While calls for a statutory holiday for Remembrance Day grow louder, some brokerages are taking the initiative and closing their doors to remember the fallen today.
Brokerages like Fairway Insurance Services in Nova Scotia tweeted yesterday that they would be closed for business to observe Remembrance Day, “to remember the men and women who have fought, and are still fighting for our freedom.”
Others will ask staff to take a moment to reflect on those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
“Each year we make an announcement over our internal PA system to honour Remembrance Day,” says Alan Hollingworth, vice president and partner of entertainment practice leader & central region sales leader at Hub International Ltd. In Toronto, Ont. “That announcement is then followed by a minute of silence.”
Kanetix.ca tweeted that their social channels will be silent tomorrow, “out of respect for veterans those who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Challenge Insurance Group Inc. in Calgary, Alta. posted a
video on its Facebook page, of a young hockey player honouring veterans.
This year’s ceremonies have taken on special meaning, with the October 22 murder of Corporal Nathan Cirillo while standing guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa, Ont., and the hit-and-run murder of Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent in St.-Jean-sur-Richelieu , Que. on Oct. 20.
In Ottawa, there is a private member’s bill that has passed second reading and is now before the heritage committee for further study before coming back to the Commons for a final vote.
Bill C-597 – which would amend the Holidays Act – passed by a margin of 258 to 2.
Currently the only provinces that do not observe November 11 as a holiday are Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Manitoba.
In one prairie province, there is a call for all business activity to cease to remember Canada’s war dead.
In Saskatchewan, the leader of that province’s Green Party – Victor Lau – says there is no need for people to go shopping on November 11, and that the treatment of Remembrance Day as “just another day” is wrong. (continued.)
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“All of the Canadians who serve to protect our country deserve our utmost respect,” says Lau. “The least that we can do to honour our defenders is to have all commercial activity cease on Remembrance Day so that we can properly reflect on the sacrifices of those brave souls.”
Chris Floyd, president of the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario, feels it is the least the industry can do to honour those who have given their lives for our freedom.
“We honour those who served or continue to serve our peaceful, beautiful country," Floyd told
Insurance Business. "Many of us have heroes in our own family. All of us salute those patriotic men and women who protect our nation, selflessly"
Some Remembrance Day facts:
- Remembrance Day was first observed in 1919 throughout the British Commonwealth. It was originally called “Armistice Day” to commemorate armistice agreement that ended the First World War on Monday, November 11, 1918, at 11 a.m.—on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
- Every year on November 11, Canadians pause in a moment of silence to honour and remember the men and women who have served, and continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict and peace. We remember the more than 1,500,000 Canadians who have served throughout our nation’s history and the more than 118,000 who made the ultimate sacrifice.
- The poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day. Replica poppies are sold by the Royal Canadian Legion to provide assistance to Veterans.
- Remembrance Day is a federal statutory holiday in Canada. It is also a statutory holiday in three territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut) and in six provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador).
- Some of the 54 Commonwealth member states, such as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, observe the tradition of Remembrance Day on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Other nations observe a solemn day but at different dates. For example, ANZAC Day is observed in New Zealand on April 25. In South Africa, Poppy Day is marked on the Sunday that falls closest to November 11.
- Many nations that are not members of the Commonwealth also observe Remembrance Day on November 11, including France, Belgium and Poland.
- The United States used to commemorate Armistice Day on November 11. However, in 1954 they changed the name to Veterans Day.
