[Music] this is a CBC News special [Music] [Music] presentation Remembrance Day means remembering people who gave their lives up to serve Canada it's an opportunity for us to understand what it means to have a lifetime of sacrifice and contribution to your country I think about some friends who have seen conflicts and continue to work through their own struggles because of it gives us a chance to gather and reflect and think about the current serving members when I think of Remembrance Day I think of Warriors of the past and the present Rememberance Day means to me that what we did is not forgotten I think it's very important so we continue to remember those who served and those who died I'm Gloria Hooper and I'm the mom of Christopher jipen what does Remembrance Day mean to you it's just [Music] quiet I think of him every day like every every single day but [Music] no Remembrance Day means to me the loss of sons daughters husbands and wives always to remember to choose peace rather than more I also think of Hope for the future as we all continue to strive for a better world and and maintain the peace that we have it's a chance for everyone to gather and really take that pause and really reflect uh be fortunate for everything that we still have in today's world uh the freedom to en [Music] Joy you are looking at people beginning to gather here in the nation's capital in downtown Ottawa around found the Senate half the national War Memorial in Ottawa first put here in in 1939 there you can see it known as the response which represents the sacrifice of Canadians who fought and served in many different conflicts and as people begin to gather here as we approach the 11th Hour of the 11th day of the 11th month it is an opportunity for us as a country to remember those who have served to thank those who are currently still serving and as you can see many people have gathered already downtown here in Ottawa to take that opportunity it is a crisp day a crisp November day here in Ottawa but Sunny hi there I'm Rosary Barton an honor of course to bring you here to the National Remembrance Day ceremony organized by the Royal Canadian Legion so appreciate you joining us this morning for this important moment where throughout the next couple of hours you will of course hear the cere Cy that will happen behind me here but you'll also hear from many veterans people who have served and those who are still serving in the Canadian Armed Forces talking about what this day means to them and why they have made those sacrifices um personal deep sacrifices and commitments to this country um for them and their families and of course if you want to uh have uh sign language uh the American sign language interpretation it is also available you can get that on cbcnews.ca CBC Gem and the CBC News app so glad you could join us and of course we'll have lots of people helping us with this coverage throughout the next couple of hours some familiar faces to you uh and the cbc's Hannah tiido is one of them always with me for this important ceremony Hannah and always able to get some wonderful guests and Veterans uh down there beside you at the Senate half over to you I have already had such a wonderful conversation with John priest he was 17 when he went to war I was 18 when I was wounded in Holland you were 18 when you were wounded second world war 97 years young yeah that was April the second 1945 I was wounded so how long were you in Holland about 2 months and then what happened I was back to England I was when I got wounded I had Gang Green had sit in in my arm and uh they put me on an airplane and I went to England and I stayed in leaves in England in hospital for a month or two so you were telling me you they used penicillin on you and it was rare that that happened oh well I I was told at the time that either I have to have take my arm offer to train this experimental drug and they called it penicillin wow that's what they said any don't forget what did I know about I didn't know penicillin from a ho no wall so but anyway I was uh I I got on the plane and the nurse was still there with the nurse every 3 hours I had to have penicillin that needle so there you were telling me that memories are starting to come back to you more nowadays why is that I don't know I think that I'm becoming more aware as I've gotten older uh more aware of uh of a lot of things I've taken on the spiritual attitude to which I didn't have before because I used to pray in in the war I can remember a couple of times I said God if you if you get me out of this I'll really I'll go to church and I'll believe in Jesus I'll do anything you want you got out of it well oh yeah well I got wounded but yeah but I I but it was one of the best thing that happened getting wounded was a good thing because it changed my life a lot what do you think about here today about what about what why re Remembrance Day why it's so important for you to be here well you know it's a shame because I don't even like to think about it because a few of the boys that I knew young guys were not too far from me my I was the youngest guy in the r but it's it's a it's a terrible thing for young people to be there like me what did I know I could have been fighting the Russians for all I know because it you know German was a German I don't know not pleasant and I didn't like him he didn't like me and that sort of stuff you people shooting at you you didn't like it too much yeah and uh what well it was I was very stupid in those days I I only had grade eight education and imagine being in a war at a grade eight education that that was me it's so important to hear these stories I came from the lower end of Toronto yeah and uh and you don't learn much in in that area where I grew up and so so therefore I'm just saying that what do I think now I think about the young guys that are over there now and uh just like me fighting ho the Arabs uh 50 years from now somebody to be sitting around talking the same way the Arab be some Arab will be saying I don't know what I was doing you Canadians come over here but you also have you've been having some Smiles down here too Smiles laughs how do you mean we you were having a little laugh earlier you were having a little bit of fun sitting over there enjoying the sunshine oh over here yeah yeah oh yeah well life has been good to me lately it's been better now than it's have ever uh I find these last years of my life have been the best years last 10 years or 20 years so are the best years of my life well and I don't know and I think a lot of it has to do with my awareness is is better sure I've taken a spiritual attitude and I I meditate and I do do exercise every day well look at this fella Rosie John priest 97 years young yeah incredible I I I hope I look as good as John does oh you can say hi to Rosie too what hi you can say hi to Rosie too Rosie's up in the tent up there what are you talking about thank you for that Hannah please thank John for his service coming and talking to you today you sneaking appreciate that I should have known that there are um there are of course fewer and fewer uh Veterans of the second world war and Korean War and cl in fact veterans Canada gave us some updated numbers on that just yesterday just over 9,000 now uh survivors and Veterans from the second world war and the Korean War and we'll talk more about that of course through the morning too and why it's so important to have people like John to still talk about some of those difficult memories for him and for others but of course what we're also talking about with John is why we're all here today why it is so important this day where we are marking of course the thousands of Canadians who have fought for this country and for freedom and the many who never made it back and made the ultimate sacrifice here's a reminder here of why we are here and uh taking a moment to remember [Music] today just to give you an idea of how many Canadians have lost their lives through uh the various Wars and conflicts in which Canadian military and Personnel have served over the many years and joining me today as he has so many times before Tim Cook the chief historian at the Canadian warm Museum nice to see you again so appreciate you being here um you know it's interesting because when you are are talking to young people and trying to remind them about what what why this day matters so much um certainly when there are conflicts happening in the world that we are see um and we'll talk more about that through the day as well but perhaps it is easier for people to make connections between those who have served when they see these horrific things happening around the world yeah isn't it great that we've just heard from that second world war veteran and talking about his experiences and and I've spoken to Veterans all my adult life and and every story is different and it's important to gather those stories to let veterans talk and to share their experiences and maybe on this day they can help us connect to our military history we just saw Canadians serving in the South African War the first world war the second world war the Korean War the early Cold War the late Cold War uh the wars in the 1990s Afghanistan we are a country that has contributed I think to helping the world these are Wars and conflicts that we fought in where we believed it was important to stand with our allies and we uh We've often paid a terrible price and that's what today is I think today Remembrance Day it's a very day isn't it we've been here together many times um we're not really a a country that that I think um talks a lot about sacred days and history but this is it this is it for Canadians a chance to come together to commemorate to Bear witness I think to the past to reflect upon our national history but our communities and also our families and I think today we're going to hear a lot about those families and those personal stories that move us so deeply okay Tim thank you that set the tone perfectly there I appreciate that very much um and of course the the man that is in charge of the Canadian Armed Forces now there are some 2700 serving in various places uh in deployed in various places around the world is the chief of the defense staff and he is has joined Hannah Tibido down there by the Senate Hannah over to you thank you Rosie of course yes I am joined by the chief of Defense staff General Wayne a I have to ask you because I was talking to Mr priest earlier you had a chance to speak with him too what were your thoughts when you see a second world war veteran here absolutely inspiring and to understand what they went through in that war eight decades ago um and the results of that just remarkable so he was involved in the liberation of Holland um and when we go to to to to the Netherlands today the the thankfulness uh the the gratitude that we see from the population and whenever veterans go back and they see the thriving uh Dynamic country that Netherlands has become it gives their sacrifice meaning it gives their service meaning and so when I go around and talk to our troops on various missions I I use the same example of our and wanting them to go back to the countries that they were in 50 60 years from now and see the same thing to give their their deployments their sacrifice meaning you were telling Mr priest that you also had a relative who fought in Holland well I had a relative who who was with the Royal Canadian Air Force who unfortunately uh was missing went missing an action in um April of 1943 so no he did not fight in Holland he went missing over the North Sea and when you're here today I know you're a former Peacekeeper as well uh what are your thoughts just overall with everything that's happening in the world and unfortunately we did see that there will be Financial cuts to the military how do we maintain our role in so many important things going on globally I am very concerned as I see the deteriorating security situation around the world you know as we commemorate today as we think about the wars that uh have affected Canada World War I World War II Korea events on the other side of the world have had Direct and profound implications for for Canada um the study of our military history could almost be considered a study in unpreparedness well we see the challenges that are out there we see them coming we have to be ready we have to ensure that we can