Skip to content

EDITORIAL: Due respect

Each year, the number of veterans in attendance at Remembrance Day ceremonies dwindles, particularly the ones from the Second World War and Korea. But we are heartened to see that the crowds who come out have only seemed to grow in recent years.

Each year, the number of veterans in attendance at Remembrance Day ceremonies dwindles, particularly the ones from the Second World War and Korea.

But we are heartened to see that the crowds who come out have only seemed to grow in recent years. Not only that, they appear to be skewing younger, as more and more millennials elect to spend a morning in the rain to contemplate and honour the lives of the veterans who have helped shape a safe and peaceful nation for them to grow up in.

And unlike our neighbours to the south who have turned Nov. 11 into a cause for crass commercialism and mattress sales, Remembrance Day in Canada remains a solemn and poignant way to unite Canadians in gratitude.

We have our Royal Canadian Legion branches to thank for this.

But proud as we are of how our legions have kept the tradition alive and growing around the cenotaphs of the country, we have some concern for the future. It’s no secret that legions are struggling as membership and revenues aren’t what they used to be. But their mission remains arguably more important than ever as the echo of gunfire from the battlefield grows ever fainter.

And it’s not just the poppies and moving ceremonies we need the legions for. They provide support and services to veterans that our government has slowly gotten out of the business of offering.

We encourage everyone to be generous in their Remembrance Day poppy donations but it may take more than that to keep this worthwhile tradition alive.

What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.