Remembrance Day 2021 marks return of in-person ceremonies across most of Canada
Global News
Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held across the country Thursday with the National Remembrance Day ceremony being held at the National War Memorial.
Remembrance Day will be closer to normal this year as COVID restrictions ease, with in-person ceremonies commencing once again across the country to honour Canadian war veterans.
The ceremonies, taking place at different monuments and cenotaphs across the country, allow Canadians to pay respect to veterans who fought and died for their country.
In Ottawa, the National Remembrance Day ceremony will be held at the National War Memorial where the public will stand alongside veterans, current military and government officials. Last year’s service was held virtually due to the COVID-19. As the pandemic continues, the Royal Canadian Legion is urging anyone going to an event, inside or outside, to wear a mask and maintain physical distance from others.
Watch Global News’ live Remembrance Day coverage in Ottawa beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET on our Global TV app, YouTube, Facebook, or at Globalews.ca.
The national ceremony is expected to begin at 10:45 a.m. ET, but unlike previous in-person ceremonies, there will be no veterans parade. There will be two minutes of silence observed to remember the sacrifices of Canadian military members at 11 a.m. ET.
Every year a Silver Cross Mother is chosen by the Legion to place a wreath at the National War Memorial during the ceremony. According to the Legion, the silver cross is a “memento of personal loss and sacrifice on the part of widows and mothers of Canadian sailors, aviators and soldiers who died for their country during the war.”
This year’s recipient is Josée Simard who’s daughter Cpl. Karine Blais served as a trooper in the Canadian Army. Cpl. Blais was killed on April 23, 2009 when an armoured vehicle she was travelling in struck a roadside bomb in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
One of the most popular themes of Remembrance Day is the red poppy, which is seen as a symbol of honouring Canadians who made great sacrifices for their country and also serves as a way to raise money for veterans’ needs. The well-known symbol marks 100th anniversary this year.