One hundred and four years ago, the guns went silent on the Western Front.
After four long years of brutal combat, and with an estimated 40 million people dead, the First World War—at the time dubbed the “war to end all wars”—ended on Nov. 11, 1918.
Today, Canadians from coast to coast continue to mark the date each year, pausing for two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. to remember those who laid down their lives for their country.
Residents in Whistler and Pemberton can honour the fallen at their respective community cenotaphs beginning at 10:30 a.m.
In Whistler, the Remembrance Day ceremony will begin with a veterans parade and Colour Party making its way from Ted Nebbeling Bridge down the Village Stroll to the cenotaph in Olympic Plaza.
The Whistler Singers and Whistler Children’s Chorus will perform songs of remembrance and lead the gathering in O Canada, and for the first time since 1952, people will sing “God Save the King” instead of “God Save the Queen.”
According to Steve LeClair, organizer of the Whistler Service of Remembrance, this year’s program will include the Last Post and the Rouse, a helicopter fly-by, a cannon firing, poetry readings, and a presentation of wreaths.
Remembrance Day offers an opportunity for younger generations to keep the memory of those who served the country alive, LeClair said.
“We owe our freedom to those who gave their lives to serve our country in previous conflicts, and it’s important that we don’t forget that. Our veterans are getting older and it’s important to keep that memory alive,” he said.
“We have such a wonderful standard of living here, and it’s due in large part to those people who sacrificed so that we can have that.”
The event will also be livestreamed at whistler.ca so those who wish can attend the ceremony virtually.
Residents who want to volunteer or wish to place a wreath on Remembrance Day can contact LeClair at [email protected].
Up the highway in Pemberton, the Legion is holding its annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the cenotaph in front of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 201 building on Prospect Street.
The Legion requests that members of the public who wish to participate in the parade assemble at the Pemberton Fire Hall at 10:30 a.m., with the procession beginning at 10:45 a.m.
After the service and laying of wreaths, the public is invited to the Pemberton Legion for a small luncheon. While previously reserved for people in the armed forces and veterans, membership in the Legion is now open to the general public.
“Our mission is to serve veterans, including serving military and RCMP members and their families, to promote remembrance, and to serve our communities and our country,” Legion Branch 201 president Lesley Clark said in an email.
The Legion is also a caretaker of the Pemberton cemetery, and lays wreaths at each veteran gravestone every year.
Recently, the Pemberton Legion held a joint Halloween fundraiser with Whistler Adaptive, a local non-profit focused on helping introduce individuals with disabilities to sport, recreation and therapeutic sports programming.
Collective Kitchen provided a meal, followed by music DJ’d by Pete Cronin. Once all the items are confirmed sold, the silent auction is expected to raise more than $10,000.
