How Remembrance Day and politics collided — and what it means for the future

One of the most revered days in the Canadian calendar was caught up in controversy this week as a debate raged over the appropriateness of playing an Arabic song and invoking the transatlantic slave trade during Remembrance Day ceremonies.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has accused some event organizers of being too "woke" and defiling a day meant to mourn war dead and pay respect to Canadian soldiers, sailors and airmen who fought to protect the country.

"What an absolute disgrace that so many woke activists & authorities used Remembrance Day to push their divisive and radical causes, denigrating our history and the brave military members who sacrificed for it," Poilievre said in a social media post Tuesday.

Poilievre hasn't said much about what he would do with the military — he's repeatedly dodged questions about meeting NATO spending targets — but he has promised to dismantle what he calls a "woke" culture and replace it with a "warrior" one.

It's not just Poilievre — other critics have said the military's embrace of diversity and inclusion initiatives is a distraction from its main function: preparing for war and protecting Canada. The Liberal government, meanwhile, has said a culture change is needed to boost recruitment and better protect Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members.

Sean Bruyea is a Gulf War veteran and one of the country's leading advocates for Canada's service members.

While he said politicians often claim to stand up for veterans only to forget about them later, Bruyea welcomed Poilievre's defence of tradition.

He said what transpired this week with some Remembrance Day ceremonies was "deeply offensive" for many in the veterans' community.

An Ottawa school's decision to play an Arabic song associated with the Gaza conflict was "a completely unnecessary provocation," Bruyea said.

"There's a recipe for Remembrance Day that has long supported and assuaged the long-lasting grief of veterans and their families. And that formula works," he told CBC News.

"When it gets mixed and distorted with other conflicts or causes that aren't really part of that Remembrance Day tradition — you lose the message, you lose the focus on our sacrifice. It really demeans and diminishes what I sacrificed."

Traditions can evolve, Bruyea said, but the ceremony should remain squarely focused on its intended purpose: honouring those who fought for Canada. Other causes should be saved for another day, he added.

Bruyea said a Halifax school's decision to discourage military uniforms at its Remembrance Day event to "maintain a welcoming environment for all" — a decision that was swiftly reversed — was particularly upsetting.

"That affects veterans deeply and personally and makes them question themselves," Bruyea said.