Canadians honor soldiers on Remembrance Day
November 11, 2011
November 11 is Remembrance Day in Canada, and this year marks the first holiday in a long time where the nation was not actively at war.
The Globe and Mail reports that there are still Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, but they are preparing to come home. Soldiers can make calls to Canada to talk to their loved ones on this special day.
"I suspect that five or 10 years ago, very few Canadians could have located Afghanistan on a map. And now, it is a country that Canadians have come to know, come to feel a sense of pride for what has been accomplished here, and to understand the sting of loss and sacrifice that accompanies a mission such as this," Defense Minister Peter MacKay told the news source.
Many special services and ceremonies will be held today in honor of the Canadian soldiers who have served to protect their country. CTV reports that 11:11 a.m. was chosen as the time when thousands of Calgarians would bow their heads and observe a moment of silence for those who have gone to war and given their lives in the name of Canada.