COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Acts of remembrance honour Canada

Once again, this Remembrance Day, Canadians across the nation will participate in ceremonies and other acts of remembrance as we reflect upon those who have sacrificed for our country and all that we have to be grateful for as Canadians. In the days before Nov. 11, Canadians have been wearing the poppy as a personal act of remembrance of the generations of Canadian service members.

This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion which was formed by an Act of Parliament on July 17, 1926. It is the nation’s largest veteran support and community service organization and plays a critical role in not only supporting veterans but also helping Canadians remember the service that they have given. As more and more time has passed since the two great World Wars and less Canadian veterans remain, it has been more difficult for some legions to maintain their own facilities or local presence. Thankfully, in Steinbach there remains an active Legion fuelled by volunteers who work year-round to ensure that services and Remembrance Day ceremonies continue to be supported.

The Remembrance Day ceremony in Steinbach has continued to grow in attendance and this year it will be held in the gymnasium at the Southeast Event Centre. The continued support of the Steinbach Legion has been bolstered in recent years by the participation of the Steinbach Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron and the Dawson Trail Sea Cadets. The presence of these young Manitobans adds significantly to the ceremony and is a reminder that remembrance is important for the next generation as well.

While Remembrance Day is mostly about a time for reflection, it is also a time for gratitude. We are fortunate as a country to have had people over the generations who were willing to sacrifice for the freedoms that we enjoy today. More often than not, these have been young people who have gone to serve, either in times of conflict or as peacekeepers, on behalf of Canada. Many did not return home and many of those who did carried with them the psychological burden of what they experienced. For those that served and for those that still do, we are grateful to them.

Remembrance Day is also a time to be grateful not only to those that have served our nation but also for the country they have helped create. Canada remains one of the most desirable places in the world to live and we continue to enjoy freedoms and opportunities that are not available in many countries in the world. Nov. 11 is a great time to reflect in gratitude on the many things we have to be thankful for and commit to work to improve our nation as well.

On Nov. 11, Canadians will wear their poppies and will come together at the eleventh hour to remember those that have given so much for our country. We will gather at memorials and community places across our vast nation to not only remember, but to be grateful for the sacrifices made and the country that has been built. Lest we forget.