25 years ago, my parents were on a plane headed from the U.S. midwest to British Columbia. They had always wanted to travel by rail through the Canadian Rockies, and my siblings and I had bought them this trip for their anniversary.

When the World Trade Centers were hit that morning, their plane had just taken off and they were over Indiana. Their plane was rerouted to Toronto, and for 6 days they were put up in a hotel at no expense.

It took them a week to get back home, and they never were able to take that trip that they always wanted, but the hospitality that was shown toward them won't be forgotten.

Thank you my friends! ❤️ 🇨🇦

I am not sure if this post is allowed, but here goes:

Today and tomorrow, on May 4th and 5th, the Netherlands will commemorate the end of World War II. Today is our remembrance day; A most solemn occasion where the entire country will fall silent for two minutes, to commemorate primarily all our casualties of WW2, but also those who have died in wars since. Tomorrow will be 'Liberation Day', where we celebrate the end of WW2 in the Netherlands. What does this have to do with Canada, you may ask?

Well, as you may or may not know, the Canadian armed forces were heavily involved with the liberation of the Netherlands, and the humanitarian aid we required in the winter of 1944-45, which we would quickly call the ''hunger winter'' Whilst the US and GB certainly played their part, the Canadians were instrumental in liberating us and freeing us from tyranny. Sadly this also means that the Canadians accounted for most of the allied casualties in this fight. Over 7.600 Canadian soldiers, airmen and sailors lost their lives whilst fighting in the Netherlands.

And i want to use this post to express not just my own gratitude and respect, but that of all my countrymen. To Canada the Netherlands must have looked like an insignificant speck on a map. This was not your country, and i can imagine that to many it would have felt like it was not their war. And yet so many brave people stepped forward to come to our aid when our continent was in turmoil. The courage it takes to step up and fight in the name of another people, of another country, is unimaginable.

Tonight, when our country falls silent in remembrance, know that we are not just remembring our own fallen, but also yours; The brave men and women who came to our aid when we needed you most. Freedom can only be attained when we are prepared to fight for that of the man next to us, and not just for ourselves. And i just want all Canadians reading this to know that in this small and insignificant wet heap of clay called the Netherlands, there is an immense sense of respect and gratitude towards Canada for stepping up when it was the right thing to do.

Thank you.

24 years ago, my parents were on a plane headed from the U.S. midwest to British Columbia. They had always wanted to travel by rail through the Canadian Rockies, and my siblings and I had bought them this trip for their anniversary.

When the World Trade Centers were hit that morning, their plane had just taken off and they were over Indiana. Their plane was rerouted to Toronto, and for 6 days they were put up in a hotel at no expense.

It took them a week to get back home, and they never were able to take that trip that they always wanted, but the hospitality that was shown toward them won't be forgotten.

Thank you my friends! ❤️ 🇨🇦

On November 11, each year, the anniversary of the armistice that ended the Great War, we come together as a nation to remember, reflect and honour the thousands of brave Canadian and Newfoundland soldiers who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Remembrance Day calls on us to remember the immense sacrifices made not only in the First World War, but in all conflicts since. We honour the veterans of the Second World War, the Korean War, peacekeeping missions, the war in Afghanistan, and the soldiers, sailors and aviators serving across the globe today. We also think of those who are currently serving, both at home and abroad. It is a day to reflect on the cost of freedom and the price of peace.

Their names, their service, and their sacrifices shall not be forgotten. We also remember the far too many veterans and soldiers we have lost due to their struggles with injuries they received while serving Canadians.

This post is a space for Canadians to share their thoughts, reflections, and personal connections to this day. Whether you are remembering a relative, honouring the unknown soldier, or reflecting on your own service, this is a place to share as a community.

To veterans and those still serving, I encourage you to reach out to your brothers and sisters. While many of you will not be able to be on parade, at the Legions, or at cenotaphs, it can leave many feeling isolated. Not everyone has a family or a support network. Reach out to your friends and see how they are. If you are a serving member or veteran in crisis, there are resources available. You are not alone. Please, if it is an emergency, call 911, a local crisis hotline, or Veterans Affairs Assistance services at 1-800-268-7708. You have brothers and sisters out there who are here for you.  

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Chaque année, le 11 novembre, jour anniversaire de l'armistice qui a mis fin à la Grande Guerre, nous nous rassemblons en tant que nation pour nous souvenir, réfléchir et honorer les milliers de courageux soldats canadiens et terre-neuviens qui ont servi et ceux qui ont fait le sacrifice ultime.