respond to this very very uncertain and insecure World General Air I want to thank you for your time and thank you for your service well thank you Rosie Hannah thanks so much for that uh that is the chief of the defense staff this is um the centes here who are making their way up to the War Memorial the centes are chosen for their exceptional service members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the RCMP will stand vigil here through the ceremony today and it is the 25th anniversary of the century program and we spoke to uh the Commander in some of those centuries about this important role and the honor that they have to uh to be in it here's a little bit of [Music] that I am Jonathan Buckle I am the Sentry Commander for the guard that is going to be on on the national war memorial on Remembrance Day and I'm from CFB ped the centry guard is really it's a diverse group members from the Canadian Armed Forces from the roal Canadian Mounted Police to me the guard really is a it's a small display of the Canadian population as a whole that diverse um kind of community and where one comes from and I'm proud to be uh selected as a commander for that today it's a chance for everyone to gather and really come together and take that pause and really reflect be fortunate for everything that we still have my name is warrant officer Josh McFarland I a piper for the Remembrance Day Century program I work at the Royal Canadian Air Force pipes and drums out of Ottawa this is the first year that they've opened up this program to musicians so to be one of the first to be selected for this is quite an honor as a musician it's it's always quite the honor to perform at these ceremonies and being at the national Ceremony this year is is doubly so my name is Captain Katherine Bret I am a nursing officer I'm very honored this year to have the opportunity to participate in the National Remembrance Day Century program I am serving as the representation for nursing officers throughout the co 19 pandemic Canadian nurses provided care to those in long-term care homes they tried to save lives in the ICU they've brought us hope to our country and I'm very proud to highlight the amazing contribution of nurses that's just lovely way to Mark the 25th anniversary of centuries and of course the many ways that the Canadian Armed Forces serve abroad and as we heard there also here at home so many times helping in cases of natural disaster and and so many times during coid as well we'll come back and and talk a little bit after uh in a moment about some of the things the chief of the defense staff said there um with some remarkable comments about the state of the military right now but of course this day is also being Remembered in small towns and big places across this country where people take a moment to pause uh at the 11th hour and David Common the host of Metro Morning uh joins us now from Richmond Hill Ontario uh where he is with some people that have gathered there today David so glad you could be a part of the broadcast today well thank you very much Rosie and you know we do see here as you described the small communities we are about 200 just uh couple of hundred Cadets are here along with members of the Legion emergency services and others uh partaking in a parade down to the Senate and I'm actually going to take an opportunity to speak with some of the people who are here today um including a serving member of the Canadian Armed Forces Master Corporal David furfaro you're a member of 427 Squadron out of padaa Ontario you're down here because you were once an Air Cadet in this same unit that's part partaking today what does today for you someone who's deployed to Afghanistan to Iraq who are you thinking of ah this is it's a big question honestly I think about a lot uh there's the whole historical aspect of it uh people that have already come and gone before us uh most notably World War II World War I and we have to respect the great sacrifices they've done that have allowed us now to carry forward but now into the modern era I've been lucky enough to serve some of the greatest people out there uh but unfortunately some of those guys don't make it either and we we all suffer we all have friends that we've lost and it's just that moment it's it's the most important time of the year for for people in our position just to reflect and and to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and it it just gives us the ambition to continue forward to to do what we do so it's a good reminder too that as we pause on this day to think about those who paid with their lives in the first and second World War that we have people who are in their mid-30s in this country today who are veterans of Afghanistan it's an important moment to remember it it is 30s 40s uh I mean it's it's still a pretty young age if you if you think about and these guys I know so many of them a lot of them are still suffering through all the trauma they've been through so uh I mean much respect to to everyone and we we just got to as as a society as as Canadians uh we just have to band together and and show our respects because without them that there really is nothing uh Master corpo very good to have you I want to turn my attention to war officer first class Serena Chen who's leading much of today's parade why is it important for you to be here well as a Cadet we are youth and so we've been really fortunate to be able to not experience wartime um in any capacity in our area in our local lives and so sometimes I feel like youth might lose sight of the sacrifices that people before us had to made for us to be able to stand here with such security and peace and so it's really important that we carry forward the momentum and the remembrance of the soldiers from a maybe a century ago from the past few years over to the youth so that those soldiers will not be forgotten over time yeah very well said and I think it is a good reminder that in those times where we said we will never forget that this community Richmond Hill Ontario just north of Toronto is among those where people are coming out and are acknowledging with their presence that they will not forget Rosie David thank you so much for that that's so great to see I I love going to small communities and seeing people gather for these ceremonies they're just as special as the one here in the nation's capital we'll come back to you of course um we have of course other reporters and people with us uh through the day to bring us um thoughts from people Gathering there are thousands of people here uh around the national war memorial even though it is a cool day here in Ottawa and David Thon is in there amongst the crowd and has a guest for us David hey Rosie yeah I'm in the crowd making some friends and some people in the crowd are making friends with each other people who you know are meeting each other for the first time so I have Yas Yas Yas with me right here um you're from Ottawa and you have a special role in this ceremony you're going to be laying a wreath uh yes I'm looking forward to laying this wreath on behalf of my family just saying thank you to all the veterans and military personnel who serve us and our country um so yeah really looking for forward to it um it's you know it's an emotional day it's an important day um uh our military our veterans never fail to be there for us and um it's important for us to be responsible and be the same and be there to honor them to appreciate their hard work for our country and like I said you're making friends meeting people for the first time right next to you is Kira Kira you're all the way from where Nas British Columbia small town BC and it's your first time um here in OT for these ceremonies what do you think of it oh it's amazing I've grown up in a military family and uh We've watched this on TV we've been to our small town uh ceremonies but this is incredible I think it's amazing and we had the opportunity to come and um bring my daughter here so we're just super proud to be here and we're happy to have you here and over here we have Jacqueline from Georgetown Ontario how far in advance did you book your ticket to come here um we booked our hotel a year ago when we found out that Remembrance Day was going to be on a Saturday because we thought that it was really important to be here as a family to the National ceremony and our oldest son William really wants to serve in the military when he's older so we felt that this was a really important way to commemorate all of the hardworking um veterans and current serving soldiers and so so William you know the the one year week the mom has your mom has been promising you to and bring you to the capital is it worth it what do you think of the cemon so far is 100% worth it it is amazing all right it's very enjoyable he thank you so much enjoy the ceremony you know keep warm because it is quite cold Rosie as I'm sure you know as well and that's the thing that we're hearing from a lot of people in the crowd Remembrance Day is following on a Saturday so you know usually most people don't have it all so you know it is drawing the crowds and we're seeing that uh lots of people are here uh quite early yeah probably more children than we would normally get cuz kids uh typically are at school on Remembrance Day so that uh that that's nice that people can come down as a family on a Saturday thanks for that David we'll come back to you of course um part of today is about families and remembering people who have served in your own family or connections you may have to those in the Canadian Armed Forces and of course there are families that have served over Generations that this is something that is a call for them public service and a and a and something that they take very seriously as a responsibility to represent their country and defend their country and so we have two uh two people in a family in very different places this morning joining us this morning uh Patricia Brown is an aviator with the Royal Canadian Air Force and her dad David trer is a leftenant colonel in the Royal Canadian Armed Force uh Patricia is in New Brunswick and Dave is in my hometown of winipeg and uh you're both joining me I'm so happy to see you both um you must be so proud of each other and and Dave I know I know that your dad also served in the military why why did you want to serve and what did you think when Patricia came to you and said I'm going to do it too Dad well uh it was always in that back of Mind where you know my dad uh had retired from the military a long time before I showed up and uh but there was always that history he had served uh in U England during the second world war that's where he met my mom and you know they came back to Canada and had five kids but there was always those stories that you would hear about uh my mom's three brothers were in the Royal Navy and you know she was very proud of their service and you know as it was uh all three happened to be on the losing end of a battle and uh had to swim for it as she said uh my uncle Tommy was a prisoner of war and survived and came back I got to meet my uncle Bert and uh very proud man very quiet but it was really interesting that nobody really spoke of their experiences yeah and but but there was always that pride of service for their country and doing something and you know and then when when I finished high school my dad goes what do you want to do now and me I was kind of lost I really didn't know and he went hey did you try think about you joining the the military I went what I went down and great sales job and here I am 40 almost 45 years later still enjoying it Inc incredible that that that's incredible Dave and and and so remarkable that so many people in your family served Patricia how much did that influence your decision or or or did your dad say like his dad maybe you should go and try this out um my whole life my dad's pretty much been pretty good at explaining different opportunities that the military presents for those who do choose to serve so it's always kind of been there as an option but my dad's really been supportive in all avenues that we choose to do for what we want to do for our careers and how we're going to um be as adult so when I decided I did take all this into considerations and I looked it back at how the military Community has kind of been there my whole life yeah U they've been that