On November 5, 2026, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service community gathered at Beechwood Cemetery for its fifth annual Remembrance Week ceremony. Held at Sir William Stephenson Square within the CSIS National Memorial Cemetery, the ceremony honoured those who have served Canada, those who continue to serve, and the families who support them.
The gathering brought together members of the intelligence community, veterans, government representatives and allied partners. Through music, readings, silence and the laying of wreaths, participants reaffirmed a shared responsibility to remember the people behind Canada’s history of service.
Don Mahar, Chair of the CSIS National Memorial Cemetery Committee, led the ceremony with support from Ralph Mahar and Jeff Yaworski of the Pillar Society, the alumni association representing former members of the RCMP Security Service and CSIS.
Among those attending were CSIS Director Dan Rogers, Public Safety Canada Deputy Minister Tricia Geddes, and members of the CSIS executive. Representatives from the Communications Security Establishment, veterans’ associations and allied nations also joined the observance.
The setting carried particular significance. Inaugurated in July 2026, Sir William Stephenson Square provides a place to reflect on Canada’s intelligence history and the contributions of those whose work often takes place beyond public view. Within the CSIS National Memorial Cemetery, that service has a permanent place of recognition.
The combined Canadian Military Wives Choir of Ottawa and Uplands opened the ceremony with O Canada and offered songs of remembrance throughout the program. Bugler Charles Armstrong and piper John Virag, both of the RCMP Pipes and Drums, supported the traditional observance with the Last Post, Lament and Rouse.
During the two minutes of silence, those gathered paused to remember lives lost, sacrifices made and the lasting impact of service on individuals and families. Bilingual readings of the Act of Remembrance and In Flanders Fields reinforced the commitment to carry those memories forward.
In her remarks, Cherie Henderson reflected on the many forms of Canadian service, from military operations overseas to the quiet work of intelligence personnel. She also recognized the visible and invisible injuries that can endure long after service ends, and the families who continue to provide care and support.
Her message connected remembrance with the responsibilities of the present: protecting democratic values, supporting one another and passing the stories of service to future generations.
Wreaths were laid on behalf of Canada, CSIS, the Communications Security Establishment, veterans, allied partners, the Merchant Navy Commemorative Theme Project, the Pillar Society and the Beechwood Cemetery Foundation. Each wreath represented a shared commitment to honouring service across organizations, generations and borders.
CSIS Remembrance Ceremony
At Beechwood, remembrance continues throughout the year. The CSIS National Memorial Cemetery offers families, colleagues and visitors a place to gather, reflect and preserve the legacy of those who helped protect Canada.
As Remembrance Day approaches, this ceremony reminds us that every story of service deserves to be carried forward. Some are widely known. Others remain largely untold. All form part of the responsibility we share to remember.
We will remember them.
*Photo Credit: Richard Lawrence Photography.
