Rexdale resident Abdul Basit joined the small group for Remembrance Day at his area legion hall. He said the ceremonies shouldn't just be about soldiers, but also include doctors and others who gave their lives in the line of duty.
His father-in-law, Abdul Qadir, fought in the Second World War in Northern Italy. He says he recalls the times when Qadir shared experiences with him about the war.
Basit recalled all the times Qadir told him about how his ship got attacked by submarines. Basit said that Qadir overcame his trauma through the power of prayer.
Basit said he believes Remembrance Day should be extended to remember doctors and others who gave their lives to bring peace or help humanity. He says that the Ahmadiyya community, of which he is a part, is working towards that goal.
“Remembrance Day is actually remembering all those who sacrificed their lives for their country,” he said. “Even if they are in the service of battle or any other line, they are also remembered today. So let’s not forget all those who sacrificed for the community and other social work also.”
Remembrance Day at Royal Canadian Legion Coronation Branch 286 on Irwin Road in Rexdale was marked with reverence and decorum. It was a small group of about 75 veterans and veterans’ family members who attended this ceremony.
The proceedings included a two-minute moment of silence at 11 a.m., and several war poems were read out by Legion Hall members. It ended with a dedication at the snow-covered cenotaph outside and the ceremonial laying down of poppies.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford visited the hall in the afternoon to speak with the members. He spoke about the importance of the younger generation remembering the sacrifice of service members.
“We have to make sure the younger generation remembers,” he said. “We have to educate them throughout our school systems, bring in some veterans to speak to them.”
Faye MacLachlan, who works for the Royal Canadian Legion’s Coronation Branch 286, helping veterans in the Etobicoke area, said she believes that veterans must go to schools and speak on the heavy price they paid for liberty.
“We have to have veterans go to the schools and meet with the students and explain to them why they went and served. And again, your freedom is not free. Liberty was very dearly paid for by many young people,” she said.
Lauren Barkley does her part to preserve the memories of the veterans attached to Branch 286. She meticulously maintains the museum in the Legion Hall, including the models of aircraft and ships built by veterans from memory.
“We all know our private histories,” she said. “But we don’t necessarily know the histories of others, and especially of other groups and people who look different from us. So that’s important to get across to people.”
Barkley’s grandmother maintained a garden for the “Land Girls,” or the Women’s Land Army (WLA) during the Second World War in Edinburgh. Now suffering from Alzheimer’s, she no longer remembers much, except for the time that she served her country.
Sebastian Ribeiro, sergeant-at-arms at Coronation Branch 286, said it's important to educate the next generation. He is a veteran of the Seventh Royal Canadian Artillery, serving between 1989-1983. Ribeiro was part of the United Nations’ Operation Snowgoose, serving in Cyprus between 1992-1993. He said working in a foreign country was an eye-opening experience.
“After that, it was time to give back to the community and the veterans,” he said, regarding his work at the Legion Hall.
“Remembrance Day is an opportunity to educate the younger generation – to tell what has been lost in order to have what we gained for our freedoms.”