extended family like in the background that's always been supporting us no matter what's been happening like whether be through my dad or through his work uh different things that he's been doing so joining just felt like it was kind of like a homecoming for me where it was I finally found the place where I needed to be when I join and I think your husband serves and you've got three kids so I don't know if you if they're talking about it already Patricia uh we do talk about it amongst our family if my husband do serve he's actually holding my camera right now for me he's a little cult so it's a little shaky um but we we do we do talk about all those kinds of things our kids our oldest she's 10 uh we've been taking her family day with his quadron because he join before I did um our sadron the same unit and uh we are with taxal Aviation so we um have helicopters at our unit and our daughter really became interested in them and she decided she want to be a helicopter pilot and when she talk to us about we talk about all the opportunities that the military could offer her the place she can go as a helicopter pilot so it does kind of go to that next Generation too just so amazing Dave I know know that you actually swore your daughter into the forces that must have been a remarkable day for you that was uh one of those proud dad moments like uh it was the second time I've had this opportunity I have another daughter that's uh I swore her into the rag Forest back in 2003 uh she's uh currently serving she's made at the master Warren offer and she's on a deployment right now so you I have two daughters that are serving in the military and and proud of both of those uh individuals for taking on this challenge of serving the country and and and it's yeah you kind of swell up that chest and go yep let me just end Dave and Patricia and and and I just want you to tell me what you're thinking about on Rememberance dat Dave first to you well you know as with everybody you think of the the veterans that that we've lost from the first world war or the second World War I was reminded yesterday attending a school service there was a 102-year-old veteran that was wow putting on a presentation where he's got pictures of people he went to school with here's the kids here they are as a soldier oh and this member did not make it home oh yeah you and I'm also reminded about people that we've lost you know since that time frame and you know I worked with an individual whose son we lost in Afghanistan yeah so it hits home very quickly and you know those we lose in trinia accidents and I've got friends that have gone and come back they're not the same they're struggling and and they're trying and that's what driven home you know last year I went to my hometown for membrance day and there was an elderly lady at the senat and I went up to see if she needed some help getting back and she was pausing to think and she pointed out to the name that's my brother on the senat there and this is the family doctor he's the one that delivered me and wow those close personal ties to her community and I was like there's there's the cost and and that that sacrifice of we have freedom in Canada that we enjoy because of those individuals and that's what I think about and Patricia just quickly from you what what are you thinking about today um well forever for me it's it's all about those inner working pieces so I've had the privilege in my life of being a military child I've been a military spouse and I'm serving member myself so when I think about rememberers I think about it as all those puzzle pieces coming together and that's where it's you know it's a soldiers that we've lost into soldiers that are fighting currently around the world it's all of those pieces but it's also the people that stand behind them that love them as well so for me Rememberance Day is an opportunity for us to remember those who serve those who are continuing to serve the freedoms that we're fighting for and the people who stand behind those people and love them and continue to support them in everything they do that's an awfully good point listen what a privilege to speak to both of you together Patricia Dave your other daughter who's serving your family just an incredible incredible Legacy you have given this country thank you so much for talking to me thank you for your service um and we'll we'll think about you guys through this ceremony today just a real honor to talk to you thank you so much okay thank you so much okay take good care Patricia Dave thanks a lot I'm going to go back to Hannah tiido she's down again by the Senate and she has a a Canadian Peacekeeper with her Hannah yes I do and we have a front row seat to the band coming by so our apologies for the loud music but John larby is is a Peacekeeper and he are you enjoying the front row seat yes I am yes so tell us where you served when I I served in uh Egypt in 1973 and I was over I was overseas just that one time and then to Montreal for the flq crisis and uh I was in the Airborne regiment I was a paratrooper Y and uh a lot of exercises you know mountain climbing Special Forces things you know wow peacekeeping is different today than it was in your time you were talking a bit about that with me tell me about that yes well in that time the the people with the conflict they knew who they were they were in Uniforms on both sides you know and we had to keep the peace between the two sides you know and and that's the way it went but today it's not the same thing not everybody wears a uniform ladies and gentlemen makes a very big difference welome to Canada's national C it's very difficult for for people nowadays you know for soldiers nowadays CU they're fighting an enemy with no uniform it makes it harder hard what do you think about on Remembrance Day well I think of all the uh they pass veterans and everything and I like I said my father was a veteran for 5 years during the war are watching at home leaving six kids at home under 10 years old all are respect that means a lot to me you know and so he was all over Europe during the second world war he was a medical assistant you know and so we saw a lot of things never talked about it you know because all the atrocities and everything you know don't talk about these things you know just na just like I say you have a job to do and you do the best you can what you have well we're very proud of your father and we're very proud of you John larby thank you for your service thank you for your time today Richard I'm Richard Richard okay I am so sorry about that it's okay I have a nephew name John okay well I didn't mean to do that okay Rosie back to you thanks very much Hann thank you thanks for that Hannah appreciate it this year also marks the 75th 75 years of United Nations peacekeeping and indeed the Silver Cross Mother's Son uh will bring you part of my interview with her was uh also a peacekeeper a Canadian Peacekeeper you can see that things are starting to get underway here at the national war memorial um and uh soon the Prime Minister will arrive the governor general and of course the Silver Cross mother let me bring back Tim Cook though for a moment uh to talk about those that extraordinary uh father daughter another daughter who we didn't get in because she was deployed that is something that I I I just find it's it's kind of Staggering the way families take this up as um a career and and a and a dedication to their country hist and down met veterans like that I have at the Canadian war museum we have an oral history program there where we interviewing veterans and I'm always amazed some of the questions that you've asked and others just to hear why did you enlist what was it um and it is a service it is a it is a way of life and I but I also think of all the Canadians there are millions of Canadians with a genealogical link to someone in this country think of um 620,000 Canadians who served in the first world war 1.1 million in the War 40,000 in in Korea 40,000 in Afghanistan and over time of course um there are millions and millions of Canadians who have a link to a grandfather or a great grandmother and I think that's one of the things that we we we see on this day uh it is grounded uh in communities in families at the national level we are thinking of our International commitments but it comes down often to individuals doesn't and and we've heard those personal stories we've heard about people talking about loss names on senat halfs and those stories that are not always easy to share and that's one thing I've heard from veterans my whole life they just they had a trouble talking about their experiences it's the same for the first World War veterans who I've spoken to before they all passed away the second war up to Afghanistan and maybe a day like this creates a space for us to talk about these experiences yeah and it's so much more um there's so much more space to do that now and it is so much more encouraged than than it was when the second world war vets or Korea vets Korean vets returned home the other thing that Patricia said that stood out for me though was that she's also thinking about all the people who help Canadian Armed Forces serve just all the people who look after the kids at home keep things running those people are contributing as well isn't that a great comment to think about the two World Wars especially Total Wars they involved almost all Canadians involved in that Korea South Africa Afghanistan more limited and yet still tremendous impact of uh of sending our Canadians overseas and making sure that their families are okay making sure that they know that that we are uh grateful for their service and I think uh you're exactly right there war and conflict we often think of those in uniform as we should but um I know you've spoken to silvercross mothers for so long and we think about that impact of War those who do not come home there there are very close to us 120,000 names in the books of remembrance those are Canadians who have lost their lives serving this country but it's more than that there are invisible injuries we've heard people talk about what we would Now call post-traumatic stress disorder the the great um the great invisible wounds that are very difficult to treat uh and we need to create a space and to keep talking about those physical wounds those mental wounds those who never came home and those who have come back to us thank you thank you for that thank you for bringing up the Silver Cross mother Tim has written a lovely piece in the Globe and Mail about um the importance of that role and how it came about and he's quite right every year I have the honor of going to meet the Silver Cross uh mother it's a it's something that the Royal Canadian Legion does every year they name someone who represents um a mother or a family who has lost a child in conflict and this year it was Gloria Hooper from the small town of St clae Manitoba and I spoke with her uh about a week ago about her son Sapp Chris Chris holap take a look at this the M5 Motorway wanders through the rolling mountains of Northwest Bosnia and Herzegovina about 10 kilomet south of beot Lies a marker a reminder of a Time far less [Music] gentle it's a memorial to a fallen soldier a Canadian Soldier [Music] tell me about Christopher did he always want to be a soldier yes right when he was a little kid the stories don't flow as easily as they once did for Gloria Hooper but the memories of her son Christopher are still strong so he he did like these little soldiers did he oh them in any size I could find yeah and what did he do with them he just played with them like a lot of times he wouldn't go with his friends because he wanted to use that and he do little battlefields and oh yeah just everything and when he told you he wanted to be a soldier what did you think well I thought why would he do that and then I thought about it and I thought well he's got to do something he wants in 1992 Canada joined a United Nations peacekeeping force in the fans as a bloody Civil War raged in what was the former Yugoslavia 100,000 people were killed many of them civilians the war ended in 1995 but Canadian peacekeepers stayed until 2010 Christopher jipen would serve there in 1996 I know that Chris wanted to help kids the kids oh yeah he worked with the kids over there and he started to get toys sent yeah I would just get boxes and