A Day To Remember

It can be said that a loved one is never truly lost as the memory of that person lives on forever. Throughout Canada today, this statement carries even greater significance as the nation observes Remembrance Day. On the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we acknowledge those who have lost their lives in wars past.

Also acknowledged in other Commonwealth countries and referred to as “Veterans Day” in the United States, Remembrance Day is a time to both reflect on the sacrifices that have been made for our countries and to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifices.

In Canada, today is a public holiday in every province with the exception of Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. Being headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, the Synergy Merchant Services office was buzzing with talk about the fact that the province has not joined the rest of Canada in allowing workers to take time off.

“It doesn’t seem right,” said one of our reps, “It’s not so much about taking a day off work as it is paying the proper respect to those who gave their lives for our country. While the rest of the country is reflecting, we are carrying on with our day as normal. Something is off about that. I hope the provincial government looks into making a change.”

With the capital of Canada being located in Ontario, it’s a wonder that Ottawa has not stepped in to make Remembrance Day a national holiday as of yet. Nevertheless, there are ceremonies taking place across the nation that are honoring our fallen soldiers and living war veterans.

In fact, Ottawa has been known to present Remembrance Day parades and conduct ceremonies that pay tribute to the members of our Canadian Forces. Of course, there are ceremonies taking place all across Canada today.

According to Wikipedia.org, “The largest indoor ceremony in Canada is currently held in Montreal, Quebec, followed in size by that held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with over 8,500 gathering in Credit Union Centre in 2008.”

“It really is a special day,” added another member of our team earlier today, “It’s important to remember those who fought for our freedoms and way of life. I don’t think anyone can truly like war and I find it unimaginable to actually fight in one. We’ve lost a lot of very brave individuals thanks to war. They deserve to never be forgotten.”