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Remembrance Day: A Day for Reflection

Published 4:49 PDT, Fri October 30, 2026

Last Updated: 9:43 PST, Tue November 3, 2026

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BY ISABELLA RODRIGUES

This year, on Wednesday, November 11th, we as Canadians honour and pay tribute to our soldiers past and present who have given so much to defend the freedom and sovereignty of this place we call home

History
The day can be traced all the way back to the Armistice Agreement that ended the fighting on the Western Front on the 11th day of November, 1918. This was a pivotal moment because, to both soldiers and civilians, this agreement showed that the First World War was coming to an end.

The time was 11:00 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month that the fighting stopped. To mark that pivotal time, Canadians observe two minutes of silence to honour those soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice and recognize the lives and legacy of the veterans who made it home.

Remembrance Day is usually supported by each community with a service and reception at City Hall or a special gathering place for the community to honour the soldiers who gave their lives, the veterans who survived, and the families who lost loved ones. In Richmond, our City hosts a ceremony on City Hall’s front lawn for the community to come together to pay their respects for the sacrifices of our soldiers. This year, the event starts at 10:20 a.m. and goes until 12:20 p.m.; there will be a Parade, Wreath laying, and two minutes of silence. Everyone is welcome to attend and pay their respects to those who served.

Poppies
One of the most predominant symbols of Remembrance Day is the vibrant red poppies that millions of Canadians wear during this time of year to honour the men and women who served this country. The poppy was introduced to Canadians by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae (Nov. 30, 1872 – Jan. 28, 1918). He was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist, and soldier during World War I and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres in Flanders, Belgium. He is best known for writing the famous war memorial poem In Flanders Fields that he wrote shortly after losing a friend in Ypres and was influenced after seeing poppies growing in battle-scarred fields. The poem goes as follows:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

More than 110 years later, these lines still hold incredible significance in the minds of Canadians today. They remind us that every fallen soldier was also a member of a family.. One that, as described in the poem, “lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved”.

2026 Poppy Campaign
The Dominion Command of The Royal Canadian Legion has registered the trademark of the Poppy image to safeguard the Poppy insignia as a symbol of Remembrance. This year’s Poppy drive will run from October 24th - November 11th. In front of stores, young cadets, along with members of veteran groups and local citizens, volunteer their time to offer poppies for a small donation.

Use of Poppy Trust Funds
Through your donations to the Legion Poppy campaign, the Legion provides financial assistance and support to Veterans, including Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP, and their families who are in need. This one day reminds us that our freedom and peace worldwide are something we can never take for granted.