Alberta marks Remembrance Day ceremonies in the shadow of CFB Wainwright tragedy

‘This year, remembrance feels closer to home:’ Wainwright mayor

I’m Lexi Freehill, one of two reporters based in CBC News’s Lloydminster bureau. In the days after last month’s deadly fire at CFB Wainwright, I was in the town of Wainwright twice, watching the community come together to begin to process and heal by leaning on each other.

I’m back in the community today for Remembrance Day. The local legion is anticipating a larger crowd than usual here, as locals pay homage to veterans, including the four soldiers who were killed and the 39 who were injured in last month’s fire.

In a statement posted to social media yesterday, Wainwright Mayor Bruce Pugh described the base and its members as being “woven into the fabric” of the town and the lives of locals.

“As they do every year, the words ‘lest we forget’ carry an especially profound meaning for our community,” he wrote. “But this year, remembrance feels closer to home.”