Wood pellet exports double
Nearly $500K for car crash
Mounties won't be charged
Minister defends right to bail
Vise grips as steering wheel
$36M for vaccine injury 
New US rules for airlines 
Historic Trump hearing 
Pig kidney transplant 
Big loss for Boeing 
Metro sales edged higher
Retail sales slip 
Warriors snakebitten in loss
Iginla off to Europe
Rockets ink prospect
Perry teams with Lu Kala
Megan denies harassment
Swift ‘one of the family’
Kelowna 4:00am - 18,314 views
Kelowna Apr 23 - 40,540 views
Kelowna's Mayor Colin Basran says he'll never forget his trip to Veendam.
Basran is part of a delegation of 40 locals attending ceremonies in Kelowna's sister city to mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Holland by Canadian soldiers during the Second World War.
Three Kelowna veterans of the campaign were joined by family members, officials, students from KLO Middle School and others. It's likely the last time any of the elderly vets will make it back to the Netherlands.
"The entire ceremony today was absolutely incredible," Basran said from Europe.
"The number of residents who came out to take part was a nice surprise."
Basran got to be a part of the Dutch Remembrance Day ceremonies when he read out the names of some British Soldiers who fought there.
"One memory I will take away with me forever is just how emotional the veterans get. One of our vets, Martin Cole, is in his early 90s, and the ceremony really got to him," said Basran.
"It makes you realize that no amount of time can erase the scars that war leaves on you."
Nine current members of the B.C. Dragoons joined the group at today's remembrance ceremony.
"They do things a little differently here," said Basran. "Today is Remembrance Day, and tomorrow is Liberation Day, which is more of a celebration."
The Kelowna contingent will attend the festivities and visit the Canadian Liberation Forest in Groningen, which was planted with Canadian trees to honour our nation's sacrifice in freeing Holland.
On Monday, they also visited a former Nazi concentration camp, and Basran said the veterans was approached by many Dutch residents, asking to have their photo taken with them.
"Parents especially wanted to show their children that these were their liberators," said Basran.
"Everyone was asking: Are you from Canada? Are you from Kelowna?"
Everyone there is so aware of the impact our veterans had on their community. It was very impactful."
The delegation will attend a goodbye dinner Tuesday night before returning to Canada.