then I just pack them up and I'd send them over there it was his third tour of Duty as a peacekeeper having served in Cyprus and Croatia it was a sad day for Canada's peacekeepers in Bosnia they were mourning the loss of Christopher halina the young soldier from Manitoba Christopher's unit was on a Rescue Mission British soldiers were trapped in a Minefield their armored vehicle left the road to avoid an accident but then kened down a Ravine and rolled over killing Christopher and I think of him every day like every single day St Cloe Manitoba is a frankophone community and here they also celebrate besti day at the local senat have it's a special place for Gloria a solemn and solid memory of how her son lived he always said if I die I want to be in a soldier's clothing and he was when you put the wreath down in Ottawa will you think of Chris oh yeah what will you think oh just what would he be doing now and stuff like that yeah and how much you miss him oh yeah yeah Gloria Hooper and her daughter will uh be arriving here at the national war memorial shortly to lay a wreath on behalf of all uh Silver Crest mothers all mothers all families who have lost someone in Conflict thinking of course of uh of their beloved Son and brother Chris I'll bring back Tim Cook as we await shortly for the arrival of the Prime Minister and the governor general I just wanted to bring up some of those numbers that I talked about um earlier in the special different numbers than we've had before about the remaining the surviving Veterans of the second world war and the Korean War it's just over 9200 now um and they are starting to plan for the last um the last surviving veteran of the second world war which will happen uh in the next decades what what what did you think of that well under 10,000 and and um we're losing we're losing our eyewitnesses to history those who who saw and served and I think of the 1.1 million down to than fewer 10,000 and they are many of them still robust and saw and full of good humor uh and able to reflect on their service but we will move to a point that Razor's Edge of History where we where we lose the last veteran and I wonder what that will mean for us we've lost the last Great War veteran John Babcock he was uh I think 110 years old and and we lost him in 2009 and I remember being asked then what will happen um you know will this just becomes something in the past and I didn't know I'm a historian prefer looking backwards than forwards Rosie but I I didn't think so partially because um this matters to us as Canadians we have said this matters Remembrance Day matters the Silver Cross mother the poppy uh all of the symbols all of the meaning there it's part of our shared history and in a day like this we can think about those 10,000 second War veterans and Korean War veterans and the many thousands of others who are still with us from the cold war or Afghanistan but it is something to reflect on and maybe in 10 or 15 years we may be in that position you and I to talk about that and to think about that and I think it will be a great loss for Canadians and yet we have done a better job in recording their history well you've you've done much of that work at at the war at the war museum because it's been you you see this coming and and there's a desire to capture these real people and their real stories that's right um allow them to tell tell their story to write it down to save those letters and Diaries those incredible photographs all of the material culture the artifacts that are in our attics and our basements that stuff matters and I think we will turn to it more and more as we go forward into the into the future um as we wait for the Prime Minister and the Silver Cross mother I'll just get you to reflect on the Silver Cross mother given you wrote that lovely um oped today on the on the importance of us doing that and marking that moment with a person because it does I hadn't thought about Bosnia in an awfully long time and that that you know made me and I and I hope made other people think about peacekeeping and Bosnia and it sort of thrusts you back into a different moment in time it does yeah and and and today we often talk about the first war and the second war and the Korean War a lot but we don't think of the tens of thousands probably hundreds of thousands of Canadians who served in NATO the defense of Western Europe of NORAD the defense of North America our Royal Canadian Navy in oceans around the world peacekeepers and and the and the key role that our Canadian Armed Forces do uh in in places like Bosnia in Somalia in Rwanda uh of course uh we are thinking more of Afghanistan but now going Beyond Afghanistan this is part of our history and I think um this this is the stuff that we can reflect on today the past connecting to the present and perhaps giving us a way to think about going forward into the future and and putting a face on that I think is so important too on on the the pain and sacrifice that families have made when they lose a member of their family as Gloria did uh the Prime Minister this is the prime minister's motorcade here he is just arriving um to attend the ceremony this year and as we've been saying this ceremony is planned by the Royal Canadian Legion so the prime minister is uh um a guest of the Legion today here at this ceremony there are a lot of people on the streets I keep sort of checking behind me a lot of people are gathering here and and youve heard in David thon's interviews there Tim some people come from very far away some people plan this as that young family did planned it for a year if you haven't been to Ottawa for this uh ceremony it is a special a special place to be and and the quiet in downtown Ottawa and the way it sort of forces you to take a moment to think is is quite remarkable I have to think this is a day of contrast isn't it we've had marching bands behind us couldn't word we've had great silences we've had times of reflection we've had times of of uh commemoration almost celebration um I think of this being a a day of public um uh bearing witness but also of private I mean there are Canadians across this country watching this broadcast in their own homes thinking about a loved one uh there are so many contradictions in war and conflict in service and sacrifice and they all come together on this day and after uh the Prime Minister gets into place uh Gloria Hooper the silvercross mother will be arriving along with her daughter Ashley who I I met when I was out in Manitoba about 10 days ago visiting them talking to them about uh about their son and brother is the mother of the late sapper Chris pipina Chris was a member of the Canadian Army and served as a combat engineer he was killed on July 4th 1996 in Bosnia during operation Alliance he and his comrades were on their way to help rescue a group of British soldiers when their armored vehicle left the road to avoid an accident and rolled over killing Chris he was the first Canadian to give his life as part of that peacekeeping mission Madame Gloria Hooper Madame Hooper St chrisina [Music] Chris during operation Alliance he and his comrades were on their way to help rescue a group of British soldiers when their armored vehicle left the road to avoid an accident and roed rolled over I just wanted to tell you that that Gloria when I visited her in Manitoba she is in in hot demand in her community in and around her community to attend uh Ceremonies for Remembrance Day she's always of course in her community of St CL but she goes to other nearby communities um to to mark that day as well because of the loss of her son um and she had never been to Ottawa never been to the National war memorial and here she is today I know it's uh it's a bit overwhelming for her um but just a remarkable moment for her family to to think back to those many years ago when when her son Christopher lost his life in Bosnia she had herself had been to Bosnia as well to see where her um where her son was killed and that was that was an important moment for her too but I you know to get this kind of attention it can be hard sometimes for for right I think and I think of the Silver Cross which was first issued Rosie in 1919 after the first world war so many of our symbols come to the first world war the poppy and Armistice Day as it was known and then in 1931 becoming Remembrance Day the first silvercross mother in 1936 going overseas with the pilgrimage as they were called to vime for the unveiling of our incredibly moving Memorial there and we have had Silver Cross mothers uh since that point through times of war and conflict and sadly um they continues to this day we see this continuance and I I think of I think of when she will walk forward and lay that wreath for all the mothers and parents and others who have lost there's a tremendous weight there sure is and it's one uh that I that we thank her for I think but also one that we would never wish on anyone on any mother this of course is uh the governor general Mary Simon she is as the commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces wearing uh the Royal Canadian Navy Navy uniform um she gets to decide what uniform she wears every year and this is the uniform she's chosen today accompanied there by her husband Whit Fraser and they will make their way up uh beside the uh prime minister and uh the Silver Cross mother and then the ceremony itself will get underway shortly I don't know how they decide what uniform to wear maybe they just rotate to pay tribute to different parts of the Canadian Armed Forces I guess I think they do but I I think it's important that each of the major service arms has that and I think of the Royal Canadian Navy today um in waters around the world often in very dangerous places common was with them just about a month ago there in yeah South Trin toe and I think we need to we need to think about all the places where our Canadian Armed Force members are in Canada and [Music] overseas a that's the governor general and her husband there just uh visiting with the Silver Cross mother the Prime Minister and other um of the dignitaries that have been invited to this ceremony and it will get underway in just a a moment or two I should tell you that we have been told that the fly past uh one of the moments I personally enjoy in the ceremony um is not going to take place today unfortunately it is quite cloudy um in Ottawa and you have to have exactly the right conditions for uh that fly pass to happen so we will not see that this year and once the governor general takes position um we will start to see the ceremony take place the the wreath Bearer position there'll be a parade to attention and of course the last post and so for that we will uh leave you to listen and commemorate and remember in your own way and we'll come back um when we need to take a look let's listen now for for for ladies and gentlemen O Canada with members of the central band of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Ottawa Children's Choir Canada [Music] our home and native [Music] true our glor oh can we stand on oh peace and of God [Music] for [Music] a [Music] [Music] the what for for one [Music] he [Music] you [Music] come [Music] great [Music] what [Music] four [Music] up [Music] they shall grow not old as we that are left grow old age shall not weary them nor the ears condemn at the going down of the Sun and in the morning we will remember them in they shall grow not old as we that are left gr age shall not weary them nor the years condemn at the going down of the Sun and in the morning Dr we will remember them Garen manani Garen manani ladies and Gentlemen please be seated parade stand east As We Gather in this place of sacred memory may these words I share now be for some the prayers of our of your heart for harders a reflection of your heartfelt Thanksgiving and for all make this word speak to our duty to remember We Gather in order to remember to Remer our remind ourselves of the past to bring the past to life today is a time to remember that life in Canada as we know it is not a given is the fruit of the labors the struggles and the sacrifices of the past let us remember all those who answered the call to battle and who never came home let us remember all those who were wounded and who bear scars on their bodies their memories and their souls may this Gathering today bring them peace and healing