First Canadian woman killed in combat honoured with miniature bridge in 'Little Canada'
Capt. Nichola Goddard was the first Canadian female to die in combat when she was killed in Afghanistan in 2006. Like most fallen soldiers, when she was repatriated, Canadians would line bridges over the Highway of Heroes, saluting the soliders as their remains were driven along Highway 401.
One of those bridges has been dedicated to Goddard’s memory and today at the Little Canada display of miniature Canadian cities in Toronto, the Highway of Heroes and Goddard’s bridge were unveiled.
Jean-Louis Brenninkmeijer, founder of Little Canada, said when he first came to Canada from The Netherlands 20 years ago and stood on a bridge watching the convoy pass, he was struck by how patriotic it was.
“It represents Canada in all its, everything Canada represents, its freedoms its values, its traditions,” Brenninkmeijer told CTV News Toronto.
The tradition wasn't started by government, but by a grassroots movement of people honouring the fallen, he said.
Afghan war veteran Kelly Scanlan remembers standing on the bridges as a civilian and paying tribute to fallen soldiers. Then, seeing it from the other side, watching the remains being sent back to Canada from the war zone.
“I served in Afghanistan and to stand in the other end of that ceremony and see our fallen loaded on to a plane and knowing this is where they were coming, knowing that Canadians were going to be there to honour them and welcome them home and that their families were going to know that they weren’t forgotten. “
At the dedication ceremony today, Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, announced more than a half a million dollars in funding for the True Patriot Love Foundation, dedicated to helping soldiers return to civilian life.
“Whether it is support for group therapy or for women veterans dealing with sexual assault they experienced while abroad, we must support our veterans, and not just today or November 11th, every single day,” Fullerton said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.