As with all things in 2020, Remembrance Day will look and feel much different.
The Royal Canadian Legion has taken the unprecedented step of urging Canadians to stay away from in person Remembrance Day services. Many of our local communities are taking their ceremonies online.
There will be no military parades and no large public gatherings at cenotaphs, to mark the sacrifices and contributions of the more than 2.3 million Canadians who have served our country during times of war, conflict and peace, including the more than 118,000 who have paid the ultimate price.
In this extraordinary and challenging 2020, which marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, there are many ways to commemorate this Remembrance Day.
Of course, the most obvious is to proudly wear a poppy on your lapel. Poppy’s raise about $20 million each year for veterans programs across Canada.
You can also check out virtual exhibits at the Canadian War Museum, or take a virtual tour of Canada’s war memorials in France, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial.
You can watch a service on TV or online, including Canada’s ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
If you’re in Hamilton on November 11 at 11:00 a.m., you can step outside to watch the historic Lancaster warplane fly over the city’s cenotaphs to commemorate the day.
And you can pay your respects with two minutes of silence at that time, no matter where you are.
We owe so much to those who have served Canada, and protected our way of life for more than 100 years.. Let’s continue to stand together, to stand united.
With gratitude,
Brad Park
President and CEO
