National Peacekeepers’ Day Ceremony

Fallen police officers honoured at National Peacekeepers’ Day ceremony

Media Advisory

OTTAWA - A troop of police officers from services across Canada involved in peace operations will join military colleagues and UN peacekeeping veterans at the August 8 National Peacekeepers’ Day ceremony in Ottawa.

The officers are participating in the ceremony to recognize the service and sacrifices of peacekeepers, and particularly, to honour the memories of Chief Superintendent Douglas Coates and Sgt. Mark Gallagher, two RCMP members who lost their lives during the January 12 earthquake in Haiti. Among the troop are police officers who served in Haiti during the earthquake as well as friends and colleagues of Doug and Mark.  

Members of the Coates and Gallagher families will attend the ceremony, where they will be presented with the United Nations’ Dag Hammarskjöld Medal.

Members of the media are invited to attend the event. Photo/interview opportunities to follow the ceremony.

Ceremony Details

• What: National Peacekeepers' Day ceremony
• When: Sunday, August 8 at 11 am
  Where: National Peacekeeping Monument, 424 Sussex Dr. (across from National Gallery), Ottawa, Ontario

This ceremony is a collaboration between:

• Department of National Defence,
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police,
• Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada,
• Veterans’ Affairs Canada, and
• Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping

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Note to Editors / News Directors

• Please confirm your attendance with Sabrine Barakat at 613-996-6232 no later than Friday, August 6, 2010. Entrance will be on St. Patrick St. across from the National Gallery of Canada. Media are asked to arrive no later than 10:45 a.m. with appropriate dress and media identification.
• For more information on Canadian police participation in this event, please contact RCMP National Media Relations at 993-2999.
• For more information on the ceremony itself, please contact Sabrine Barakat of the Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa) at 613-996-6232 (t) or 613-266-7518 (c).