Alberta students to lower flags as troops leave Afghanistan

Ceremonies are being planned across the province to mark the end of Canada’s military presence in Afghanistan.

Flags will be lowered across Alberta on Mar. 12 — the same day that the Canadian flag is taken down in Kabul.

Many schools in the province will also be lowering the Canadian flag that day as part of an effort to teach schoolchildren about Canada’s role in that war.

Lt-.-Col. Scott Long completed two tours in Afghanistan. He says educating students about Canada’s military involvement in Afghanistan will help them understand the sacrifices made by people in the armed forces.

“It connects them to what Canadians do abroad for Canadians. And it enables us, I think, to teach them what happened over in Afghanistan during the twelve years and lets them draw their own conclusions,” said Long.

Education Minister Jeff Johnson says it's important that children learn about the Afghan mission.

"We want activities and ceremonies in the schools, we want the schools to invite the community in to be a part of that, and we're going to provide resources for teachers and schools so that they can have those things to build lesson plans and build activities and be teaching kids about the [impact] of this day."

Brooke and Elizabeth Bulger will be lowering the flag at Guthrie School in north Edmonton. Their father Nick Bulger was killed in 2009 by a roadside bomb in Kandahar.

Nine-year-old Brooke said the ceremony will give her a chance to remember her father.

Of the 162 Canadians who died in Afghanistan, 46 were either from Alberta or posted here.