Writer: Emma McIsaac
Remembrance Day has long been known as a day to recognize the sacrifice of the brave soldiers who fought in Canada’s military. As Canada celebrates the 104th anniversary of Remembrance Day, we wanted to ask if today’s youth understand the significance of the holiday. Since the youth of today haven’t had to experience the impact of a World War firsthand, it is up to the adults to pass on the legacy of their predecessors to the children. As more and more veterans pass on, it is increasingly important to reflect on the message we provide our children about their lives.
In speaking with a high school history teacher who prefers to remain anonymous, they expressed disappointment in the youth of today; treating Remembrance Day as a day off of classes instead of a day to reflect. They proceeded to explain that many of their students do not take interest in Remembrance Day, or the sacrifice associated with it. It is a challenging subject to understand the gravity of and they said they personally didn’t feel they understood the importance of Remembrance Day until they grew older. Travelling to the battlefields in Europe was what helped them come to terms with what the day stood for.
So how can we impart this understanding to youth in a simpler way? Schools have been holding Remembrance Day ceremonies for generations. While the curriculum varies, with each independent teacher emphasizing different topics in their classroom, it’s challenging to accurately reflect on the effectiveness of schools’ teachings. Drawing from my own personal experiences, I always felt the ceremonies were very predictable. Every year, from elementary school to my graduation, the ceremony would follow the same formula. We would be coached on the expectations and etiquette before travelling as a class to the ceremony. They would lay wreaths, read a poem or two, and have a moment of silence. Although the ceremonies were often heartfelt, I never felt as if anything truly connected with me. I understood the concepts, but as someone who has had the privilege of never losing any of my close family to war, it was difficult for me to connect in the same way many of the adults did.
Yet despite this, as I’ve grown older I feel that I understand the importance of it. In speaking to some of my old classmates, I found the same opinion. Given the emphasis on the World Wars in our history classes, it is incredibly difficult to feel as if you don’t “understand”. I think the question lies less in the knowledge, and more in the application. Youth may not experience a personal connection to the day, but when prompted about the importance can respond with common phrases such as “remembering so that it doesn’t happen again”. We can repeat the information, but it is challenging to understand it until you are in a situation where you can apply that knowledge.
I spoke with Professor David Ratz of Lakehead University who imparted his wisdom to me saying “In order for Remembrance Day to have meaning for them (the youth) they have to be taught it or discover for themselves why it is important to remember.” He also drew attention to the change in ceremonies over the years, as well as the lack of appreciation for younger veterans.
“When I was younger, I remember lots of people attending the Remembrance Day ceremonies and there were hundreds of veterans present. For a period in the late 1980s and 1990s, I recall attendance dropping noticeably, especially as veterans died off. Now there are very few old veterans alive. What many people fail to notice is that in fact by the 2000s, there were a large number of young veterans. These are the Canadians who served on various peacekeeping operations and in conflicts like Afghanistan. These ‘young’ people are also veterans who served Canada”
I found this idea altered my perception as I was doing research and writing this article. Canada has entered a new era with conversations surrounding the military changing. Although I still believe it is important to recognize the sacrifices made during the World Wars, I believe that it is also critical for us to acknowledge and appreciate our younger veterans to help engage the children of the future in the importance of the day. As the World Wars grow further into the past, the new generations have less and less of a personal connection to it. For youth to understand and appreciate Remembrance Day well into the future, it is critical for it to evolve with society.
I was always taught that we learned about Remembrance Day so we could ensure another World War never happened again. I believe it is critical for the children of today to not only know our nation’s history but to be able to practically apply it to the world today. Only with this combination of knowledge and application working hand in hand can we achieve true understanding, and the ability to make the world around us a better place.
