Lest we forget

Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua issued the following statement to commemorate Remembrance Day: 

“Every year, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we observe two minutes of silence in honour of the brave Canadians who served and continue to serve our country in times of war, conflict and peace. In the face of hardship, fear and the unknown, our veterans, service members and fallen soldiers showed great courage, conviction and selflessness.   

“Today, we keep them close to our hearts with a poppy pinned to our chest. It is a meaningful symbol of our unwavering gratitude. 

“Tens of thousands of Canadian men and women made the ultimate sacrifice, and an untold number returned and lived, or continue to live, with the unseen scars of war. Yet, their heroism has afforded generations of Canadians the freedom to live with equity, dignity and without discrimination. We also recognize the family members – parents, siblings, spouses and children – who have given up precious time with their loved ones in the name of our country. For this, we are forever grateful.  

“This year, I encourage citizens to explore the City of Vaughan’s virtual Remembrance exhibit, The Battle from Above, which features the stories of heroic pilots from Vaughan who fought in the World Wars. The virtual exhibit will be available at vaughan.ca/RemembranceDay. 

“Citizens may also offer thoughts of remembrance and peace on the City’s virtual poppy wall. They can share stories and thank those brave individuals who have served. It is available until Monday, Nov. 14, at vaughan.ca/RemembranceDay.

 “Our veterans fought for a noble cause – to ensure a better, safer and brighter future for people in Canada and around the world. We now must protect the freedoms they handed us so their lives were not lost in vain. We owe them an immeasurable debt of gratitude for the invaluable gifts they have bestowed upon us. We will never forget.”​​