the amount just three years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy
RCMP Corp. Amadeo Vecchio (left) returns World War documents and medals to Michael Wintermute. The items belonged to his father and grandfather. (Photo Brittany Webster)

World War discharge certificate and medals come home to owner

Items were stolen from a home in fall 2021 but the theft was not reported to police

RCMP Corp. Amadeo Vecchio (left) returns World War documents and medals to Michael Wintermute. The items belonged to his father and grandfather. (Photo Brittany Webster)
Premier John Horgan and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were in Vancouver Tuesday (May 24) to announce the 2025 Invictus Games will be held in the city. (Jane Skrypnek/Black Press Media)

$30M pledged for Vancouver to host winter hybrid Invictus Games in 2025

Province, federal government each contributing $15 million to event

Premier John Horgan and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were in Vancouver Tuesday (May 24) to announce the 2025 Invictus Games will be held in the city. (Jane Skrypnek/Black Press Media)
Stocky Edwards' funeral was at Christ the King Catholic Church in Courtenay on May 20. Photo by MIke Chouinard

World War II flying ace Stocky Edwards laid to rest in Courtenay

“He was a hero when we needed heroes.”

Stocky Edwards' funeral was at Christ the King Catholic Church in Courtenay on May 20. Photo by MIke Chouinard
A ceremony at Lakeview Memorial Cemetery on May 8, 2022 (Brittany Webster - Capital News)

Memorial ceremony in Kelowna disrupted when woman drives over graves

People were gathered at Lakeview Memorial Cemetery to mark the anniversary of the end of WWII

  • May 9, 2022
A ceremony at Lakeview Memorial Cemetery on May 8, 2022 (Brittany Webster - Capital News)