People are gathered at Winnipeg’s RBC Convention Centre for the province’s largest Remembrance Day service on Monday, as Canadians honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty and pay tribute to those who continue to serve.
Antin Sloboda, a 17 Wing chaplain, says the day is about giving thanks to the generations of men and women “who have answered the call to serve our country.”
“Each sacrifice is imprinted in the fabric that shapes the identity of Canada, and thus, cannot be forgotten,” Sloboda said at the service.
“Today is a time to remember that life in Canada as we know it is not a given, it is a fruit of the struggles and sacrifices of the past.”
As war rages in Ukraine and the Middle East, Sloboda says Monday is a chance for Canadians to affirm a determination for peace.
“Let us remember with gratitude the thousands of Canadians who choose today to serve Canada before themselves.”
The service is one of many events being held around the city on Monday.
Remembrance Day was first observed in 1919 throughout the British Commonwealth. It was originally called Armistice Day to commemorate the armistice agreement that ended the First World War on Nov. 11, 1918, at 11 a.m.
It’s been 80 years since D-Day, which marked the beginning of the end of the Second World War. It has also been 10 years since the end of the mission in Afghanistan, 60 years of peacekeeping operations in Cyprus, and the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.