B.C. victim of Wainwright fire was everybody's best friend, says rugby coach
The former rugby coach for Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, one of four soldiers who died in a fire at CFB Wainwright on Saturday, says all of the teenager's team and his schoolmates thought of him as their best friend.
Trevor Plater, who coached Lykkemark in his senior year at Langley Secondary School in Langley, B.C., says Lykkemark was "always looking out for everybody."
Canada's military says officials were aware of a wildfire in the area but didn't consider it a threat before a violent windstorm blew in, killing four and sending scores of soldiers to hospital with bad burns.
Pte. Aidan Goulding of North Vancouver, Sgt. Morgan Wong of Edmonton and Pte. Shaun Farrell of Prince Albert, Sask. also died in the fire.
Plater says Lykkemark, who was 19, was particularly close to former teammate Kane Lewis who has set up an online fundraiser for his friend’s family.
Lewis says in a statement on the donation page, which has raised more than $20,000, that he and Lykkemark joined the army at the same time, and were in the same platoon for basic training.
“That’s where he became more than just a friend; he became a brother. He was always looking out for everyone and always kept himself in check,” Lewis' statement says.
The Langley Rugby Club says in an online statement that Lykkemark was a dedicated student, athlete and friend who made a positive impact on people around him.
“Hayden’s legacy of service, friendship, and compassion will not be forgotten,” it says.
The victims of the fire served in the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based at Edmonton
Plater says in an interview on Monday that Lykkemark "wasn't afraid to make tackles or get in or do his part."
"He wasn't necessarily somebody who talked a lot but he had a big impact when he did and he was always listening and paying attention,” he says.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.
By Nono Shen | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Ministers tout Indigenous policing investment
While no new money was announced for Indigenous policing on Friday, federal and provincial public safety ministers held a press conference in Brandon to announce $163.5 million in past funding commitments.
Speaking at the Waywayseecappo Conference Centre, federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the combined funding from the two governments is aiding the expansion and effectiveness of Indigenous-led policing efforts.
“I’m happy to announce that our governments today, Canada and Manitoba, are jointly supporting two major investments in First Nations policing and community safety here in the province under the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program,” Anandasangaree said. “This money will strengthen its capacity to deliver First Nations-led, culturally informed policing to the 12 First Nations communities that it currently serves.”
The funding includes $121 million for the Manitoba First Nations Police Service from 2023-27 and $42.5 million to expand the Manitoba First Nation Safety Officer Program from 2025-28.
Anandasangaree said the funding will help expand the safety officer program to all 63 First Nations in Manitoba by 2028.
“First Nations safety officers play a key role in the provincial public safety strategy, complementing and at times augmenting the role of the RCMP,” Anandasangaree said. “We will also provide improved training, equipment, communication tools and more equitable resources that are distributed across communities in Manitoba.”
MFNPS Chief Jason Colon, who attended the press conference, said the funding has allowed the service to dedicate officers for in-house training and purchase equipment such as body cameras, vehicle cameras and surveillance cameras at detachments.
The funding has also enabled the MFNPS to expand into two new communities in recent years — Fisher River Cree Nation and Gambler First Nation.
The police service is currently trying to secure funding for a Crime Reduction and Enforcement Unit, which targets crimes related to gangs, drugs and firearms, he said.
“We’re hoping in the next few years to have this position, this unit funded as full-time.”
Colon said the expansion of policing capacity in rural First Nations during the past few years has benefited people outside those communities as well, enhancing overall law-enforcement presence across the province.
He also noted the MFNPS works closely with the Winnipeg Police Service and the Brandon Police Service.
“Crime doesn’t really look at borders,” he said. “People from outside our communities are transporting substances, and by us having the resources to deal with those things, it supports the surrounding communities as well.”
Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe echoed those comments.
“There’s definitely a community focus to the work that’s happening with the FNSOs, with First Nations police,” he said at the press conference. “But I want to be clear: the work that they do is not simply focused on their own communities.”
He pointed to a case where First Nation safety officers in Bunibonibee Cree Nation identified drugs that were being brought into the community, leading to a deeper investigation by RCMP, which carried out arrests across the province.
“It’s an example of how public safety in one community impacts other communities,” Wiebe said.
“I think that there’s an element here where First Nations police are doing work that is complementing and adding to the work that’s happening with the RCMP and at the community level with the FNSO.”
Copyright 2026, Brandon Sun. All rights reserved.
Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brandon Sun.
This massive Ontario house for sale has over 20 rooms and an indoor pool for under $800K
You won't need to fight over the bathroom in this home.
This Ontario house for sale proves you don't necessarily need to sacrifice space to stick to a budget.
The massive home boasts more than 20 rooms and even comes with an indoor pool, all for just under $800,000.
Located in Quinte West, the seven-bedroom, four-bathroom estate sits on a one-third-acre lot in what the listing calls "one of the Quinte area's most exclusive cul-de-sacs."

Spanning between 3,500 and 5,000 square feet, the home has 22 listed rooms in total, offering lots of space to entertain, unwind, and even take a dip without stepping outside.
The home features a stone-and-brick exterior, while the surrounding landscaping adds an extra layer of privacy.

Inside, you'll find spacious principal rooms, hardwood flooring, fireplaces, and numerous formal and informal living areas for entertaining, relaxing, and more.
One of the main attractions is the full-sized indoor pool, with sliding doors that lead to the yard.

The eat-in kitchen overlooks the pool, so you can keep an eye on the fun while you cook.
The upstairs features five bedrooms and two bathrooms, including a large primary suite with a private office, second-floor terrace, spacious walk-in closet, and sprawling ensuite.

The fully finished lower level features two additional bedrooms, a large recreation room, and a recently renovated bathroom.
According to the listing, the home has a "scale and layout that is exceptionally difficult to recreate today" and is "ideally suited for large or multi-generational families seeking space, privacy, and a truly distinctive property."
If you've been dreaming of a home with room for the whole family, plenty of privacy, and a pool you can enjoy without going outside, this Quinte West property might just be worth a closer look.
House with indoor pool for sale
Bright hallway with wooden railing and multiple doorways.
Asking Price: $799,900
Address: 17 Applewood Court, Quinte West, ON
