Topic: Remembrance Day => Veterans Day?

[ArmyVern]

For all those who believe that making the 11th of Novemeber a stat holiday will lead to no-one showing up for Parade, I simply have to respectfully disagree.

Last year on Nov 11th I had the hounour of being appointed as the Vigil Party Commander. I can tell you that there were literally hundreds of people viewing the Ceremonies from my vantage point. Small town New Brunswick. I stood there and cried. New Brunswick, where this day is already a "Holiday" it is treated first and foremost as a Day of Remembrance.

Usually however, I request permission to parade with my Cub Scout pack, prior to that my Beaver Colony. I still wear my uniform.

I have talked in schools in Ontario during my postings there and I have talked in schools in New Brunswick on Nov 10th when the schools had their Ceremonies. In New Brunswick, despite the fact that the kids will be "off" on the 11th to attend parades, they still have in-school ceremonies on the 10th which are well attend by the students, their parents, serving soldiers making presentations and significantly by Veterans of our past wars.

If you don't think todays generation knows enough, you must also get out into your Communities to make them aware. Do your part and do what you can.

Perhaps, many of Canada's non-military connected population is indeed "forgetting", it has been a long time since they ahve had to experience "War" if indeed they have ever experienced it. In the past couple of years though, I have noticed a marked increase in the numbers of your average Canadian citizens out on Nov 11th at the Parades. The 20-30-40 year old generation, you know them, the ones who've not had to "live" through a "war." The 50+ generation is there, the youth is indeed there. Perhaps the others are now showing up because they are now seeing first hand through our mission in Afghanistan that, indeed, their right to stay home on Nov 11th, did come with a heavy price.

By the way, in Ontario, we wrote up a letter for all our Beavers and Cubs for them to take to school, letting their teachers know that they would be 'on parade' Nov 11th. The schools allowed them to attend, for the full day, and did not report them as "absent" for the day from school on their report cards.

I guess, it's up to us to make people aware of what this day is about. There are ways to do this.

[rmacqueen]

I have not been able to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony for about 5 years.  Why?  Because my employer would not allow me the time off and I know I am not alone in this.  Some point to Memorial Day in the US as an example of what might happen in Canada.  This also does not have to be the case as we could also point to Christmas and Canada day as how it could also be run.  There is nothing that says the government would have to allow stores to be open just because it is a holiday and if individual provinces try to pull that, well, there are elections to set them straight.

[MCG]

I'd compromise with settling for a morning  of statutory commemoration, ( I hate to apply the word "holiday" to this solemn occasion).  No business whatsoever before 1 p.m. with a complete shut-down of all but the most essential public safety services from 10:45 until 11:45.

I like something along these lines.  No stores open between 10:00 and 13:00 (lets the 24 hr establishments & breakfast restaurants know when to close their doors).  All other businesses must either give their employees the time off, or conduct their own ceremony (this would also apply to schools).

There is nothing that says the government would have to allow stores to be open just because it is a holiday

The West Edmonton Mall has Remembrance day hours.  Stores don't open until after lunch.  This should be required.

[Bruce Monkhouse]

MCG,
Those are very nice sen....whoa, did a pig just fly by?

Folks, I am sorry but we are collectively asking too much of the PRESENT Canadian populace.
 When many [most] parents are more concerned with little Jane/Johnny having the latest shoes/video/ better designer clothes than having appreciation for just how FRIGGIN' GOOD WE HAVE IT and what the cost of that was, well......

Keep them a 'captive' audience either in a school gymnasium or as a school trip to the local cenotaph works for me.

[MCG]

Keep them a 'captive' audience either in a school gymnasium or as a school trip to the local cenotaph works for me.

Bruce,
With what I've suggested still has the kids going to a gym ceremony.  However, the cubicle dwellers in downtown offices would also attend an office ceremony (or the office has to close for the morning).  University students would be free to attend ceremonies.  McDonald's and WalMart would be closed.

The rule is shut down for those three hours or conduct your own ceremony.

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Don't get me wrong, love the idea, but I also like the idea of me retiring to a tropical island full of subversive supermodels, however.......

[Beadwindow 7]

Don't get me wrong, love the idea, but I also like the idea of me retiring to a tropical island full of subversive supermodels, however.......

Hey it could happen. Or we could always try to find that bowling Mom/daughter combo 

I do like the idea of Rememberance day hours or require ceremonies, but you have to agree it's not something that is likely to happen.

Goes back to the same argument. "Oh, sweet, I don't need to be in the office till 1300, so I'll sleep in"

[rmacqueen]

I do like the idea of Rememberance day hours or require ceremonies, but you have to agree it's not something that is likely to happen.

