November 11, 2013 will mark the 92^nd year that Canadians wear poppies in remembrance of those we’ve lost in battle since WWI. Of course Canadians were killed on battle fields before then, and we should honour them as well when we pause for a moment on the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month. To learn a little more about the significance of Remembrance Day in Canada, and how the poppy came to be, check out this Infographic: A Symbol of Remembrance.
Is Remembrance day still important?
I suppose for many Remembrance Day is a ritual for old people. After all, it’s been almost 70 years since WWII ended, and any conflict that involved Canadians since then has been tiny by comparison. For example, 1,101,271 Canadians served in WWII, with 45,631 never to return home. By comparison, there are 39,558 Canadian Afghan war veterans (defined by having spent at least 30 days in-country), and 158 Canadian soldiers were killed. But the fact that the Afghan conflict required, and took less of our soldiers doesn’t diminish the significance of their service, and the sacrifices they made when their country called on them. So it is very important that we continue to remember those who have laid down their lives as Canadian service men and women – both in the past, and more recently.
Don’t stop remembering after 11/11.
After November 11 the Remembrance Day commercials stop playing, we put away the poppies for another year and go about our business. Maybe we should rethink that routine. Maybe Remembrance Day shouldn’t just be about honouring the soldiers we’ve lost in battle. Maybe we should also start including the ones we nearly lost. Afterall, there are over 4,000 Canadian Afghan war veterans receiving disability benefits as a direct result of their service in Afghanistan. But don’t let the benefits fool you, our war wounded still need our support. Read Rick Mercer’s latest Rant (Rick Mercer Report, CBC), A Broken Faith and you’ll find an example of why it’s critical for Canadians to not only remember our veterans, but to return the favour and fight for them.
To learn more about the important contributions made by Canadian servicemen and women, visit: legion.ca, warmuseum.ca, forces.gc.ca.
Posted by: Jason