Today, November 11th, Canadians pause.
At 11:00 a.m., the country goes quiet. Cenotaphs, schoolyards, legions, and living rooms all share the same two minutes of silence. It’s one of the few moments each year when an entire nation stops talking at once.
Why 11 a.m. on the 11th?
On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, the guns of the First World War fell silent. Remembrance Day, first observed as Armistice Day, honours that moment and the people who made it possible.
The poem behind the poppy
The red poppy is tied to a Canadian story. In the spring of 1915, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, a physician from Guelph, Ontario, wrote “In Flanders Fields” near Ypres after losing a friend in battle. The poem described poppies growing among the graves of the fallen, and those flowers became the enduring symbol of remembrance. Canada adopted the poppy in 1921, and the Royal Canadian Legion still runs the Poppy Campaign each year, with donations supporting veterans and their families.
Who we remember
More than 100,000 Canadians gave their lives in the wars of the twentieth century, and many more have served and sacrificed since, in Korea, in peacekeeping missions, and in Afghanistan. We also remember those who came home carrying wounds that couldn’t be seen, and the families who waited.
Ways to take part today
- 🌺 Wear a poppy, and consider leaving a donation to the Legion
- 🕚 Observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m.
- 🪖 Attend a local ceremony, or watch the national service from Ottawa
- 📖 Read “In Flanders Fields” aloud with family or friends
- 🤝 Thank a veteran, or check in on one who may be alone today
A poppy on a lapel is a small thing, but it says a lot: we haven’t forgotten, and we won’t.
To every veteran, to every serving member, and to every family who carries a name in their hearts today, thank you.
Lest we forget.
What does Remembrance Day mean to you and your family? Share a story, a name, or a memory in the comments. I’d love to read them. 🇨🇦
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