let us remember those families bered by the loss of a loved one let us remember with gratitude the thousands of Canadians who decide it today voluntarily to serve Canada before themselves let us remember that the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier represents thousands of Canadian faces and names May each name become an additional motivation to work for peace and to put an end to the conflict s and divisions that plague our world may our decisions and actions be imbued with courage and the values of peace and Hospitality that make true dialogue possible May our remembrance invite us to take action so as to choose diplomacy over violence and to choose to celebrate difference rather than exclusion lest we forget ladies and gentlemen the vice Regal party will now begin placing their wreath [Music] feel the PO between the cross on our and in the the still bra [Music] singing days ago we live and now we R in in take up our with [Music] [Applause] [Music] the break Fai with us [Music] [Music] shall [Music] for [Music] w [Music] e [Music] e [Music] e [Music] P Qui on his SP is [Music] oh oh I [Music] I [Music] accept [Music] for and [Music] sh [Music] for [Music] that's [Music] [Applause] for [Music] w [Music] [Music] for all all [Music] h h I [Music] [Music] [Music] look [Music] for or should ween we remember today we remember we remember those who answered when their country called those who fought and those who died for something greater than themselves from this very spot a little over decade ago our departed friend and colleague Rabbi ruven bulka reminded us that when we look at our veterans we are looking at the very best of Canada they are our true heroes they were ready to make the selfless Supreme sacrifice of their very lives to stand up to Terror to tyranny to unjust violations of human beings and their basic human rights they stood up to unjust aggression and fought for the innocent set in no answered the call many of these courageous men and women continued to Bear the scars of their service physical physical scars trauma and moral scars they deserve our honor and our total and unequivocal support at this and before this tomb of an unknown Fallen Canadian Soldier we remember that unthink able numbers of our fellow Canadians did pay the ultimate price of their very lives they sacrificed their hopes and dreams their loved ones their whole Futures they sacrificed everything ilon to sacrif they sacrificed everything we honor them best not simply by remembering their names or even by recalling their sacrifices but by remembering what they died for that their families and loved ones and grateful people throughout the world could live on in Freedom in a land where human dignity would be recognized and human rights protected where people of different backgrounds and histories would live and prosper together in mutual respect and social friendship that you and I could live lives in peace and security where governments would be moral accountable and responsible and everyone would be equal before the law where each person would enjoy religious liberty to live both privately and publicly according to their cons I and their deepest belief convictions about the very meaning and purpose of life to live in a land that is glorious and free in The Haunting poem in Flanders Fields written by the war surgeon and poet John McCrae the war dead bequeath these things to us the living as a torch to be held high here at this this place before this hallowed tomb we honor the fallen and we renew our sacred trust to them we will not forget we will remember and we will not break faith we accept this Torch from their failing hands and will continue to guard and cherish the values of ideals that they laid down their lives for and for those of us of the household of faith we entrust them to the loving kindness and the tenderhearted mercy of God may they rest in Eternal peace amen God keep our land glorious and free ladies and gentlemen God saved the king with the Ottawa Children's Choir gentl children's [Music] [Applause] not [Music] Victor happy and [Music] glor ladies and gentlemen thank you for your attendance at the national Remembrance Day ceremony today as a Grateful Nation we stand in Collective remembrance of all who have fallen in the military service of [Music] Canada we'll continue on this way gra grab ter good [Music] morning okay the governor general and other dignitaries are now making their way um away from the ceremony off to the saluting base where the um the March off will uh will begin the end of their ceremony and a parade of veterans will go by it's a very moving moment so we'll make sure not to talk through that so sometimes we also get some interesting moments here between uh vets chatting with the governor general and with the prime minister so if I see that I will uh I will be quiet but I'll bring in Tim Cook here as uh the official part of the ceremony uh wraps up um I'm just going to go back to one of the things that that was said in the prayer um and I think they I believe they were quoting the the rabbi Rabbi ruin who was who passed away and and did this for so many years but uh he talked about how when we look at all the veterans we are looking at the best of Canada I thought that was a beautiful line it's a lovely phrase isn't it and I I think many Canadians would agree with that and we think of those who put their their lives in danger often so that so that we can be protected and national interests are carried out uh and I think they do it with uh great skill we are known uh around the world our Canadian Armed Forces well trained well disciplined uh involved in peacekeeping operations and military operations uh I think another thing that came out of today uh some of the discussions and and and very powerful words are the the need to also to continue to care and to ensure that when those veterans come home that they're not forgotten uh as we've talked about create a space for them to talk and to share their stories and to ensure that the physically wounded are cared for but also um those who carry the invisible scars of War we we did also hear some um not direct reference but illusion to the fact that there are so many conflicts happening right now of course the conflict in the Middle East that started um almost just a little over a month ago when Hamas uh attacked uh Israel um killing 1,200 people that those are the new numbers that we've received from from Israel the conflict in Ukraine uh is ongoing uh and Canadians are over there in Poland we're going to speak to someone shortly training Ukrainian soldiers so the these these real these real threats that people see in the news every day that the heaviness of those conflicts I think that also changes the nature of today doesn't it in some ways because you see the tragedy unfolding in real time you know Rosie I think Remembrance Day uh you know it is shaped by the society in which we live so we think of Remembrance Day during the second world war it was often a day to mobilize Canadians we think of it during the Cold War it it took on a more aggressive uh tone uh during the 60s 7s and 80s Remembrance Day nearly disappeared as we as Canadians uh you know were thinking about other things and uh searching for peace and and much stronger anti-war because of Vietnam and other things and then it's come back again really uh since the 1990s and we see such large crowds and people across this country so it is a day that takes on I think um more meaning in what is happening and we can't ignore Ukraine uh and uh especially the Middle East and to reflect upon uh those Canadians who are there in the armed forces and of course those who are not but still in a war zone I think that has an impact on this day and certainly on the thoughts of many Canadians yeah and people just feeling the effects personally of of these things through family connections whether they have someone serving in the military or not but feeling the effects of conflict we're going to listen now a little bit as we see um this is a lovely moment as veterans parade past and receive Applause from people in the [Applause] crowd [Applause] [Music] yeah [Music] a [Music] [Applause] oh [Applause] [Music] [Applause] remember at stay bra by the right quick [Music] [Music] first [Music] B [Music] [Music] all right these are veterans uh marching past the crowds that have been here now since 10 10:30 and receiving Applause for their service and for all they've done it's a beautiful moment I must say to to watch them get this well-deserved Applause and attention that maybe not all of them like but they are there um and following the veterans you'll see active uh members of the Canadian Arm Forces will follow up in that part of the parade but we wanted to make sure to bring you that this is the part where it's um you know it it it's still a somber day of course but I have a little smile on my face seeing all these people get get the get the attention they deserve on a day like this and Hannah tiido is down again by the war memorial as we watch the parade and she's got a veteran with her Hannah okay Rosie we're down here and I'm with George Slade and we are just gabing away because George has so much to tell you and this is the important thing about this day is getting to hear these stories now George tell us where you served I served in I served in Korea you served in Korea when I was 18 I joined the army because my my father had died 1943 right and he uh our family of four my mother had a four children and it was very hard goinging you know it was hard for you very hard going so when I turned 18 I figured that uh I would uh Wren the burden and uh go to go join the Army and hopefully go to Korea which I did what's it like on Remembrance Day for you you also have a special person along with you yes Peter mcgilvery Peter mcgilvery yes he's a retired Commander Navy he in an engineering departments uh the the propulsion systems and so on is it is it important to come with Mr mcgilvery to this event and you've been here I don't know if you guys remember but we've had spoken in the past before yes not 2018 2018 yeah I was sitting across near the TV cameras and you said someone over to ask if I could be interviewed yeah at that point 2018 they didn't want any people coming here they didn't want the crowd to co but I was determined to come so I brought a chair in and parked in the NC walked up sat down and I I was able to watch the whole ceremony you were by yourself that year right I was by myself yes Rosie do you remember that I think you pointed out yes yes and he was sitting there by himself and he came and we had a chance to speak then but the crowds are bigger this year don't you think oh indeed yes very much so of course but you know as a result of that interview a CH teacher grade 1 and two Mrs privo privo in Windsor the they saw the CBC interview yeah and the children said we want to write to that man so the she called confet Affairs got my name yeah and they sent me uh drawings and thank you notes really for 2 years yeah well what did that mean to you well it it it meant a lot because at uh at the time uh candid seemed to forgot in Korea it seemed the children knew more about Korea than many other people of course had a very little level but they said thank you for your service thank you for this and so on you know that's important isn't it it is important and if we keep keep this program going then the the children of where it has to start recently Peter and I went to Warman Museum you did and I had an interview complete an hour and a half interview which they put into the memories program and it it also is made available for uh uh the children they they they go to schools and they talk to them and talk about uh the soldiers and their service it's important to keep those stories alive yes it is and uh I wouldn't be surprised if that someone calls up again you know I wouldn't be a bit surprised well it would be nice because you know what we're so thankful for both you and Mr McGill's service well thank you I uh my my my wife said this morning I expect Tony my son in Nova Scotia will call up and say did did you see that on TV today well and here you are well again I appreciate your time and coming down to speak with us again thank you very much thank you and thank you for your service and thank you for your service as well thank