Dozens of Mounties dressed in red tunics and Stetsons marched under blue skies on Saturday to honour an RCMP officer they remembered as a "gentle giant'' and dedicated family man.
Officers from other police forces and first responders also joined the procession, which wound its way to a hangar on a military base southeast of Montreal where a funeral began for Richer Dubuc, who died March 6 in Lacolle, near the U.S.-Canada border.
The married father of four died from injuries after a crash between his RCMP vehicle and a farm tractor March 6th.
RCMP Const. Erique Gasse said the 6-foot-5 Dubuc was known for his kindness.
"He was an ex-fireman, ex-paramedic who was always first on the line to help people, and he was a very kind guy, a family oriented guy,'' Gasse said.
Gasse said the RCMP was grateful for the presence of hundreds of uniformed police officers and emergency first responders from across Canada.
"The RCMP, we have a very big 'esprit de corps,' and its very important for us to see other police forces coming shoulder to shoulder with us,'' Gasse said.
A native of Joliette, Dubuc began his career with the Codiac Detachment in New Brunswick in November, 2009.
He joined the Integrated Border Enforcement Team based in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., in January.
Prior to becoming a member of the RCMP, Dubuc was a paramedic and served as an emergency medical technician with the tactical and emergency response units in the province.