Dignitaries pay their respects at Laval Cenotaph on Remembrance Day

By
Martin C. Barry
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One of Laval’s last WWII veterans, Henri Rousseau, gets public recognition

Members of the Canadian Forces, including soldiers from the Royal 22nd Regiment’s Fourth Bataillon, as well as Air, Sea and Army Cadets and Royal Canadian Legion members, joined dignitaries and citizens at Laval’s War Cenotaph near city hall on Saturday Nov. 11 for a ceremony marking Remembrance Day.

Deposit of wreaths

Among the dignitaries depositing wreaths at the base of the monument on Souvenir Boulevard were Liberal MPs Annie Koutrakis and Fayçal El-Khoury, Quebec Liberal MNAs Sona Lakhoyan Olivier and Virginie Dufour, and CAQ MNAs Céline Haytayan, Valérie Schmaltz and Christopher Skeete.

The Laval region’s elected officials and other dignitaries and guests are seen here after reviewing the military parade passing by city hall last Remembrance Day. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Laval city council president Cecilia Macedo and councillors Christine Poirier, Yannick Langlois and Paolo Galati deposited a wreath on behalf of the municipality.

Laval Liberal MPs Fayçal El-Khoury, left, and Annie Koutrakis deposit a wreath at the base of the Laval Cenotaph this past Remembrance Day. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Paying their respects

Representatives of the Canadian Armed Forces, the 4th Bataillon Royal 22nd, Legion Branch 251, the Navy/Army/Aviation Cadets, the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board (SWLSB) and the Centre de services scolaire de Laval (CSDL) deposited wreaths to pay their respects.

This year’s Silver Cross Mother was Susan Bergevin, representing mothers who have lost a son or daughter, be it in action or over the course of military duty.

Towards the end of the ceremony, a special recognition was paid to 98-year-old Henri Rousseau. He was a World War II anti-aircraft gunner and is believed to be one of the last surviving Second World War veterans in Laval.

Laval city council president Cecilia Macedo, left, and city councillor Christine Poirier deposited a wreath on behalf of the city. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)