Funeral held for Canadian soldier killed in Bulgarian skydiving exercise

GATINEAU, Que. – Soldiers, friends and family are attending a military funeral in Gatineau, Que., for a Canadian soldier who died in a parachute training exercise in Bulgaria.

Bombardier Patrick Labrie, a six-year veteran of the Canadian Forces based out of CFB Petawawa, died from injuries sustained while parachuting near a southern Bulgarian village last month.

Military police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Labrie, who was originally from Buckingham, Que.

The military said in a release Friday there would be a ceremonial gun salute at 12:30 p.m., with 36 blank rounds fired by 12 soldiers "as a mark of respect for their brother in arms."

Streets were closed from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday in the Buckingham area while a military procession ran from a local legion branch to the St. Gregory of Nazianze parish.

Officials say Labrie was performing a low-altitude night jump from a Canadian military aircraft during a multinational training exercise on June 17.