Veterans

Image: City of Trail

‘Tea, Music and Artifacts’ coming to Trail library

Call the library 250.364.1731 or register online at: traillibrary.com

Image: City of Trail
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)
Photo: Submitted

Rossland Legion donates $5,000 to hospital

Donation to support multiple departments and facilities

Photo: Submitted
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)
Even though there was no formal Remembrance Day ceremony at the Trail Cenotaph for a second year due to the global pandemic, officers from the Trail and Greater District RCMP detachment took time on Thursday, Nov. 11, as they did last year, to pay their respects to all those who have served, and are still serving, in the nation’s defence. Photo: Mike Wicentowich

Trail RCMP remember

Local groups gather in their own bubbles at the Trail Cenotaph for a second year

Even though there was no formal Remembrance Day ceremony at the Trail Cenotaph for a second year due to the global pandemic, officers from the Trail and Greater District RCMP detachment took time on Thursday, Nov. 11, as they did last year, to pay their respects to all those who have served, and are still serving, in the nation’s defence. Photo: Mike Wicentowich
Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Minister Lawrence MacAulay responds to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on November 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Government will hire more staff to address veterans’ backlog, caseloads: minister

Announcement made in the wake of 5-part Canadian Press series on veteran’s issues

Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Minister Lawrence MacAulay responds to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on November 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
The Last Post Fund’s Unmarked Grave Program have identified 7,000 unmarked Commonwealth veterans’ graves and given them a permanent headstone or marker. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)

Unmarked Grave Program looking for Canada’s lost veterans

Last Post Fund’s gravesite program giving veterans final respects

The Last Post Fund’s Unmarked Grave Program have identified 7,000 unmarked Commonwealth veterans’ graves and given them a permanent headstone or marker. (Ben Lypka/Abbotsford News)
KBRH Health Foundation will purchase a new pulmonary function testing system with help from TB Vets. Photo: TB Vets

TB Vets fund new pulmonary equipment for Kootenay Boundary

29 hospitals in B.C. will benefit from TB Vets’ $1.1M grant cycle

KBRH Health Foundation will purchase a new pulmonary function testing system with help from TB Vets. Photo: TB Vets
Veteran Matthew Kane poses for a photograph in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, November 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Money: Today’s veterans fighting Ottawa for equality with previous generations

Campaign continues in fight for equity and fairness for all veterans

Veteran Matthew Kane poses for a photograph in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, November 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay uses his phone as he arrives for a cabinet meeting in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Tens of thousands of Canadian veterans who sustained long-term injuries from their military service are waiting to find out whether Veterans Affairs Canada will approve their disability claims. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

The Backlog: Thousands of veterans with disabilities are waiting years for support

Tens of thousands of veterans are waiting to see if their injuries qualify them for support

Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay uses his phone as he arrives for a cabinet meeting in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Tens of thousands of Canadian veterans who sustained long-term injuries from their military service are waiting to find out whether Veterans Affairs Canada will approve their disability claims. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Canadian soldiers Benjamin Van Eck, left, and Dan Campbell are shown in Kandahar, Afghanistan in this 2007 handout image. While Campbell would eventually settle down to start a family, Van Eck struggled with drug addiction and homelessness after hanging up his uniform before his lifeless body was found on the streets of London, Ont., this past June. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Dan Campbell, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

The Streets: Ottawa faces calls to step up on veteran homelessness

Grassroots organizations have stepped in to feel in the gaps left by government services

Canadian soldiers Benjamin Van Eck, left, and Dan Campbell are shown in Kandahar, Afghanistan in this 2007 handout image. While Campbell would eventually settle down to start a family, Van Eck struggled with drug addiction and homelessness after hanging up his uniform before his lifeless body was found on the streets of London, Ont., this past June. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Dan Campbell, *MANDATORY CREDIT*
FILE – The Canadian flag flies at half-mast at the funeral for Lionel Desmond and his mother Brenda Desmond at St. Peter’s Church in Tracadie, N.S. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. Desmond killed his mother, wife and young daughter before taking his own life earlier in the month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

The Caseload: Veterans Affairs staff overwhelmed by number of vets assigned to them

An internal review released in 2019 found case managers spent more time filling out paperwork than helping veterans directly

FILE – The Canadian flag flies at half-mast at the funeral for Lionel Desmond and his mother Brenda Desmond at St. Peter’s Church in Tracadie, N.S. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017. Desmond killed his mother, wife and young daughter before taking his own life earlier in the month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Grade 11 Brookswood Secondary student Charlie Farquharson, 16, wrote and recorded a rap song for Remembrance Day last year as part of a Grade 10 class assignment. He did the entirety of the project from his home computer using software he was already familiar with, calling writing and recording music a hobby. (Special to Langley Advance Times)

B.C. teen writes, records rap to bring Remembrance Day to forefront for youth

16-year-old Charlie Farquharson says youth should be engaged in different ways

Grade 11 Brookswood Secondary student Charlie Farquharson, 16, wrote and recorded a rap song for Remembrance Day last year as part of a Grade 10 class assignment. He did the entirety of the project from his home computer using software he was already familiar with, calling writing and recording music a hobby. (Special to Langley Advance Times)