Le jour du Souvenir nous invite à nous souvenir des immenses sacrifices consentis non seulement lors de la Première Guerre mondiale, mais aussi dans tous les conflits qui ont suivi. Nous honorons les vétérans de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, de la guerre de Corée, des missions de maintien de la paix, de la guerre en Afghanistan, ainsi que les soldats, marins et aviateurs qui servent aujourd'hui partout dans le monde. Nous pensons également à ceux qui servent actuellement, au pays comme à l'étranger. C'est un jour de réflexion sur le prix de la liberté et de la paix.

Leurs noms, leur service et leurs sacrifices ne seront pas oubliés. Nous nous souvenons aussi des trop nombreux vétérans et soldats que nous avons perdus des suites de blessures reçues au service des Canadiens.

Cet espace permet aux Canadiens de partager leurs pensées, leurs réflexions et leurs liens personnels avec cette journée. Que vous souhaitiez vous souvenir d'un proche, honorer le soldat inconnu ou réfléchir à votre propre service, cet espace est un lieu de partage pour la communauté.

Aux anciens combattants et à ceux qui servent encore, je vous encourage à prendre des nouvelles de vos frères et sœurs d'armes. Même si beaucoup d'entre vous ne pourront pas participer aux défilés, aux réunions de la Légion ou aux commémorations, cela peut engendrer un sentiment d'isolement. Tout le monde n'a pas de famille ni de réseau de soutien. Prenez des nouvelles de vos amis. Si vous êtes un militaire en service ou un ancien combattant en situation de crise, des ressources sont disponibles. Vous n'êtes pas seul. En cas d'urgence, veuillez composer le 911, appeler une ligne d'écoute locale ou les services d'assistance aux anciens combattants au 1-800-268-7708. Vous avez des frères et sœurs d'armes qui sont là pour vous.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.  

We will remember them.

Today, I had the privilege of attending the Remembrance Day service at the Canadian Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. Nearly 1,400 soldiers, most of them Canadian, are buried here.

One of the veterans recited the Ode of Remembrance:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.

As I walked past the graves, I saw that they truly had not grown old. Nineteen, twenty, twenty-one... Still barely more than kids, who died far from home... For our freedom.

We will remember. And we will continue to honor the sacrifice made by your countrymen. A heartfelt thank you, from the Netherlands.

Today we watch as Ukrainian soldiers liberate the occupied city of Kherson. People spill out into the streets, phones raised to mark a historic moment, and celebrations erupt as Ukrainian soldiers return to the streets of their occupied cities. Over and over these past few months, we’ve watched these celebrations tinged with sadness as soldiers - fighting for their homes and families - see the rich reward of their sacrifice.

It was more than a hundred years ago today that we first celebrated this day when the guns of the First World War fell silent for the last time. They said it had been so terrible, so vast in its destruction of human lives and human spirit, that it was to be the war to end all war.

But it wasn’t.

Since then, Canadians have come together on Remembrance Day every year to mark the Great War, and the other wars that followed. We hear stories of soldiers’ sacrifice and of the price they paid. Of lives lost in the carnage, and the lost lives from surviving it.

Today is their day, but it is also ours. It is our day to not only remember those who fought, who lived, and who died, but to remember why they fought, why they lived, and why they died.

Now, more than ever, Remembrance Day is about renewing our faith in the country that they once so fiercely defended. We must remember the values that they fought and died for. A country where a social security net was created from nothing to protect veterans after they returned home. A country where our rights were enshrined by leaders who saw their abrogation in wartime. A country that welcomed refugees from war time and again so they could start new lives alongside us.

No matter what you choose to remember today, or celebrate, or mourn, we ought to remember that there is one common thread that ties us together.

Today you will see many epigraphs at Remembrance Day ceremonies, engraved on weathered stone, solemn reminders of the passage of years between us and them, but there is one that stands out to me above others. One that I try to remember every November 11th.

Next to a simple farmer’s field in Normandy there is a memorial for the 14th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery that fought during the Second World War, for the nine members of the regiment who died on those shores. Etched on it, near the bottom, are words that embody why the New World came to save the Old:

“Dedicated to the memory of those who fought, without promise, reward or relief, for the hope of a better world."

The hope of a better world. They did not know what would happen in the years to come - only that they hoped that it had to better than what came before.

So today, remember that there were men and women who believed in the darkest of times that a better world was possible. That a better world is always possible, as long as there are those who take up that torch and work to make it better. Yesterday it was them, but today it is up to us.

Today, it is up to you.

