MPs approve state funeral for last WWI vet

The House of Commons has voted unanimously in favour of having a state funeralwhen the last Canadian veteran of the First World War dies.

The motion, introduced by the NDP, asked the government to honour all who served in the First World War by sponsoring a state funeral.

Of the 619,636 Canadians who served between 1914 and 1918, only three are still alive: Percy Wilson, 105, and Lloyd Clemett and John Babcock, both 106.

A state funeralis one of the highest honours a country can bestow on a person, but they're traditionally reserved for prime ministers and governors general.

The motionwas prompted by an online petition launched by theDominion Institute, a national organizationthat promotes Canadian history.

"We want to thank the tens of thousands of Canadians who signed our petition in support of state funeral,"Rudyard Griffiths, the director of the Dominion Institute, said in a statement.

"By passing a motion to offer a full state funeral today the Parliamentof Canadawill allow a grateful nation to pay proper tribute to our last Great War veteran on his passing and honour the over 600,000Canadians he served with under arms from 1914-1918."

The Institute said that since Nov. 6, around 100,000 Canadians had signed the petition.