Once again ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, the Royal Canadian Legion and Veterans of Canada are asking you to join us in the two minutes of silence, as the clock strikes 11 a.m. in our community.
As the years have passed, the focus of commemorative events of Remembrance Day has expanded. Where once they centred on the achievements and sacrifices of the veterans of World Wars I and II and Korea, they now include the veterans of peacetime Canadian Forces activities.
More than 125,000 Canadian Forces members have served in dozens of international peace missions to more than 35 countries over the past six decades approximately 2,300 Canadians have died in these efforts and many more have suffered physical and mental injury. During Canada's short history we have lost 636 personnel to enemy action.
Today, we especially remember those 159 servicemen and women who have lost their lives in the service of peace in Afghanistan.
During this silence we will remember our fallen comrades, soldiers, sailors, airmen, UN peacekeepers, police force, firefighters, missionaries and all who have served in the name of peace, since we last gathered together.
The playing of O Canada will be followed by a short prayer, a bugler playing the Last Post which will end at 11 a.m. This will be followed by two minutes of silence and then the bugler playing Reveille. We will return to normal programming as the Reveille ends. Thank you for participating with us on this act of remembrance.
- Ian Williams, president of Hope's Royal Canadian Legion.