What is Remembrance Day?

Remembrance Day is today, November 11th.

On the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, Canadians will stop what they are doing and partake in two minutes of silence to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Having a moment of silence on this particular day is not a trifle decision. It marks a very important day in Canadian history: November 11th, 1918, when "the Armistice was signed and the Canadians took part in the triumphant entry into Mons, Belgium," marking the end of World War I (veterans.gc.ca). 

Remembrance Day does not only commemorate World War I; it commemorates all wars, big and small, all veterans, past and present, and all Canadians who have been affected by war in any way. It is so important to remember the sacrifice of those who have gone before us to fight for our freedom so that Canada could remain the "truth north, strong and free." Our freedom has never been guaranteed--it has had to be fought for and protected. 

For some of us, the reality of war seems distant. We may know someone who is currently training to be in the Canadian armed forces. We may have stumbled across an old box of letters and medals in our grandparents attic. We may have seen a movie or walked through a museum featuring one of the wars. But we need only to look at places such as Crescent Heights High School to see that War is not distant for everyone. During WW2, CHHS built a gun range in the basement so that students could take marksmanship as an elective in preparation of going off to fight in the war as soon as they graduated. For those students, War was right across the Atlantic.

So what does remembering on Remembrance Day mean? Veterans.gc.ca summarizes it beautifully:

For those who lived through these wars, remembering means thinking of comrades. It evokes memories of men and women who never returned home. Those born after the wars might picture the youthful soldiers who eagerly joined up from high schools, businesses and farms across the country, only to meet death while fighting against the enemy. They may imagine the anguish of a man leaving a new wife, a young family, an elderly mother. The important thing for all of us to remember is that they fought to preserve a way of life, Canadian values, and the freedom we enjoy today and often take for granted. Remember that the silence is to honor their sacrifice and memory.

All of us at Team Ken Richter would like to extend our sincerest thanks and appreciation to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of Canada. 

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Posted by Ken Richter on

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