you very much thank you kindly Rosie back to you it's so nice to see you again in bigger crowds with this year maybe next year next year we'll chat again Hannah will you will you remind us of of um George's age there he's oh well I hate to say how old you are but your birthday is on December 5th and yes yes I do know this and he is turning 89 years young so happy birthday early birthday well thank you I really appreciate it and you're it's wonderful to have oh it's all the people here and it's so different and been from the co time wasn't it well thank you kindly and happy birthday you Rosie back to so much thanks for that to uh to all three of you I had forgotten how sad that that Co ceremony was when no one could really come out and be part of it certainly not crowds and and certainly not veterans some of them you know much older um that was a that was a difficult period and it was a hard Remembrance Day as well to do because um we just didn't have the moments to gather together and and to remind each other about what this day is David Thon is in the crowds now and he's uh got a guest for us David oh I don't think we have your mic microphone David so hang on I'm just going to see if we can get that turned on for you CU I'm missing all your smart things again David can you uh try talking to us now no okay we're g to we're going to come right back to you David as soon as we get that sorted because I know you've got people to talk to and things to show us let's go back now to um the parade I I I noticed Tim that the Silver Cross mother joined the governor general there on that I don't know if that happens every year I can't remember but I thought that was a nice touch yeah it's wonderful and um two two powerful symbols there I think of of our country uh thinking on this day of uh remembrance and commemoration but also uh I think as we've seen their service service to this country uh with the veterans marching um and hearing the veterans in the crowd and isn't it great the opportunity maybe to amplify those voices lovely and and on this day especially to hear about those experiences I think about the Korean War it's often called The Forgotten War we we have a a tremendous I think much greater knowledge of the first war and the second war but as as that veteran was saying going into the classrooms and speaking to children and there's something really powerful there when when a someone who is not just telling you about history but lived history and made history and I think those experiences uh really have an impact on young people and it's one of the things you and I have talked about how do we how do we ensure the Next Generation knows these stories and I think we're doing a great job I've met teachers across this country who who are working with veterans trying to bring the community's history alive sometimes they go to their local Senate where the names of the Fallen are they research them at library archives Canada or the war museum and I think this is just one of the ways that we can ensure that these stories are not forgotten okay I want to go to David Common because he's in Richmond Hill Ontario where there is a a March past happening right behind him David well indeed Rosie these are air Cadets uh with the local Squadron who have just taken part in the ceremony here it gives me an opportunity to to meet with Mark Castillo who was in Afghanistan in 2010 with the Royal Canadian regiment on this day you know who do you think about uh I think about a lot of people but this year in particular I'm thinking about uh my buddy Kerwin Lee unfortunately uh he lost his battle uh with PTSD back in April uh the war is done but when we come home there's still another war that we Face uh within ourselves so that I'm thinking of him he was a great Soldier great friend and uh and I I miss him dearly and uh I wish I wish there was more more that I could have done to help but you know it is what it is and uh we I just encourage everybody to get help uh when they need it you know being strong means uh being able to to accept help and ask for help and it's it's a good reminder that we think about um that what we used to call Shell Shock in the first world war and began to more understand things as PTSD that those effects endure that uh when we send when we as a country decide we're sending soldiers to a war we're making a lifelong decision exactly exactly the impact right it is it is you see that impact yourself I do I do I do and I've helped a lot of guys uh ask Veterans Affairs for help there's a lot of Foundations out there but the first step is actually just admitting you need help I needed help I'm sure we all do at one point so uh just just ask like we're never alone in this world guys like uh we have each other you know and Mark when you see you know we've got hundreds of cadets who are out here today um we have members of the Legion who've come out we have Girl Guides Boy Scouts Who come out and we've had quite a large turnout from the community when you see that in your own Community what does that mean for you it is the greatest thing ever to to see people even people just wearing poppies uh it it reminds us that people are appreciate what we've done uh people are thinking of us cuz cuz frankly not really a lot of people like I'm downtown Toronto and I see very few people working poppies so you know like how does that feel when you don't see oh yeah it hurts it really hurts it really hurts um yeah and I I didn't even see it out of Tim Horton which was weird so but yeah it's uh so I love seeing stuff like this I love seeing people uh supporting us remembering us for for what we did differ so well Mark it was a real pleasure to meet you thank you very much and Rosie I'll turn it back to you from here in Richmond Hill one of you know hundreds of Ceremonies that are taking place just like this right across the country coast to coast to coast today yeah I'm I'm glad uh you brought us that David because obviously that that side the mental health side um was something that was talked about a lot in Afghanistan and post Afghanistan um and and I know you've spent a lot of time talking to to Veterans and and active members about that kind of thing too yeah indeed uh Rosie I mean I think I was uh in Afghanistan in the immediate post 911 period and think about uh I think about guys who I drove around with in armored vehicles who who didn't come back um so this is a day that you know I I see those faces very clearly and I do not have the experience that many of these soldiers have had okay David Common host of Metro morning thanks for that David we'll come back to you and I'll bring Tim Cook in maybe as we before we go back to David Thon just for some thoughts on that because I think that's the first moment that I sort of started to understand what PTSD was um and it certainly seems to the first time that we collectively started talking about it post Afghanistan and you could hear there so well how important that is um to talk about and and we've sort of I think we've gotten better on that front we have gotten better and I'm really pleased that veteran was so open about that because the long shadow of War as we've talked about it extends far beyond the Armistice be it November 11th 1918 or the 8th of May 1945 it continues on and I think of the legacies of War and and uh we've been talking in a very positive way about commemoration remembrance but we should talk about the darker side and we have I think with the silvercross mother and other aspects but yes shell shock in the first World War battle stress in the second world war PTSD wasn't even codified in Med medical manuals until 1980 so again like you're saying it it is a relatively recent thing and I think we as Canadians um we were we were confronted by this with Afghanistan and the veterans coming home and as it was reported on the suicide epidemic and we we really I think as in our communities and at the national level um we have to come together and continue to ensure that our veterans get the care they need and hearing that veteran say uh we were Brave overseas we were Brave in uniform and now we need to come home and be brave and to talk about this that resonates with me well and also to hear him say wearing a poppy means a lot to me yeah you you know so every time it falls off go get another one because it means something to people I also was thinking too about how how suicide is now considered you are now considered one of the Fallen because it is it is viewed as a battle scar to your point something else that has happened in a different way yeah and I think these are the things we have to talk about on this day opening up that space for the good and the bad um the heroics and and the horror and everything in between yeah okay thank you for that so much Tim I'll go back now to David Thon I think we've got everything sorted and David's got some guas David hey yeah we had some issues with the battery in the mic it's very cold out here they don't last that long but uh you know the crowd isn't lasting that long either as you can see over here it is certainly thinning but those who know know that you stick around just a bit longer even after the ceremony is over to place your poppy on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier I'm really looking forward to that I'm also really looking forward to talking with some people over here David and Louise ducet all the way from one of my favorite places in Canada where's that Yarmouth Nova Scotia yarm withth Nova Scotia so yeah what brings you out here to the capital uh this remance it's your first remance day in the capital yes we came out has always been on my bucket list and um yeah this year's was the year to do it all right all right and and David tell us about what you've noticed so far what s out to you in this in the ceremony so far it's a lot different than watching it on TV the Pomp and the pageantry uh the amount of service people that are Marching by the indigenous population that are watching marching by it's uh it's really a sight to see okay and usually because Nova Scotia of course is an hour ahead of Ontario you attend the ceremony in Yarmouth and then you come and you watch turn on CBC and watch the onario the Ottawa service up from home okay that's good to hear and you also have a momento that you brought with you from uh from home can you just maybe we're going to take a look at it just just you know tell us what you're holding uh this is my father who was in World War II he was with the Royal Canadian Engineers he was a sapper and um yes it will be his first Ottawa service also okay and he died when you were very young I was 9 years old yeah okay and so I mean when you as you hold this picture as you travel with you know the memory of your father all the way to Ottawa I mean maybe what was going through your mind during that ceremony um just a sacrifice that the fames made and the soldiers made and it's very moving very moving and David yourself I what was May going through your mind as you were uh maybe thinking about your father-in-law and also um about you know what was going through your mind during the ceremony well what I noticed uh his actual job was a sapper and as we saw during the ceremony the silver cross's mother's son was a zapper as well I did notice that that was a connection as well yeah very nice connection well thank you so much for talking with us welcome to Ottawa and uh do stick around because you get to place your poppy on the tomb excellent and I think that's the best moment thank you Rosie back to you thanks David I really appreciate that it's so wonderful to see people traveling so far to to be here as we've said before it's nice to do at least once if if you can manage to do it and and you're right that moment of putting your poppy on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier also very special David will come back to you thank you so much I'll go back now to Hannah Tibido she's got another vet uh to chat with Hannah over to you you know what we are just chatting away way before we come on air here I want to welcome Bill Lewis to our show now Bill tell us where you served well very shortly in Korea at the end of that and uh every province in Canada and uh then I uh went to Cyprus with the first group in Cyprus and uh uh and uh then I spent 5 years in Germany and then back here in Canada and spent a lot