For two minutes on November 11, at the 11th hour, Canadians are invited to remember, in silent reflection.
Canada has declared that the date is of “remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace,” particularly the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, and all conflicts since then in which members of the Canadian Armed Forces have participated.
When I first moved to Canada, Remembrance Day was a much bigger deal. While not a statutory holiday in all provinces and territories, there was still a sense of the weight of gratitude we owed to those who battled and those who continue to fight for this country in conflicts. Now, many seem content to wear poppies and dedicate two minutes of silence.
But, is that enough? Should November 11 be a proper national statutory holiday? Many at Leaside Life do consider Remembrance Day to be a very big deal indeed. And they are represented in our pages this issue. Geoff Kettel attended a special ceremony honouring the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid. Heritage columnist Ted DeWelles profiled Ernest Glover, a Korean War ace who lived, albeit briefly, in Leaside. And Janis Fertuck uncovered an interesting connection to a story she wrote a while ago, on Rob Hughes, home technician to the (Leaside) stars. His grandfather founded Plywood Fabricators, a company that played a significant role in supplying landing craft for the war effort in World War II.
These (and more stories in this issue) make for meaty reading and something to digest when we consider the importance of Remembrance Day. Lest we forget.
