Blockade briefly stops Pride Parade in downtown Winnipeg
A group of protesters briefly blocked the Winnipeg Pride Parade on Sunday.
Master Corporal Byron Greff was killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, on October 29, 2011.
The 28-year-old was the last of 158 Canadian soldiers killed in the Afghanistan war. Canada ceased its combat operation in 2011 and was transitioning to a training mission when Byron died. He was a part of 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and left behind his parents and siblings, a wife and two young children.
More than a decade later, Byron is fiercely remembered by those who loved him including his mother Candy Greff, who was named this year's Silver Cross Mother. Greff was chosen by the Royal Canadian Legion and will lay a wreath during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
In an emotional interview on CTV's Your Morning, Greff explained how proud she was of her son's career in the military.
"I want to remind people of the dedication and the sacrifice," the Lacombe, Alta. native said Wednesday. "When someone joins the military, they're signing on the dotted line, what they're doing is giving to their country."
Greff will be called throughout the year, until October 2023, to perform other duties honouring those killed in all conflicts. She represents all mothers who have lost a child in the military service of Canada.
"It's so important to remember Byron and all the others who lost their lives in all of the wars, and all of the conflicts that have happened across the world," Greff said. "It's important for us to connect with others and be supported."
One of her fondest memories of Byron is his "contagious" and "loud" laugh, that went on "forever." Greff remembers a heartwarming story of her late son and how he and his siblings conspired against her one April Fool's Day.
"I walked down into the kitchen and I was by the sink, and Byron said 'Mum, could you just grab me a glass of water there quick?' So I turned the cold water tap on full blast," Greff recalled. Byron and his siblings had tied an eclectic over the faucet. "Did I (ever) get blasted… They howled. They just thought that was the funniest thing ever. And we know who instigated that."
Greff said she was extremely moved by the generosity of the community when her son's body came home. When the family returned through the Edmonton airport, yellow ribbons were tied everywhere, a trademark statement in supporting Canadian soldiers.
"There is a bench at his high school at an outdoor classroom…with a beautiful plaque on it," Greff said. "All of it is overwhelming and (I'm) so thankful to everyone who has put endless effort and endless hours into all of these things…They're remembering him with us and we are so appreciative of all of that."
The Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa will start at 10:30 a.m. EST.
With files from The Canadian Press
A group of protesters briefly blocked the Winnipeg Pride Parade on Sunday.
Research shows that art experiences, whether as a maker or a beholder, transform our biology by rewiring our brains and triggering the release of neurochemicals, hormones and endorphins.
Ryan Reynolds this week unveiled arguably the most anticipated and sure-to-be coveted merchandise tied to his upcoming 'Deadpool' sequel: the movie’s novelty popcorn bucket.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump said he is 'OK' with serving potential jail time or being under house arrest following his historic conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting in Saskatoon nearly cost the city dearly.
During the pandemic, the Ontario government started to hand out cash to parents to help offset the cost of at-home learning while schools were shuttered.
Eight people, including four children, have second- or third-degree burns as a result of an incident at a home in Saint-Constant, Que. south of Montreal, the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers de la Montérégie (CETAM) reported on Saturday.
Media magnate Rupert Murdoch, 93, has married for the fifth time, his corporation, News Corp, confirmed Sunday.
South Korea said Sunday it’ll soon take retaliatory steps against North Korea over its launch of trash-carrying balloons across the border and other provocations.
Car 14 is a luxury passenger car that once made regular runs from London to Port Stanley starting in 1917.
A hefty donation by a renowned local activist to the University of Winnipeg has created what is believed to be the most comprehensive two-spirit archives in all of Canada.
Leanne Van Bergen discovered a skulk of 10 baby foxes, and two mothers, had made themselves at home on her property in Beausejour.
An 81-year-old Waterloo, Ont. woman thought she’d never ride a horse again after a brain bleed led to severe physical complications.
A CP24 camera caught the moment a driver frantically got out of her car as it was being dragged by a truck on Avenue Road Wednesday afternoon.
Prince Edward Island is celebrating its first-ever International Day of Potato on Thursday.
The president of Covered Bridge Chips in New Brunswick is hoping to have his factory rebuilt for late 2025 following a devastating fire last year.
Students and staff at Winnipeg’s Westwood Collegiate had a unique problem to solve this month; how do you lead ducks to water from the school’s courtyard when 12 of them can’t fly yet?
Debby Lorinczy remembers her father as an amazing person and as a man who also made an amazing discovery.