Ottawa/CMEDIA: Veterans, military personnel and reportedly their supporters are gathering in thousands at Canada’s National War Memorial in Ottawa to mark Remembrance Day and remember those who fought and died while protecting this country and its freedoms.
The crowd size remained unaffected either by today’s grey and gloomy weather conditions or the threat of rain as many Canadians, some from points faraway, were present in the nation’s capital to honour 118,000 Canadians who have been killed in service to this country in defence of Canada in times of war and peace.
“Canadians now observe two minutes of silence…for all those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving across our country’s history…remember the physical, mental and moral scars left on those who fought to defend democracy and freedom…honour their contributions that helped build the country we love today…recognize the sacrifices of those behind the lines; the families who never again saw their spouses, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers…honour those who have worn the uniform proudly…This Remembrance Day, we take time to honour the fallen, Canada’s Veterans…at home and around the world, as well as their families and their loved ones…“Lest we forget,” Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence and others said in a statement.
“Today, we honour the Canadians who have served and defended our country…share their stories of undaunted bravery…“For generations, Canadians have answered the call of duty…Some returned home from the battlefield never truly the same. Others never returned at all…When the country takes a moment to pause at 11:00 a.m., proudly wearing poppies over our hearts – we remember…We stand today, free and at peace, because of them…“Lest we forget,” Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau said in a statement.
“On this day of remembrance, I ask everyone in Ontario to join me in paying tribute to the Canadian heroes…honour the brave women and men…and remember those who gave their lives to keep us safe…As we wear our poppies and lay our wreaths, let’s honour the heroes who have served and continue to serve our nation,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement.
The ceremony comes at an uncertain time for the world with conflict still raging in Ukraine as Russia continues to batter its neighbour with drones, missiles and bombs.
As part of Operation Reassurance, approximately1,900 Canadian forces, Canada’s largest international military operation, are deployed in Latvia to train Ukrainian soldiers.
The Middle East is fluctuating on the edge of a wider conflict as Israel fights Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
With a plan to ramp up military spending to finally meet NATO’s spending target of two per cent of GDP on defence by 2032, the Canadian government is also pushing ahead, while U.S. president-elect Donald Trump also has been pushing for allies to spend more and faster.
It’s in that context that Gen. Jennie Carignan, the chief of the defence staff (CDS), called on more Canadians to sign up to serve in the Armed Forces. “It’s very, very important that we recruit volunteers,” she said in an interview on the sidelines of the service. “That’s priority number one for us.”
This year marks historical milestones of important anniversaries for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) as it marks the 80th anniversary of Canadians landing at Juno Beach on D-Day in 1944 to take on the Nazis in the largest seaborne invasion in history.
As a pivotal turning point in the Second World War, Canadian sailors, soldiers and airmen played a critical role in the Battle of Normandy and the campaign to liberate Western Europe from Adolf Hitler’s forces. It came at a huge cost with more than 18,700 Canadian casualties.
Out of the more than one million Canadians deployed as part of those conflicts, according to Veterans Affairs Canada estimates, there are approximately 7,300 Canadian veterans of the Second World War and Korean War still alive today.
It’s also been 10 years since the end of the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, a conflict that saw some 40,000 Armed Forces personnel take part in an international coalition to destroy the al-Qaeda terrorist network and the Taliban regime.
165 Canadians, 158 soldiers and 7 civilians were killed in the war while many others came home with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a gruelling campaign against Islamic fundamentalists.
This year’s National Silver Cross Mother, Maureen Anderson of Oromocto, N.B., lost both her sons after their service in Afghanistan. She laid a wreath on behalf of all Canadian families who have lost a child in military service.
It’s also the 60th anniversary of the start of Canada’s peacekeeping mission in Cyprus when thousands were on hand to tamp down a crisis in the Mediterranean.
Today’s ceremony also paid tribute to the 4,385 Canadian forces personnel who are currently deployed.
