The significant reduction in the number of active-duty troops from Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake at the recent Lac La Biche Remembrance Day ceremony is part of a nation-wide cut in military spending for community events, say local military officials.
The changes are due to cost-cutting and budgetary measures mandated by the federal government.
“It’s really due to current financial constraints. It is (Canadian Air Force) wide, and it is Department of National Defence wide,” said Lieut. Samuel Deslauriers, the media liaison at CFB Cold Lake.
This year, three command team officers from the CFB Cold Lake, a military base located about 150 kilometres east of Lac La Biche, took part in the community’s annual ceremony. For decades, a large contingent of troops – normally numbering in the dozens – from the base’s 1 Air Maintenance Squadron have been part of the annual day of remembrance, joining local organizations, peace officers and RCMP in the parade and presentation.
The reduced participation was noticed by community members gathered at the ceremony around the legion’s cenotaph and Eternal flame on November 11.
Deslauriers said he understands that the absence may have caught the community by surprise.
“We fully recognize the historical importance of the Lac La Biche Remembrance Day ceremony. It’s always been a significant event for 1AMS and for us, and we are really saddened by the changes that have (been) made,” he said, calling it a “tough choice” that base officials had to make.
While Deslauriers didn’t have information on the cost of bringing the larger contingent of troops to each year’s ceremony, he said it is a factor when budget decisions have to be made.
“Moving troops costs a lot of money, and while we do cherish the strong relationship 1AMS has built with the Lac La Biche community over the many years, and we would have preferred to send a larger group, the resource limitations required us to scale back our participation.”
When asked if similar reductions were seen at Remembrance Day events in other communities linked to the units at CFB Cold Lake, the base spokesman said it was, explaining that the reduction are being seen nation-wide. “Not only all of our units, but all of the Canadian Armed forces affected by the budget cuts.”
No response
The Lac La Biche POST newsroom did attempt to contact federal offices for the Department of National Defence, and the Selkirk, Manitoba constituency office of Conservative MP James Bezan the opposition critic for National Defence for comment on the changes, but responses were not received.
When asked if the attendance cuts would continue in future years, Deslauriers said it was likely.
“I can’t promise sending more people in the future due to the same financial constraints, unfortunately,” he said, calling the long-standing relationship between the Lac La Biche community and the air force squadron “historically significant.”
Deslauriers says that while the budget will keep the larger numbers of military members from the local events, there will continue to be a proud military presence from CFB Cold Lake.
“You will definitely have a command team delegation for sure – it’s just not going to be a large contingent of troops, that is the main thing that was cut this year.”
