Canadians flock for Remembrance Day

OTTAWA, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of people solemnly observed Remembrance Day Wednesday, honoring nearly 2 million Canadian soldiers who fought in the last century.

The first ceremony took place in Kandahar, Afghanistan, among Canadian combat troops and two federal ministers hours before daylight in Canada. Forces there honored their 133 comrades killed in the ongoing NATO mission, along with the nearly 2 million others who fought in both world wars, Korea and numerous peacekeeping missions around the world.

At 11 a.m. in Ottawa, thousands of people packed Parliament Hill for a somber ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as British Prince Charles, his wife Duchess Camilla and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper watched a military flyover accompanied by heavy-gun salutes.

By protocol, Governor General Michaelle Jean took precedence over the prince, as she is the queen's representative in Canada. The Haitian-born Jean made the unprecedented move of wearing a full military uniform, as she is commander in chief of Canada's military in the queen's absence.

There is only one Canadian survivor of World War I, a man who is 109 years old. Of more than 1 million Canadians who volunteered to fight in World War II, there are just 163,000 alive, Veterans Affairs Canada reported.