In 1914 at the beginning of World War One, the Canadian Military was approximately 3,000 soldiers and a variety of part time militia units. The Canadian Expeditionary Force arrived in France in December 1914, and by the end of hostilities in 1918 630,000 Canadians had enlisted for military service, and 424,000 went overseas. One hundred and four years ago today the guns were silenced leaving 61,000 Canadian and Newfoundland soldiers who had made the ultimate sacrifice, 172,000 with physical wounds, and untold more were permanently changed by the horrors they had seen and experienced.

Beginning in 1939 RCN Sailors saw action at sea, and Canadian aircraft engaged German bombers in August 1940, December 1941 saw Canadian soldiers engaged in battle defending Hong Kong. During the next 4 years, Canadians fought in Asia, Europe, and North Africa. In all, approximately 1,100,000 Canadians served. By the end of the war in 1945 45,000 had perished and 55,000 were wounded fighting in Europe, Asia, and North Africa.

Five years later in June 1950 the Korean War began, once again seeing Canadians sending over 26,000 troops overseas. The armistice was signed in July 1953, with 516 Canadians killed.

Canada has continued to commit troops to conflict overseas, seeing action in Iraq (1990-1991) and Afghanistan (2001-2014), and has committed thousands of troops to various peacekeeping and humanitarian missions worldwide.

On November 11, the anniversary of the ending of the Great War, Canadians pause to remember, reflect, and honour the thousands of brave Canadians who died in service to our nation. We also remember those who served and did return home to their families, with and without physical or mental injury.

Communities from coast to coast to coast will be holding events today, we encourage you to participate, and reflect on what Remembrance Day means to you. There is a link below to livestreams of the National Memorial in Ottawa.

Today Canada’s Armed Forces is comprised of approximately 70,000 Regular Force and 30,000 Reserve Force members, in addition to 5,200 Ranger Patrol Group members. Thank you for your dedication, and service to our Nation. If you are a serving member or Veteran in crisis, there are resources available, you are not alone. If it is an emergency, call 911, your local crisis hotline, or Veterans Affairs Assistance services at 1-800-268-7708.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

We will remember them.

CBC: The National Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa

Wounded Warriors Canada

VAC Talk to a Mental Health Professional

On November 11, each year, the anniversary of the armistice that ended the Great War, we come together as a nation to remember, reflect and honour the thousands of brave Canadians that have served Canada and those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Their names, their service, and their sacrifices shall not be forgotten. We also remember the far too many veterans and soldiers we have lost due to their struggles with injuries they received while serving on and off the battlefield.

At the beginning of World War I, the Canadian Military had approximately 3,000 soldiers and a variety of part-time militia units. The Canadian Expeditionary Force arrived in France in December 1914, and by the end of hostilities in 1918, 630,000 Canadians had enlisted for military service, and 424,000 went overseas.

Of those who enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, close to 61,000 Canadian and Newfoundland soldiers perished. 172,000 with physical wounds and untold more were permanently changed by the horrors they had seen and experienced.

Canadians were again asked to answer the call to service in 1939, joining in a bloody conflict that spanned the globe. During the Second World War, over one million Canadians served. 45,000 lost their lives and 55,000 were wounded. From the defense of Hong Kong, the Battle of the Atlantic, and the battlefields of Europe they served so that the world could know peace.

Canadians returned to the battlefields of Korea, 516 perished. Through peacekeeping operations over 125,000 Canadian soldiers served in dozens of missions, 130 of them losing their lives in the pursuit of peace.

Canadians mourned again as Canadian soldiers returned to Canada and traveled down the Highway of Heroes. In Afghanistan, we lost 158 Canadian men and women. In Iraq Sgt. Andrew Doiron was killed in 2015.

We are tragically reminded far too often of the high-risk tasks that face the members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Few forget when Stalker 22 crashed in 2020 taking with it our brothers and sister. Or this year when in a training accident Captain Marc Larouche and Captain David Domagala lost their lives in service to Canada.

We will each find our own ways to reflect and remember. For some it will be in quiet reflection, for others, it will be at the cenotaphs that can be found in communities across Canada, in Legion halls, or with friends and family. Regardless of how you choose to remember, I encourage you all to take some time today to take pause and remember.

To veterans and those still serving I encourage you to reach out to your brothers and sisters. While many of you will not be able to be on parade, at the Legions, or at cenotaphs, it can leave many feeling isolated. Not everyone has a family or support network with them. Reach out to your friends and see how they are. If you are a serving member or veteran in crisis, there are resources available, you are not alone. Please, if it is an emergency, call 911, a local crisis hotline, or Veterans Affairs Assistance services at 1-800-268-7708. You have brothers and sisters out there who are here for you.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

We will remember them. On se souviendra d'eux.