Several hundred people, veterans, serving soldiers, police, politicians, consuls, civilians, curious people and others gathered Friday morning at Place du Canada in Montreal for the Remembrance Day ceremony.
Posted at 1:37 p.m.
Updated at 2:05 p.m.
Quebec Premier François Legault, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante and Canadian Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Marc Miller took part in the celebration and laid wreaths at the foot of the cenotaph honoring the combatants who participated in the two world wars and to the Korean War.
In a press scrum, Prime Minister Legault mentioned, among other things, the “enormous debt” that all citizens owe to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the field of honor.
“It’s important for me to be here today, to remember,” said Mr. Legault. We have a duty to remember. There are men, women, courageous, courageous, who went to defend our values of freedom, our values of democracy. I couldn’t help thinking that during the Second World War young people of 18, 20, 25 left. I put myself in the place of the parents who, sometimes, did not see their young people come back… die for freedom, for our democracy. I think we owe a huge debt to everyone who did it. »
Mr. Legault also stopped at the news by evoking the conflict in Ukraine where “there are still victims of war”.
Ukraine, which has been defending itself against Russian aggression since February 24, 2022, and even since 2014 when considering the annexation of Crimea, was also at the heart of the participants’ concerns.
Thus, in his prayer, Major Michel Martin, Chaplain of the Canadian Armed Forces, declared: “Our thoughts and our prayers are for peace in Ukraine and Russia. »
In addition, members of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress were part of the delegations who came to lay a wreath in memory of the veterans.
“It’s special,” said the president of the Quebec section, Michel Shwec, to The Press. We would like to thank all of the Canadian Forces. We know that more than 50,000 Ukrainian Canadians served in the Second World War. We must honor their sacrifices. »
And what about Canadian aid in the present conflict with Russia? “We always need help,” he replies. But Canada, through Project UNIFIER, has been making every effort to train Ukrainian forces since 2014. They are doing a lot, a lot. We thank them. »
Testimonials
Like all the ceremonies of November 11, that of Montreal was borrowed from a great decorum with national anthems, ringing of death, airs of bagpipes, laying of wreaths, including one of Canadian veterans in Vietnam, the passage of two Air Force helicopters and gunfire that sent flocks of birds flying around the downtown buildings.
Three veterans briefly greeted their comrades in French, English and Mohawk.
“It is very important to honor our veterans and the veterans of today, confided to us Louis Stacy of Kahnawake. If we all live free today, it is thanks to them. »
Among the many veterans present, there was also Corporal Gaston Delisle of the Royal 22e Regiment which will be 92 years old in a week and which fought for 15 months during the Korean War. “I miss my buddies who died there,” said the very moved man at the end of the celebrations.
From Verdun, Violet Drummond, an Anglophone who was in the navy during the Second World War, comes to her side every year and is delighted.
“Thank God we don’t give up. We continue to thank all those who work for our country and it is wonderful, she launched, well seated in a wheelchair, a blanket on her legs. We do not celebrate victory, but the beauty of still seeing young people today ready to enlist in the army, navy and air force. »
When reporters asked him to talk a bit about his career, Ms.me Drummond said he lived extensively in Hong Kong and Singapore.
“I have also been married twice and am looking for a third husband. Is anyone available? “asked this lady who will soon be 99 years old.
No one took a step forward, but everyone had a good laugh.