of time in National Defense headquarters where I retired which is really nice and you know what Rosie one thing I went over to ask Bill if he would come on camera with me and he was reluctant because he says he's not a hero well that's true that's not true you are a hero why do you think all these people came out to see you today well it we got a lot of guys that never came home you know it's hard hard today to me I uh I just think it's wrong not to attend a a service like this you know we' we've got a lot of Canadians around here as so you were saying it was nice to be Canadian and this is something you're really reminded of today yeah more than nice proud you know and uh yeah well you you you think about it that's all but when as you get older and I'm not the youngest guy in the world anymore but uh you you have a lot of time for yourself and by yourself and for for some reason or other the thoughts keep coming back and thinking boy you know what are the thoughts you were telling me about said I lived this whole life as a Canadian you know and here I am and I my children not much more to say you know and uh what were you thinking of you were sitting up there there is a second world war veteran alongside you and some other really nice fellas that you were chatting with yeah I didn't have much talk one of them I I think they were both Engineers yeah one had had a par we were par troop Rings uh but he wasn't didn't belonged to a paratroop unit you get those wings if you make 10 jumps right and uh but he was an engineer and I guess he did some uh M keeping you know looking for landmines and that s of stuff but he didn't uh I don't know what he he wasn't a frankophone and not an anglophone I had trouble understanding his language but it's nice to see everybody out oh yeah yeah no question of it yeah look look at them all there just crowds of them here Y and when you look at all those people you're telling me how nice and how wonderful you were feeling oh yeah yeah it's it's a really good feeling to be here anyway I'll I'll go home and we still got to figure out what we do for Christmas this year what you do for Christmas well Rosie he's figuring out what he does for Christmas I hope to be around you know you'll be around because I want to see you next year too I'd I'd like to I'd like to as well you know I I wasn't teasing you and I said I thought you were a very nice lady oh very nice looking lady Mr Lewis you make my day you sure make my day thank you for your service and you know what you are a hero you're you're pushing too hard I'm pushing too hard Rosie well yep we're very thrilled to have you here and thank you for being on our program today well the time's worth it the uh you know uh one year down here uh oh maybe 10 years ago yeah I was leaving yep and a reporter caught me over at the corner here of vgen and Y Spark Street and uh asked me what I was doing I said well you know I I spent less than two minutes what what happens I hear from Sister in Calgary she saw my name on TV and it was Bill Lewis I hero from Korea well well that's terrible to misrepresent things no Bill Lewis you don't represent misrepresent anything you're a hero to us and I thank you for your time Rosie I'm going to throw it back to you but these are the stories that we just loved to hear every year yeah it's great to hear from Bill just just you remind bill that you're married though Hannah all right I will tell him thank you for that I appreciate okay we have to make something up for next year all right Bill uh it one of the things that that Hannah alluded to though there is the way when you're in the armed forces you all come together yeah doesn't matter where you're from or what language you speak you're there together and I think that's one of the things about our Armed Forces it brings Canadians together from across the country uh English Canadians French Canadians new Canadians indigenous Canadians serving together in the fal War as we've said 620,000 I've read the letters and the Diaries and and Canadians are saying I've met my first French Canadian ever and he's a great guy I mean he clearly had heard something else and I I wouldn't want viewers to think that this was a great Democratic Force there wasn't any racism but um black Canadians veterans who have come back Japanese Canadians who have served and come back indigenous Canadians who have served and come back they have testified over and over again that they were treated as equals in the armed forces because they're with the guy beside them that comaraderie is so important and often I think of indigenous Canadians who may have served uh who didn't have full rights in right to vote some of them when they were over there serving and yet and yet uh they have served their country and and uh that's one of the things about our Armed Forces I mean uh Canadians from the east coast and the west coast and and French Canada and the North and Ontario prairies coming together and it's it's I think on this day it's why um it's why this day is National it's across our country it matters in every Province every territory every Community every city town and Village and We Know It Matters CU there are memorials to the fallen and to to those who have served in all of those communities that's so true thank you for that Tim uh we were just talking there with Bill who was a veteran of of the Korean War this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean War ending um and 26,000 Canadians served and fought in the Korean War though as Tim has been talking about it is often called The Forgotten War not as as welln not perhaps as well taught as it should have been either um and while the Canadian military force departed in 1957 there are veterans out there like and Barber who um have taken it upon themselves to make sure that Canadians don't forget this particular war and those Canadians who served there and those who didn't make it back and so uh we want to go now to Andy Barber a Korean war vet he is in Miss Saga today and uh Andy's going to go to three different three different Remembrance Day ceremonies um because one's not good enough for Andy Andy hello how are you and not bad yourself Rose Mar how are you doing I'm doing well Andy Barbara tell me um when you when you think about your time serving in the military all these years later what what what do you remember most well of course being over in Korea aboard hmcs heida which is a National Historic Site uh down in um in Hamilton now I was I was aboard that ship over there in Korea and quite often uh when uh remembrance days that this come about uh when I put my head down during the two minutes of silence I not only think I think about my Naval buddies who have lost their life in the last couple of years and I also think about my father-in-law who was a decorated War one uh World War I um s soldier of course my other brother-in-law Mike Murphy who was wounded in Charlie in Korea and um yes I've been out in BO today uh quite a bit um participating in a ceremony down there in spener Smith Park this morning and then back here and when I leave here I'm going to be heading back out to Brand 60 in um in Burlington but uh my Branch 139 is just around the corner here wonderful and and and Mr Barber why do you spend so much time doing these kinds of things and talking to kids is it to try and make sure that that the Korean war is not forgotten yes that's one of the things that um they you know I back in the 1950s when the Korean war broke out in June the 25th 1950 um the word war that was a terrible word to use so Louis H was our prime minister of time called it a police action and he said yesterday speaking to somebody uh if it walks like a duck and squaws like a duck it's a duck and a war is a war is a war and uh as I said as you said the 27,000 men who served over there and of course the couple thousand who were actually wounded and sent home um to them it was a war and I like to go and talk to the children I was talking to special Deeds children yesterday and um they were quite interested in some of the things that I did a board ship when I was over there and uh and so I like to least let the people know precisely uh how the war started why it started and how it's it's basically still going on because secondly speaking we're still at War North and South Korea well I I I appreciate you doing that kind of um teaching and educating of of young people about that that's that's something important to take on what what do you think thinking about on Remembrance Day well like I said a few moments ago I think about a lot of my friends in that who have no longer with us um and uh one thing I want to go back to create War for a few seconds here yes please Mr one people don't realize is no one thing that people do not realize is that when the Armistice was signed it was not signed by the heads of government it was signed by the military and in that um arms there was no peace treaty uh included and uh sigan re who was president of Korea at the time refused to sign it and because he always had it in his mind that he was going to uh unite all of Korea but going back to as you mentioned what do I think about an idea like this yes I've been to so many of them and I see so many people I'm sitting in a chair there earlier on and uh four or five of the veterans who are usually sitting there beside me are no longer with us oh and that that's sort of startling like I know I know I'm 90 plus myself but uh you know it's those kind of things that sort of are jaring to you sometime but uh generally speaking as far as I'm concerned uh we have to make sure that people remember um the wars yes because as old saying goes those who nor history are B to repeat it and by gosh are we seeing that in the world here today you know well Mr barara I another note yes sir go ahead on another note uh back in April yes I was doing a presentation to um applebe College in Oakville they were doing a minor uh United Nations they had students from all across cada representing different countries yes and at the end of it all uh these two young girls call me to the front of the stage and I said yes and he said we're from Ukraine we just came from Ukraine wow and you were talking about how Korea rebuilt itself in 50 years when it was supposed to take a 100 yeah they said to me I hope you gave us hope that we'll be able to rebuild our country of Ukraine the same way as K rebuil their country and I felt so good about that you know bet the children were actually listening yeah that that's a lovely that's a lovely story Mr Barbara I can't believe you're 90 plus I don't think you're a lot of pluses you just 90 but I I I so appreciate yes sorry go ahead yeah I I turned 90 in uh August yeah so you're still you can you're not 90 plus you're just 90 you're just 90 thank you so much Mr Barber for making time for us and and uh and thank you for your service sir thanks for speaking with me today Rosemary I thank you so very much for inviting me here and uh thank you for coming to beautiful downtown Streetsville Ontario okay take good care of yourself we'll talk again bye-bye you have yourself a good day myself you too my friend okay let's go back to David Thon in the crowd hey Rosie every time I'm here I learn a bit more or something new about our war history and we have some living examples of that well I guess you know you're what you're wearing is a living example here we have uh two people from um well you could tell us where you're from I'm from Vancouver and uh I'm from Angus outside of Barry and you're wearing the uniform of Canadian war sisters this was the uniform that sorry Canadian nurse nursing Sisters Nursing sisters thank you for helping me with that uh this is the uniform that they would have worn as nurses during the second world war so during the first world war so I mean I guess tell me about the uniform and tell me about the role that these nurses played during that conflict sure um the wor the nurses in the world war first world war were the actually the first women to Bear rank in the uh Canadian Army they uh were all the first in the British in the entire British Empire to hold rank they uh traveled overseas there were almost 3,000 of them total about 2,500 went overseas and served right at the front lines there at 3 to five miles from the front receiving uh receiving wounded from the field and helping patch them up