Algonquins of Pikwakanagan Chief Greg Sarazin was in Ottawa to join the federal government in breaking ground on Canada’s National Afghanistan War Memorial.
The LeBreton Flats monument is intended to honour more than 40,000 Canadian Armed Forces members who served in Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, as well as the families, civilians, and support personnel who stood beside them throughout the mission.
“This monument will be a place of reflection, learning, and remembrance. For future generations, it will tell a story about duty, about resilience, and about the cost of peace,” said Chief Sarazin.
Canada’s military remained in Afghanistan until 2014, marking the country’s longest combat mission in modern history.
158 CAF members lost their lives in the campaign, along with a Canadian diplomat, four aid workers, a government contractor, and a journalist. Thousands more returned home with physical injuries, and many continue to live with the lasting effects of psychological trauma.
Veterans Affairs Canada expects the memorial to be completed in late 2028, with a formal dedication ceremony to follow.
(written by Kasey Egan)
