Tribute kept alive

Thursday was the first Remembrance Day Catherine Banning spent without her father, Pte. Frank Banning, at her side.

In February, the elder Banning passed away; he was the last veteran of the Second World War from Fort William First Nations. Banning led the Remembrance Day ceremony held at the Mount McKay lookout; it’s a tradition that was started by her father in 1995 as a way to help him cope with his memories of the Second World War.

"The 50^th anniversary at that point had put a lot of stress on him and he was starting to have nightmares and his doctor suggested this would be a therapeutic exercise," she said. "We’ve recognized Remembrance Day all our lives but doing the extra work here for it just helped him get through that a little bit more."

Banning said for her and her family it was a tribute to her father to help him with the ceremony and to now carry it on in his memory.

About 100 people attended Thursday morning’s ceremony and Banning said attendance has grown over the last few years.

"It does seem like there are more people attending and a lot more wreaths being laid," she said. "We appreciate and welcome everyone."

The Mount McKay ceremony also helps bring attention to the First Nations men and women who served during the wars and Banning said in the Second World War about 30 per cent of soldiers in the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment were Aboriginal.

"There is a large portion of them and we’re trying to make sure everybody remembers them," Banning said, adding about 70 per cent of the people who came out Thursday were family members and friends of veterans.

"This year we were very honoured to have the Prince family represented," she said. "Sgt. Tommy Prince is one of the most decorated Native soldiers in the world. He was awarded his military medal by King George VI at Buckingham Palace in 1945."

With her father now gone, Banning said it’s important to keep the Mt. McKay ceremony to help children and youth understand and appreciate what people have sacrificed for them.

"It is very easy to forget, so to take a little bit of time on Remembrance Day, it’s nothing in the grand scheme of things, of the 365 days of the year," she said.