Honouring the fallen at downtown Remembrance Day ceremony

The annual day to remember Canadian sacrifices of valour has come, and the people of Toronto gathered throughout the city to honour it.

Remembrance Day ceremonies were held at war memorials,including the Old City Hall Cenotaph at the corner of Bay and Queen Streets.

As the eleventh hour approached, a parade of people donning uniforms and bearing flags marched toward the cenotaph while a crowd of people assembled to observe and pay respects.

“Let us together hold tight the memory of those who gave everything,” Mayor Olivia Chow said in a speech addressing ceremony attendees.

“Let us remain steadfast in the pursuit of a just future for all, lest we forget,” she said.

Torontonians who attended the downtown ceremony agree that it’s important to honour the sacrifices and courage of Canadians.

“I had to make it a point to get up, shower and shave, and show my respect by making it down here,” said Cory Swick, an onlooker at the event.

“All of them were up there standing completely still in the cold for that long, so I think the general public should be able to show up and do that as well to show their respect,” he said.

Swick said he’s proud to call himself Canadian and attended the Tuesday morning ceremony to pay his respects to his grandparents and all others who served in the military.

The event’s turnout of people gathering for this similar reason of showing respect was positive and a definite improvement from the previous year, according to Royal Canadian Air Force Captain Kwan Tai Chow.

“Remembrance Day is always significant to us as CAF members because it reminds us of the sacrifices of previous soldiers that came before us, and today’s show-up is quite good,” Captain Chow said.

He serves as a public affairs officer within 32 Canadian Brigade Group, an infantry-heavy brigade made up of various reserve force units within the GTA.

“I’d say the audience is much bigger than before because of COVID from last year, and I love it,” Chow said.

He said the parade was composed of the Seventh Royal Regiment Band, veteran contingents, Toronto Police, Toronto Fire, Toronto Medics, cadets and the City of Toronto Honour Guard.

Additionally, sentries were placed around the cenotaph, which was manned by members of the 48th Highlanders of Canada, a local Toronto reserve infantry unit.

With representation from the Canadian Armed Forces and many other organizations dedicated to the service of the Canadian public, Tuesday’s ceremony continued the tradition of honouring those who are willing to give their lives for others.