REMEMBRANCE DAY
Remembrance Day is the time when we pay homage to the men and women who served their country and fought valiantly for the freedom we enjoy today. On November 11th, Canadians in every part of the country will pause and observe two minutes of silence as we honour those men and women who lost their lives fighting for their country. Other countries will also hold ceremonies in memory of their veterans. This is also a time to remember the men, women and children who performed various services to support their country's war efforts.
Every year thousand of Canadians attend Remembrance Day Ceremonies. Many of those attending remember a brother, a sister, a cousin, a father or grandfather, a friend or comrade. These people along with various dignitaries place wreaths around memorials built in honour of our veterans. The true meaning of Remembrance Day is brought to light as you watch these people laying the wreaths in memory of a loved one. Many never had the opportunity of meeting this person but their memory lives on as parents and grandparents tell these children stories about their grandfather, great-grandfather or other relative. These stories continue to be told from generation to generation and the memory lives forever.
Remembrance Day is a time when memories come flashing back for our veterans. Many of our veterans still remember the horrors they lived through. They remember friends who lost their lives and this day is shrouded in sadness as they once again honour and say good-bye to brave comrades as they did so long ago. It is also a day for our veterans to stand tall and proud. They fought valiantly and Canadians became known as a tough regiment to defeat and one, which was highly skilled. As Canadians we should definitely show appreciation towards our veterans whose bravery and skill was a major asset in establishing Canada as a country of the world.
This is also a time to recall why Canada and other countries of the British Commonwealth fought so valiantly during this century. Let us not forget our neighbours to the south, the United States of America. Their veterans fought side by side with many of regiments. These nations joined forces fighting together as one, not as separate countries. No matter which nation they belonged to they were all brothers, sisters and comrades joined together in combat, fighting for the same cause, Freedom.
It is due to the bravery of these veterans that we have the privilege of living in a country where we are free to live as individuals. We have the options of electing our parliamentary officials and can let the government know if we are displeased with their actions without fear of reprisals. We can and do demand better working conditions, health care, educational services and fair rates of pay. We can relax and enjoy the beauty of our nation, travelling freely throughout the continent. It is our veterans we have to thank for this. It is due to past sacrifices these men and women made serving our country and those who continue to do so still that we can and do enjoy this Freedom.
Each individual Canadian has an obligation to ensure that these brave men and women are never forgotten. It is our responsibility to keep alive the memories of these courageous people, their sacrifices, and the love they had for their nation. We must remember always those who fought so courageously, those who lost their life, the grief and pain of families who lost a loved one and how lives were changed. We must impress upon each new generation to show gratitude for their freedom which was hard won by these outstanding Canadians from their past. Our children must be taught at home and in school about Canada's role in the various wars and peacekeeping missions. They have to learn about our veterans and how they played a role in making Canada what it is today. We as parents, grandparents, teachers and leaders have to take the initiative to insure our children and our children's children remember the sacrifices these great and noble Canadians made for future generations. We must ensure that ceremonies and memorial services continue to be held yearly from generation to generation for all time. In doing this, we can be assured that our veterans will be remembered always and given the respect due to them.
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