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Family members were overcome with emotion as
the body of Cpl. Joshua Caleb Baker returned to Canadian soil during a
repatriation ceremony at CFB Trenton Monday afternoon.
“My son, my son!” Baker’s grieving mother Janet said as she reached out toward
his flag-covered casket.
Baker, 24, was a member of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment from Edmonton, AB, and
was serving with the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team when he was killed
during a training exercise Friday. Four other soldiers were injured in the
exercise, which the military says it will investigate.
Baker’s family was joined by Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Gen. Walter
Natynczyk as they watched the casket of the fallen soldier as it was carried out
of a C-17 Globemaster. As well, Canadians lined the bridges and overpasses along
the 401 as Baker’s body was taken to Toronto.
In a statement on her website, Governor General Michaelle Jean said Baker was a
brave soldier. “Corporal Baker served bravely and generously to support Afghans’
hopes for security, justice and a better life. He merits our wholehearted
admiration,” she said, adding for those soldiers that were injured, “We also
offer our wishes for a speedy recovery.”
In a statement, Baker’s family said he was a “softspoken man with a great sense
of humour who loved his family above all things.”
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