Above image: Labrie Family group photo during the naming of Camp Labrie ceremony in Ceri, Latvia, on 01 July 2025. Left to Right: Sergeant Nicolas Pinard, Corporal Benoit Hebert, Spouse, Mister Marc Andre Beaudin, Miss Veronique Labrie, Corporal Stephane Foucher, Miss Julie Rivard, Spouse, Mikeal Belanger, Sergeant Johnny Cadieux, Master Bombardier Kevin St-Onge. Photo: Corporal Michael Vandenbroek, Canadian Armed Forces Imagery Technician, left. Bombardier Patrick Labrie, Image courtesy of Canadian Armed Forces.
A Canadian camp in Latvia was officially named after Bombardier Patrick Labrie this summer to honour the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member’s service and sacrifice.
A ceremony was held in Ceri, Latvia, the location of the camp, in July to honour Bombardier Labrie and name the camp.
“Naming Canadian camps on operations after members of the CAF who have passed away while serving is a longstanding tradition, such as in Afghanistan with Camp Smith, which was named after Private Nathan Smith, who was killed in a friendly fire incident in Afghanistan on the night of 17 April 2002. It is a way to commemorate and honour our fallen,” said Captain. Wyatt Shorter, Exped Public Affairs, Canadian Joint Operations Command.
The ceremony was attended by approximately fifty people, including Julie Rivard, Bombardier Labrie’s mother; Veronique Labrie, his sister, and Marc Andre Beaudin, his cousin.
Other attendees included the Latvian State Secretary, Aivars Purins, Major General Kaspars Pudans, Latvian Chief of Defence Staff, Canadian Ambassador to Latvia Brian Szwarc, Canadian Defence Attaché Col. Philippe Sauve, Commander Task Force Latvia, Col. Jim Smith, and additional friends and colleagues, including Artillery soldiers from Bdr Labrie’s Regiment.
A Life of Service
Bombardier Labrie lost his life on June 17, 2019, during a multinational training exercise in Cheshneigirovo, Bulgaria.
He succumbed to injuries sustained during a parachute training accident that was part of Exercise SWIFT RESPONSE 19.
“The Compound was named after Bombardier Patrick Labrie to honour his life and his family’s sacrifice and loss. Patrick had a strong connection to the mission in Latvia, having previously deployed in 2018 as part of the Canadian-led multinational NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group,” noted Shorter.
Labrie was brought back to Canada days later with a dignified transfer of remains ceremony that took place at MacDonald-Cartier International Airport.
Bombardier Labrie, originally from Buckingham, Quebec, enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in August 2013 as an artillery soldier and served the majority of his service with the 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, based in Petawawa, Ontario.
Camp Usage
Camp Labrie will cover approximately 178,000 square metres and consists of offices, workshops and maintenance facilities. It also includes a gym, accommodations and other services, according to the military.
Canadian soldiers are deployed to Latvia under Operation REASSURANCE, Canada’s largest overseas mission. The operation is Canada’s contribution to NATO’s deterrence and defence measures in Central and Eastern Europe.
Currently, the CAF has deployed approximately 1,600 members in Latvia, including the NATO Multinational Brigade – Latvia (MNB-LVA), Task Force Latvia (TFL), as well as personnel at NATO’s Multinational Division – North (MND-N) Headquarters.
