Remembrance Day at Carleton University looked different this year, as Nov. 11 was marked with a virtual ceremony due to the pandemic.
The ceremony, which was posted online 15 minutes before 11 a.m., featured a number of speakers from the university community, as well as poetry and musical performances.
The pre-recorded ceremony began with a land acknowledgement and speech by Brian Billings, director of Campus Safety Services. Billings’ speech highlighted the school’s long-standing relationship with Canadian veterans.
“Founded in 1942 at the height of the Second World War under the name of Carleton College, this school educated veterans returning home from war,” Billings said, adding many students, staff and faculty currently serve in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Janelle Freel, a first-year interactive and multimedia design student, said in an interview that Remembrance Day serves as a chance to reflect on Canada’s history.
“I think of all the soldiers who lost their lives in the war and the battles that they fought, and the red poppy that we wear to show our respect to the soldiers who fought during the war,” she said, adding her great-grandfather participated in the Second World War.
Elizabeth Harding, a first-year student in Canadian studies, said Remembrance Day ceremonies—even virtual ones—serve as an important reminder of the past.
“We need to remember that there was a lot of fighting that has happened in the past and is still happening to keep people in our country and across the world safe,” she said.
Harding added that Remembrance Day ceremonies also highlight the importance of hope, especially during a pandemic.
“I’m very grateful now that we’re in a time where Remembrance Day is actively talked about,” she added.
During the ceremony, Carleton president Benoit-Antoine Bacon placed wreaths dedicated to students, faculty, staff, and Indigenous veterans.
“We pay tribute to the thousands of women and men who sacrificed so much so that we can live in peace and freedom which we should never take for granted,” he said in a speech.
Bacon added that an online ceremony shouldn’t diminish the meaning of Remembrance Day, and should continue to serve as a chance to honour generations of Canadian soldiers.
Bacon also paid his respects to the soldiers who returned from the war suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Carleton was born in the Ottawa community with the express goal of meeting the needs of these brave soldiers and others involved in the war efforts, those who paid such a high price in their own lives for defending ours,” he said.
In a speech, Jerrett Clark, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 2424, highlighted the role of Remembrance Day by recognizing the sacrifices of soldiers from the previous generation.
“I am privileged to be a part of a generation and a part of the world that has never felt the direct effects of war, and that is in no small part due to those sacrifices,” he said.
“We must remain vigilant against the kind of hate and intolerance and unbridled nationalism that fueled the great wars, so those sacrifices won’t be in vain.”
Featured image by Tim Austen.