Goes back to the same argument. "Oh, sweet, I don't need to be in the office till 1300, so I'll sleep in"

Sure there will be those that well do that but do we abandon the idea because of people who will view it as just another holiday or push it forward for the ones who would honour our fallen and the recognition of their importance by declaring a holiday.  If you follow this line of thinking then we should also get rid of Canada Day, Thankgiving, Easter, Labour Day and, at the rate it is going, Christmas.

[youravatar]

at the rate it is going, Christmas.

In my opinion Christmas is already gone. Happy Festivus.

[Canadian Persuasion]

SIGNED

[Beadwindow 7]

If you follow this line of thinking then we should also get rid of Canada Day, Thankgiving, Easter, Labour Day and, at the rate it is going, Christmas.

Fair enough. Of course, Rememberance day is more important to me than those. Except maybe Canada day.

For me, Nov 11 was ingrained into me. As a 5th Gen CF member, it's something not to be missed. Sadly, a lot of people don't see it the same way. Education is an important step toward changing that.

[rmacqueen]

Passed the 500 mark

[alfie]

Ties in with another post, how many of these so called peace activists even know what Remembrance Day is ?
Obviously not much as they start there parades on the grounds of the one of our monuments

[rmacqueen]

The petition is starting to get media coverage.  There is also a private members bill in front of parliament to have Remembrance Day declared a holiday.  If you haven't signed yet, go to http://www.petitiononline.com/nov11th/petition.html  and tell your friends.

[cobbler]

I actually don't think it should be a holiday.  Currently, downtown cores shut down for the parades on 11 November, and in many (most?) schools and offices, a moment of silence is observed at 1100hours. At the very least, this causes young students to recognize that "something" happened on 11 November that is meaningful, and they will remember the solemnity of the moment of silence.

 If 11 November becomes a national holiday, all that will end.  The children will be out playing at 1100hrs, and of course won't be bothered to pause and take note of what happened, so in one generation, we will have lost the habit of pausing at 11/11/11.  No one will be at work to peer out their windows at the veterans parade around the cenotaph in their city, or to actually leave their offices to attend the parade, as many do now.  No, 11 November will simply become another long weekend - another chance to have a BBQ or to maybe close the cottage or watch a football game.  The impact will be lost - most Canadians will simply take a day off work and not be bothered to remember or acknowledge why they get to go hunting on a Tuesday, or go shopping in the States for a long weekend in November.  The only people who will put any effort into the day, are us, of course.  But by providing people the opportunity to pause during their schoolday or workday to reflect on the occasion, we keep the memories alive.

In Australia, Rememberance day is not a national holiday, but 11AM is observed at schools, work, with buglers on every street corner in the city central Business District.


But ANZAC day (25 April) is a national holiday, but it isn't treated as a "day off", it is a day of rememberance and mourning of those who died, and thanksgiving to those who served.

Dawn ceremonies attract crowds in the tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands line city streets for veterans marches (televised live). Even the smallest of towns have ceremonies and dawn services that attract large attendences.

The young children get taught in school a few weeks out from the day about Australia's war history (in particular about Gallipoli), and then observe it with thier families.

Having the day off has not taken away from the focus of the significance of the war, quite the opposite. It serves as a means to keep every generation informed, aware, and thankful of those who have served and sacrificed for Australia.

Australia would honestly not be the same country without this day.


Yes a football match does take place (the traditional Anzac day clash between bitter rivals Collingwood and my beloved Essendon), but not in lieu of reflection, but as a form of it. Navy seahawks deliver the match balls, the RAAF conducts a flyover, a parade of ex-footballers who served takes place, the ADF provides a tri-service honour guard, then 95,000 people become absolutely silent for 1 minute, then the last post is played, and finally the national anthem is sung by some ADF muso's. Having that many people stay silent before 2 of the most bitter rivals in aussie sport do battle is a powerful moment, and nobody in the stadium takes it lightly.

[Black Watch]

signed

[Gunplumber]

Signed

[NFLD Sapper]

//Signed//

[Highland Laddie]

Signed.

[sdimock]

Signed, 663 so far.

[Infantry_]

signed!

[Argh to the Zee]

Signed.

I make a point to take time to remeber on Nov.11

I also try to take a moment to remeber our allies deaths as well. Our Commonwealth allies, Americans, French Resistance fighters, Soviets (maybe they became our enemy after..but at the time, they died and bled the same as we did, against the same enemy) and everyone else who fought against our enemies.

[ladybugmabj]

681 now....I signed for myself, my hubby (currently deployed in Afghanistan), and our two boys who are very proud of their dad. Me too!

 

[Boogilywoo]

Signed

[241]

685 Now....Maybe in time for Nov 11 2007