Ontario is marking National Peacekeepers’ Day by paying tribute to community safety professionals, including police officers and correctional services staff, who have engaged in peacekeeping missions.

Civilian peace officers are essential to maintain order in troubled regions alongside traditional military peacekeepers. The professionalism of Ontario’s community safety personnel makes them ideal candidates to help keep the peace in volatile situations and participate in restoring stability.

August 9 was chosen as National Peacekeepers’ Day to honour nine Canadian peacekeepers who died on that date in 1974, when their aircraft was downed by three surface-to-air missiles over Syria.

• More than 400 community safety professionals including Ontario Provincial Police and local police officers, and correctional services staff have participated in peacekeeping missions in the last 10 years.
• At present there are 215 Canadian police officers participating in international policing missions including Ontario officers deployed in the Sudan, Haiti and the Hague, where they are providing assistance to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

• Read more about Canadian peacekeepers
• Read more about the United Nations Police.