Remembrance Day
109 days until Remembrance Day
About Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is observed annually across Canada on November 11 to honour the servicemen and women who lost their lives in military conflicts and peacekeeping missions. At 11:00 a.m., Canadians pause for two minutes of silence to pay respect to those who served in the nation's armed forces.
History
The observance originated as Armistice Day following the end of the First World War. The ceasefire agreement between Allied forces and Germany took effect at 11:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918—the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. King George V inaugurated the first official Empire-wide tribute in November 1919, inviting citizens to observe two minutes of silence in memory of the fallen.
In Canada, Parliament initially designated Armistice Day to be held on the Monday of the week in which November 11 fell, combining it with Thanksgiving between 1921 and 1930. Dissatisfaction among veterans over combining solemn wartime memory with a festive holiday prompted a legislative change. In 1931, Canadian Member of Parliament Alan Neill introduced a bill that permanently fixed the date to November 11 and renamed the holiday Remembrance Day.
Traditions & Celebrations
In the weeks leading up to November 11, millions of Canadians wear red lapel poppies distributed by the Royal Canadian Legion to support veterans and show respect. On the day itself, formal ceremonies take place at local cenotaphs, community memorials, and the National War Memorial in Ottawa. Services typically feature the playing of the bugle call "The Last Post," followed by two minutes of silence at 11:00 a.m., the recitation of the poem "In Flanders Fields," and the laying of official wreaths. Members of the public frequently leave their individual poppies on war memorials at the conclusion of local services.
Did you know?
- Canadian military doctor Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae penned the world-famous poem "In Flanders Fields" in May 1915 following the death of a fellow soldier at Ypres, Belgium, which inspired the use of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance.
- The Great War Veterans' Association of Canada, the predecessor to the Royal Canadian Legion, officially adopted the red poppy as Canada's emblem of remembrance in July 1921.
- From 1921 to 1930, Canadian federal law mandated that Armistice Day and Thanksgiving be celebrated on the exact same day each autumn before the two holidays were permanently separated.
- At the conclusion of the National Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa, thousands of attendees traditionally remove their lapel poppies and place them on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Remembrance Day dates by year
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Remembrance Day a public statutory holiday in every Canadian province?
Remembrance Day is a federal statutory holiday for federally regulated workers across Canada, but as a provincial/territorial statutory public holiday, it applies only in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and Yukon.
Why is the two-minute silence held specifically at 11:00 a.m.?
The time marks the exact hour, day, and month when the armistice went into effect on November 11, 1918, ending major hostilities in the First World War.
Where should the red poppy pin be worn?
According to the Royal Canadian Legion, the poppy should be worn respectfully on the left lapel or over the heart.