Rememberance Day 2024

Taking part in the Remembrance Day memorial celebrations has become an annual tradition for me. For someone like me who refused military service when I was young, this solemn ceremony is always an opportunity to stop and be grateful to those who stopped my grandparent’s generation’s attempt to spread fascism throughout the world. These men and women made a different decision in a very different time.

After the devastating wars in Europe, Canadian peacekeepers helped keep warring parties from killing each other all over the world.

As an immigrant to Canada, my appreciation for their efforts is renewed every year by remembering their and their families’ sacrifices.

Remembering soldiers that died in armed conflict and those that were hurt physically and mentally during their time in service is an important part of being a citizen and a member of a society. It is part of my commitment to being part of this country that I chose as my home.

To me, Remembrance Day is also a point to remember the other victims of war and oppression. Millions of people were killed in the big European wars alone, and thousands are still being killed in war every year.

What Now?

Thinking of the innocent victims of war is just as important today as it was in history. Today there are too many armed conflicts raging all over the world to remember.

With this remembrance, we should also be thinking of Canada’s ongoing role in these conflicts. We rightfully pride ourselves as having served in many conflicts as UN peacekeepers. This is something that we can rightly be proud of.
As one of the biggest world economic and military powers, we still have an opportunity and obligation to work for peace or at least the end of armed conflict.

However, the UN seems to be helpless in doing much in the current conflicts in the world. It can’t stop the invasion of Russia into Ukraine, and it won’t stop the genocide of the Palestinians either. The veto rights of the big powers prevent any significant actions by the UN to help the victims of these wars in eastern Europe or the Middle East.

As I was standing safe in Kelowna’s city park today, remembering those that tragically lost their lives or had their lives destroyed, I was feeling helpless and powerless to help those that are being killed, starved, and driven out of their homes.

Especially because nationalists in the USA are poised to take over governments and Canada seems to be headed in the same direction politically, our ability to be peacekeepers seems to be unlikely.

Wouldn’t it be time to leave our path of following everything the US is doing in the UN and finally stand up to being a force that brings peace to Palestine and Lebanon and helps rebuiding what was destroyed because of our inaction?

Standing at the Cenotaph today, I felt sad, angry, and helpless.

What can we do?