and they also worked in hospitals farther back hospitals in England hospitals in Canada and also on Hospital trains and and uh boats that transported the wounded and and just just to make it clear you have been given permission to wear these uniforms can you just yes yeah the Surgeon General of Canada was very kind to us uh and offered us the the uh the uh uh gave us the permission to wear the rank and the badging as it's the badging is now defunct this is a it's now the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps uh as we produce a historical um education uh for anybody who wants to listen really uh but it's clear that we we have not served we don't deserve thanks for our service or anything of that nature we are historians given permission to spread the history and teach people about the medical core and just Vicki what do people say when they see you in in these uniforms what have people been saying today um not too many people have commented today they they've I've had some currently serving members and Veterans ask you know what the uniform is all about are you really a nurse uh and I'm I'm proud to tell them about you know the Canadian nursing sisters in the first world war the things they did uh and the women whose footsteps we're following in and hoping to honor them well thank you for sharing that piece of history with us and and thank you so much for you know doing what you're doing here today thank you so much and Rosie I'll just throw it back to you David thank you for that I appreciate that I learn a lot every Remembrance Day too but I mostly just cuz I talk to Tim the whole time and he teaches me a lot it's like my little history class I get every year we are obviously talking about past conflicts but we are also talking today about people who are serving continue to serve particularly those people who are currently serving currently deployed there are approximately 2700 uh members of the Canadian Armed Forces who are deployed in places all over the world you can see that on the screen there on the map those are all the all those red dots signify places where Canadian forces is are serving in different ways one of those places um and you heard Mr Barber talk a little bit about Ukraine is Operation unifier which is Canada's mission to train Ukrainian soldiers train ukrainians to become soldiers something that they have successfully done I think we're up to 37 38 um 38,000 um people who have been trained by Canadian Armed Forces and one of those people joins us now from uh from Poland from Warsaw Poland and its Chief Warrant Officer Michael Thompson nice to meet you sir nice to meet you too give us a sense of what you are doing in Poland um on this mission that you're on uh like you said uh Poland in Poland and not only in Poland in other parts of Europe we we have over 300 Personnel deployed and we're uh our mandate is to give military training to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and essentially they're using this training uh to defend ukrainians using this train to defend their sovereignty and security and freedoms wow and and what kind of difference would you say it has made oh I I would say it would make a significant difference you know uh Canada and and its military will always have a role in uh peace and Security in the world and as for Ukraine itself uh Canada has donated a significant amount of Aid and equipment and like you mentioned we have trained over 38,000 ukrainians incredible you know if um if there's uh peace and Security in world then there's peace and Security in Canada you have served in I'm just going to list a few of those places because it's it's quite remarkable uh Chief foreign officer Iraq Bosnia Afghanistan and now you are in Poland your operation has been extended now till 2026 I know you you have a wife and a daughter and I wonder how hard it is to to be away from them and and how how you're thinking about them today yeah it it is difficult uh especially all the all the people that we leave behind I know the soldiers uh especially today kind of reflect on all their friends and family for myself um my daughter she uh has supported me through a number of missions my spouse also and um you know I'm just really grateful that I get support from them and and and from Canadians and as as a whole I I uh spoke to uh Gloria Hooper about a week ago I went out to Manitoba to do an interview with her she's a silver cross mother and the mother of Chris Hena um who was a sapper in Bosnia and I understand that that you served with him that that you knew him too uh absolutely I didn't serve on his his mission um and uh I was at the regiment uh and uh you know on that unfortunate day of that accident that took his life uh it really affected the regiment and two combat engineer regiment honors him and remembers him every year yeah you know there's a lot of talk about different conflicts in in the world right now certainly where you are and and and in the Middle East and I wonder what that makes you think of in terms of the the importance of your job right now I think um you know all CF members uh we just need to stay the course right we need to you know support our allies we need to represent what is right and and just represent Canada uh the best of our abilities um it's not like I said before it's a lot easier for us to do what we do it's only with the support that Canadians give us and our friends and family allows us to leave and uh do great things and I would I would imagine most veterans would say this and you know from World War I World War II is we're willing to do it uh but we just need everybody's support do do you love your job chief oreign officer absolutely absolutely I know there's FaceTime in things but do you want to say anything to your wife and your daughter while while I've got you on national TV uh yeah absolutely uh so for my uh spouse Jules uh she is a first responder and in the reserves and I would just like to thank you for your service my daughter you know you know thank you so so much for all your support during the different operations and deployments and I would like to thank uh obviously my friends and family from coast to coast but uh also my dad my dad is a retired service member spent 37 years uh in the service and I'd like to thank him for his service well we're going to thank you Chief foreign officer Thompson thank you for your service for what you're doing over there and thanks for taking time out of a very important job just to talk with me on TV but important to think of all the people working so hard even now so thank you for your service and on this Remembrance Day lots of people sending you support and and good thoughts too sir okay you're welcome okay stay safe over there thank you so much appreciate it okay always love to talk to someone who's actually out there doing these jobs that we're talking about that are so hard and they are full of humility in these moments uh let's go back to David Common now and Rosie uh there's so much Serenity in cemeteries I think of the cemetery you know just off of the D-Day beaches in France uh first world war cemeteries in Belgium and how manicured they are how well-kept they are but of course there are veterans of Wars who end up in cemeteries like this one in Richmond Hill um and you see the poppy here today so how does that happen it is part of the no stone left alone program and we've been seeing some air Cadets people like warn officer second class now Lee and your first name is Daisy Daisy Daisy Lee and you're part of this program and remind me what is it how has this come to be so basically we have um been a part of a lot of cemeteries trying to decorate and identify veterans in various locations and we're commemorating them when maybe their families uh are unavailable or just during this remembrance event to have a place for them in our ceremonies and so I if I just kneel down here and I show what you've got you've got the poppy you've got the Canadian flag um and this is for a veteran right next to it is the the stone that you very often see for our left tenant Edward little um who died in 1956 and it really does give you this sense I think of that that that the sacrifice as well as the service is in communities right across this country yeah I think it's really important that um they are commemorated and their service is not forgotten especially because in the cemetery we're here right now we have a lot of veterans from both world wars we have veterans from the Korean War the War of 1812 and sometimes they are overlooked sometimes because their graves are unidentifiable so by doing this we basically bring back this memory and we commemorate them properly well Daisy you're 17 years old it's remarkable that you're doing this thank you for doing this I know that families certainly must appreciate this and on a day like this uh it's very important for the country so thank you so much Rosie we'll put it back to you right here from the Richmond Hill Cemetery just after the service nearby David Common the host of Metro morning but very uh very very happy to have you on a special day like this given all of your knowledge of these kinds of things David thank you so much for doing this let's go now to David thurton for a final 30 second thought there David he Rosie yeah I'm just struck by how far families come all the way to the national capital region just to you know Mark remembrance to we spoke with one mom who booked you know a hotel a year in advance they came out they came out in large numbers even on our overcast day which is now ending you know on a beautiful note with the sun peeking through struck by all of that it's very good Remembrance Day thanks for being here again this year really appreciate it Hannah quick thought from you please it's just a thrill to be here and uh be a partner with you and everyone else on this show and share the stories of those veterans Who come out and pay tribute to colleag comrades who maybe didn't make it back home thank you Hannah always appreciate you being here and Tim a final thought from you quickly well I want to thank you Rosie for for keeping us moving in the right direction and it was great to be with you and and I think this is a day if there's a final thought where one feels the weight of History it it is here with us and and thank you thank you for being here Tim glad you're back with us this year the annual REM Remembrance Day special is one of the most important broadcast that we bring to you here at the CBC and to the whole country uh this year we are also marking and thanking someone who has worked at the CBC for 47 years and who chose this special this important day to mark his last day it's that gentleman you see behind my camera right there Keith whan thank you for making the public broadcaster better every year that you worked with us and thanks for making Remembrance Day special thank you for watching this Remembrance Day special here um it is important to all of us and we hope that it was important to you we will give the final word to soldiers and Veterans now who about who they remember on this November 11th it is very important for Canadians to remember all the Soldiers and Sailors and Airmen who lost their lives who gave their lives up it was to Pro protect our country my message to Canadians would be to thank a veteran and take the time out of your day to to remember reflect on the Privileges that we have here and the freedoms that we have here and the cost of those for me personally I remember uh Sergeant Andrew Daron masc pette uh Mas Pete Duff those are close uh people I knew that have passed so I take the day uh to really reflect and remember on them Corporal Steven buzan died in 2007 in Afghanistan the fact that we're from the same small town really brings home what it means to make that ultimate sacrifice my I'd be thinking about my own family from the War of 1812 right up to my own son James who recently passed away his funeral is the 8th of November which is actually indigenous Veterans Day so that's a very significant um point in my life that I will be remembering November the 11th of course that was instituted after the first world war a lot of people have lost their light um I think um she certainly [Music] blow the cross our and in the the still bravely singing the [Music] the we live so Sun [Music] and now we in [Music] take we [Applause] ch
