Thousands gather at SaskTel Centre to commemorate Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day ceremony at the Sasktel Centre on Nov. 11, 2025. (Hallee Mandryk/CTV News)

Nearly 5,000 people filled the seats of SaskTel Centre on the morning of Nov. 11 to honour the service and sacrifice of brave Canadians.

Capt. Ivan Nahachewsky, officiating clergy and chaplain for the North Saskatchewan Regiment, said Remembrance Day is about more than a moment of silence at eleven o’clock.

“My whole life growing up, Remembrance Day was about eleven o’clock. Then when I joined the armed forces, I realized it’s way, way bigger than that,” Nahachewsky said.

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He said the day brings a lot of emotions that extend far beyond the ceremony itself.

“There are people for whom this isn’t just a civic holiday. This is deeply personal,” he said.

The Nahachewsky family has long-standing ties to the Canadian Armed Forces. Ivan’s wife, Capt. Deborah Nahachewsky, works with young cadet members. She emphasized the importance of teaching the next generation about the significance of Remembrance Day.

“The reason we have our freedom and democracy is because of the people who went before us,” she said. “Being in the cadet program, we talk about that, and they do gain some of that understanding.”

Both Ivan and Deborah said seeing thousands of people attend the ceremony was deeply meaningful.

“There are a lot of other things people could be doing today, and they’re realizing that while they have a day off, there’s significance to it,” Deborah said. “They show it by showing up here and recognizing what Remembrance Day truly means.”

The couple hopes those in attendance carry that reflection beyond the day itself.

“I hope they feel grateful that Canada is a free country and that we can be who we are,” Ivan noted.