By Canadian Press

Funeral Saturday for Canadian soldier killed in Bulgarian skydiving exercise

Jul 5, 2019 | 10:00 AM

GATINEAU, Que. — A military funeral will be held Saturday for a Canadian soldier killed in a parachute-training exercise in Bulgaria.

Bombardier Patrick Labrie, a six-year veteran of the Canadian Forces based out of CFB Petawawa, died from injuries sustained while parachuting near the Bulgarian village of Cheshnegirovo last month.

Military police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Labrie, originally from Buckingham, Que.

Roads will be shut Saturday morning in Buckingham as a military procession runs from a local legion branch to Saint-Gregoire-de-Nazianze parish.

The military said in a release Friday there will be a ceremonial gun salute, with 36 blank rounds fired by 12 soldiers “as a mark of respect for their brother in arms.”

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It says the family has requested privacy, and Labrie’s funeral will not be open to the public or media.

Previously, his grieving parents asked for a thorough investigation to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.

“Our life has been torn apart. Patrick was a ray of sunshine in our life. He loved everyone and he was loved by everyone,” his mother, Julie Rivard, said in June.

“We sincerely hope the investigation will be thorough in order to ensure this situation does not happen to another young soldier.”

Labrie was one of about 100 Canadians participating in a U.S.-led training exercise in Bulgaria called Swift Response when he died.

Officials have said he was conducting a low-level jump at night, and that he had jumped from a Canadian military plane and was using Canadian equipment.

The Canadian Press