Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day, a day when Canada pauses to honor and remember the brave individuals who served and sacrificed in our armed forces. It’s a time for reflection, gratitude, and unity—a day that carries a weight and reverence unlike any other.

Across the country, people are pinning bright red poppies close to their hearts. The poppy has become a powerful symbol for Canadians, drawn from Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields, where he captured the image of poppies growing amid soldiers’ graves. That vivid red reminds us not only of the lives lost but of the resilience and hope that still endure.

In ceremonies from coast to coast, we hear the stirring notes of The Last Post, played with a solemnity that seems to reach deep into the heart. When it sounds, everything goes quiet. There’s a shared silence, as people of all generations pause to reflect. Some close their eyes, others bow their heads, each lost in thought—remembering family members who served, honoring the stories passed down, or simply acknowledging the sacrifices that helped shape the freedoms we have today.

For many, Remembrance Day is personal—a chance to remember a parent, grandparent, or friend who served, sometimes far from home, facing hardships we can only imagine. They left families, dreams, and safety behind to protect something greater, and today, we honor them for that sacrifice.

Here in Canada, as the autumn air turns cold and the trees stand bare, it feels as though the season itself mirrors the somberness of the day. Yet there is also a warmth in this shared remembrance, as communities gather together in parks, at cenotaphs, or even in front of TV screens, united in honoring the courage and sacrifice of those who served.

Today, as we observe Remembrance Day, we are reminded that peace, freedom, and unity have come at a tremendous cost. It’s a day that calls us to remember the past and cherish what we have now, to honor those who served with gratitude, and to commit to carrying forward the ideals they fought to protect.

With respect and remembrance,

Missy