Local veterans gathered at Kinsmen Park on Saturday for the third annual Canadian Walk for Veterans. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Canadian Walk for Veterans

‘He died a warrior’s death,’ Canadian Walk for Veterans honours Earl Burns in third annual walk

Sep 24, 2022 | 3:35 PM

Veterans, friends, and family were among those who gathered at Kinsmen Park in Prince Albert Saturday afternoon for the third Walk for Veterans.

The walk was its first in-person event after going virtual for the past two years.

Compared to the last couple of walks, this walk was a bit more somber as those in attendance paid their respects to fallen veteran Earl Burns, who was killed in the James Smith Cree Nation attacks earlier this month.

Prince Albert’s Dean Blanchard praised Earl’s actions for what he did that night, saying that he died doing what he was born to do.

“Earl had the warrior’s spirit from a young age, he was born with it,” he said as tears filled his eyes. “Earl had that spirit and he carried it, he carried that spirit until the day he died. But as a warrior, I’m proud of him and he died a warrior’s death.”

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Some of Burns’ family was also in attendance, including his sister Virginia.

Dean, along with the other veterans, shared memories that they had of Burns and had a good couple of laughs in the process.

Member of the River Valley Resilience Retreat Michelle McKeaveney said that this walk is important in highlighting that veterans aren’t just people who served in war.

“A lot of veterans are working as first responders in different demographics in our communities,” she said. “They don’t usually volunteer that they’re a veteran first. So, they go on to do civic jobs and public safety jobs and often the whole veteran part of their life is a sidebar to the new stud they’re accumulating.”

The event was one of 11 walks that took place nationwide with this one being the only one in Saskatchewan. The walk started at 1pm and attendees did a Memorial Lap in honour of the Burns Family and all veterans.

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logan.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @lloganlehmann