Remembrance Day 2023 in Canada

Is Remembrance Day In Canada A Public Holiday?

Remembrance Day in Canada is given the status of public holiday in three territories and six provinces, as per the Holidays 2023 calendar. Most businesses, stores, and shops as well as all schools, universities, and government offices remain closed in these regions. Public Transportations also do not follow their usual route. As for the other four provinces, three (except Quebec) do have some form of holidays, guided under the rules of their individual municipalities.

Remembrance Day in Canada History

The world has not yet forgotten the history that led to the formation of Remembrance Day. Remembrance Day or Armistice Day is observed in Canada and many other countries to remember the end of the malevolence that was the First World War in 1918. Moreover, Canada, as well as other Commonwealth countries, commemorate this day to acknowledge veterans who served in the Wars and the martyrs. Around 100,000 Canadian soldiers lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. This day honours them. It also remembers the fallen of the Korean War and other conflicts of which the Canadian Army was a part.

In the early years (1921-1930), following the Armistice Day Act, Thanksgiving and Armistice Day were commemorated together, on the Monday of the week of 11 November. This was amended in 1931, and Armistice Day was celebrated on 11 November ever since. Its name was changed during World War II, as several countries expanded the day to honour all martyrs, not just the fallen of WWI. As a result, Remembrance Day in Canada was formed.

Public Life on Remembrance Day in Canada

Remembrance Day is a public holiday in the three territories of Canada, namely, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Of the nine provinces, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador also commemorate the day.

However, of the other four, only Nova Scotia observes the day as a holiday with separate rules under the Remembrance Day Act. The day isn’t an official holiday in Manitoba, but those working on 11 November have to be paid 1.5 times their regular wages. Additionally, everything except essential services is shut down from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. It is not a statutory holiday in Ontario and isn’t commemorated at all in Quebec. However, in both these places, employees working on this day get a higher wage than on usual days.

The federal department of Veterans Affairs Canada runs a program called Canada Remembers. Its mission is to make the young Canadians understand what war is and the privilege of peace. It makes them realize what the veterans and people of those times sacrificed.

The official ceremonies are held at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, including salutes (Viceregal and gun-salute), followed by two minutes of silence at 11:00 am. Afterwards, The Act of Remembrance is read, and then a flypast, 21-gun salute, laying of wreaths, and a march past ensues. A tradition of paying personal respects has also taken root in public life on Remembrance Day in Canada. One the official ceremony is over, people honour the fallen with red poppies on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Red Poppies are considered to be a symbol of remembering the martyrs of the war. Similar ceremonies are held throughout the country, presided over by the respective lieutenant-general of the province.

Remembrance Day Observances

FAQs

Remembrance Day Celebrations In Other Countries

• Remembrance Day In Australia

Tl;dr For those who only wish to know When is Remembrance Day in 2023? The date is 11 November, Wednesday.

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