An Act of Remembrance

Nothing to do with virtual schooling today, as for us Canadians and others in British Commonwealth countries, today is Remembrance Day.


My personal thoughts on Remembrance Day go to two from my own family that I have had the good fortune to know and learn from... my grandfather Samuel Barbour and my great Uncle Rupert Morris. My grandfather was a member of the Royal Artillery, 59^th Newfoundland Heavy Regiment during World War II. My Uncle Rupert was an engineer with the Canadian Army who was involved in the Battle of Arnhem.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.

- John McCrae

I also think of the individual who I was first employed by during my political career, Senator Jack Marshall. Senator Marshall was a D-Day veteran, and when I began to work for him the Chair of the Senate Sub-Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Today I remember the sacrifices of all veterans, include my late Uncle Rupert, the late Senator Jack Marshall, and in particular, my grandfather Samuel Barbour.