Torontonians mark Remembrance Day

Thousands of people across the city paused Friday to remember Canada’s war dead and to pay tribute to the efforts of service men and women in Remembrance Day ceremonies.

“Our service men and women who returned from armed conflict and peacekeeping missions deserve our eternal gratitude,” Mayor Rob Ford said during a ceremony at the cenotaph at Old City Hall. “Those who did not return are owed a debt that can never, ever be repaid. “
 
There was a large turnout for the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at Old City Hall that began at 10:45 a.m.

The bells in the tower tolled at the 11th hour before the The Last Post was played, followed by two minutes of silence.

“Today, the people of Toronto join with all Canadians to say thank you to all of those who have done so much for this great nation,” Ford said before the hymn Eternal Father was sung. “We remember those who have served Canada in the past and we salute those who continue to serve Canada today.”

Zainab Ansari joined the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve seven years ago and recently returned home from a six-month trip to Afghanistan where she was working as a civilian.

“For me … to be able to be here for Remembrance Day just within a week of being back home, it means more than anything to me,” she said after the service at Old City Hall.

“The second I put on this uniform there’s a sense of pride and accomplishment and a feeling that we’re actually serving. It’s really nice to have everybody recognize that.”

Joan Armstrong was also among the crowd at Old City Hall. She worked as a British spy during the Second World War.

She couldn’t tell her parents or husband that she was involved with MI5 activities.

“I signed the official War Act when I left to say that I would not divulge anything I had done in the Far East or in Europe,” she said, noting she had to wait 35 years to be able to talk about her secret service.

“I was encoding. We won the war with codes,” she said.

“It did alter my life,” she said, noting how proud she is of her service, especially at a time when women’s contributions weren’t fully appreciated.

A 58-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman were arrested in separate incidents during the service.

The two people were shouting while Ford was speaking.

Both have been charged with disorderly conduct in a public place. The man, who was ushered away by a Mountie in red surge, was also charged with public intoxication.

The solemn day began with an overnight vigil held by 631 Sentinel Squadron air cadets at their headquarters, near St. Clair Avenue East and Victoria Park Avenue. The cadets stood guard at the cenotaph until 11 a.m. Friday.

Veterans from the Second World War, the Korean conflict and Canada’s peacekeeping missions, and others, gathered at Prospect Cemetery, at St. Clair Avenue West and Lansdowne Avenue, for the annual sunrise ceremony that started at 8 a.m. Wreaths, sponsored by individuals, veterans’ families, Toronto police and local businesses, were laid at the cenotaph. The Last Post was played and a moment of silence was observed.

Services were also held at Sunnybrook hospital and at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, where a monument was recently dedicated to Canada’s most decorated war hero, Lt.-Col. William Barker—a First World War flying ace.

“You helped build a great country. One of the most tolerant, progressive, caring and peaceful societies in the world,” Ontario Lt.-Gov. David Onley said to the vets at the ceremony at Sunnybrook. “And I’m especially pleased to be marking Remembrance Day here at Sunnybrook … thank you for taking such good care of our veterans.”

The TTC paused for two minutes at 11 a.m. to honour the sacrifices for peace made by Canadians. The CN Tower was lit poppy red overnight.

Ceremonies were also held at all of the city’s civic centres (East York, Scarborough, North York, York and Etobicoke).

A commercial-free Remembrance Day special will also air on Citytv and CityNews Channel at 11:30 p.m.

Click here for our online coverage and to watch Andrew Krystal’s four-part Remembrance Day series.

With files from The Canadian Press