Saskatchewan marks National Day of Honour

People from across Saskatchewan gathered today as part of the National Day of Honour to pay tribute to the sacrifices soldiers made during Canada's military mission in Afghanistan.

Several events took place in the province to mark the end of the 12-year military mission, including ceremonies at 15 Wing Moose Jaw,17 Wing DetachmentDundurn and outside Saskatoon City Hall.

People gathered to honour the 40,000 who fought and the 158 who died overseas. There were 17 soldiers and civilians with ties to the province who died overseas in Afghanistan.

In Dundurn, it was a sombre day. The dozens of soldiers on handremembered those who didn't make it home.

"It's really important for me to remember the fallen,"Master Cpl. David Turcotte said. "In my case, I have two friends who passed away in the previous rotations. So, that's a really good thing for the government to do."

The day-long commemoration began with a closed-door breakfast in Ottawa with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He did not give a speech to the families gathered, though he did speak with them privately and posed for photos.

A national ceremony on Parliament Hill followed the breakfast.