OTTAWA— Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scrapping plans to attend an APEC meeting in China to be at a Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.

Harper’s office confirmed on Monday, that he will remain in the nation’s capital on Nov. 11 to attend the annual commemoration at the National War Memorial.

He had been scheduled to join other leaders at a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum on Nov. 10-11 in Beijing, China. From there he was slated to travel to Australia for a meeting of G20 leaders.

But the travel plan was scrapped following the murder of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo last Wednesday, as he stood sentry duty at the war memorial. His attacker later stormed Parliament Hill, where he was shot and killed by security staff and police officers.

Since the slaying, hundreds of people have flocked to the war memorial to honour Cirillo, who will be laid to rest in Hamilton on Tuesday. The war memorial is encircled with flowers and other tributes left by well-wishers.

The Royal Canadian Legion, which organizes the Nov. 11 ceremony at the memorial, expects large crowds of Canadians to attend the event for the fallen soldier and commemoration of past sacrifices.

The prime minister’s office said that the rest of Harper’s travel agenda will be sorted out in the coming days.

Read more about: