In the wake of the recent attack on the cenotaph in Ottawa and the death of reservist Nathan Cirillo, the national mood would favour the passing of this bill; there is a sincere desire to honour those who have made great sacrifices in the service of their country, and certainly a recognition of all veterans with a national holiday would be a respectful way to achieve this. Likewise, I can understand the frustration of those who would like to participate in local Remembrance Day ceremonies but are unable to do so because of work obligations, and admire their commitment to honouring those who have suffered great loss to secure our freedom. Yet, despite a deep respect for members of the armed forces, I am against the idea of making this day a statutory paid holiday, and it has everything to do with my job as an elementary school teacher.
When I was a child, we enjoyed a day off on November 11th, and I have to admit that I have no recollection of ceremonies. Sometime between my own formal education and being hired as a teacher, schools recognized that children were likely just staying home without context and that there was a need to make them aware of why marking the day was important. For me, adulthood was the first time I participated in meaningful Remembrance Day services. As the child of a WW2 soldier who fought on the German side, our family never spoke about the war when I was growing up and certainly didn't feel we were entitled to any kind of remembrance for sacrifices made by anyone on "our side". This point of view has thankfully changed in recent years and the commemorations are framed around a wider theme of war, loss, and the need for global peace; in this land of immigrants and of multicultural experiences, this is largely a good thing, although the day retains a Canadian flavour and a commitment to honour our past.
William Longstaff— Ghosts of Vimy Ridge,from the House of Commons Collection, Ottawa, on display at the War Museum of Canada
I am apprehensive about the parliamentary bill because I don't want our school system to lose the link to our veterans and their contributions to the nation's history. I've watched children over the last twenty years learn about their own family contributions, asking questions at home and then bringing mementoes and artifacts that belonged to grandparents; I've listened as school choirs sang "In Flanders Fields" and got chills down my spine; I've looked on as ten year-olds escorted a frail WW2 veteran to help light memorial candles and wish for peace, and smiled at the respectful interaction between the generations. I can't help feeling that all that would be lost if the bill gets passed and we all take the day off.
Perhaps the best compromise would be to give the day to all working Canadians, with the understanding that schools would be responsible for hosting a ceremony that parents could join with their children. I would certainly support this practice and not mind the sacrifice of an hour or so to prepare and supervise my students for the occasion. It would be a pittance of time, given what the veterans of wars and those who keep me safe every day of my privileged life have done for me and for those I teach.
2 comments:
I'd be totally against this idea of a "holiday" on Poppy day.
I always buy a poppy, and always support the troops even though I haven't seen the sense in any war during my life time. (1950 onwards).
When I was a teacher the school marked the one minute silence at 11 and the vast majority of pupils bought a poppy on site. The day was never going to be forgotten.
I think lives were given in 1935 / 45 so we can go about our business in a free democratic society. Not sure about the arguments for 1914 / 18. Seems like the Black Adder version has become historical fact, and many historians now are trying to make clear the necessity for war then. (I remain to be convinced). However, on Poppy Day I want to see people going about their business in the normal way. That was the victory.
One last point. A couple of days ago I had cause to walk through a very busy district on the edge of Nottingham I wouldn't normally find reason to visit. I shall say no more. It saddened me to see I was the only person wearing the Poppy. It brought home to me the realisation that a significant percentage of the UK now has little concept or knowledge of what was fought for against the Nazi regime of the 1930s. And quite possibly these people might only be seeing that Poppy in context with the dreadful British policy against Iraq.
In Holland, the poppy has no connection to the war, and in fact when Koos first heard Penny Lane by the Beatles, he thought they were singing about a girl selling puppies on a tray and never thought of poppies until I told him what it really was…I still find that so sweet….but that said, here, remembrance day is 5 May, or rather liberation day. It is a holiday for civil servants, but no one else. However, there is always a minute's silence at 8pm and it is still widely observed.
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