Crowds gathered across the city of Ottawa Tuesday to mark Remembrance Day, including at the National Military Cemetery at Beechwood. Warrant Officer Jules Bérubé says “This is a very significant site for a lot of people. Of course, we have the National War Memorial downtown, but we have a lot of comrades that lay and rest here. This is very significant to loved ones, to honour their family members, their friends, and service and sacrifice.” Bérubé served in deployments including Afghanistan with 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, from January to August 2007. He says, “Having a bit of service, you’ll remember those who served with you and who made the ultimate sacrifice. And this is an opportunity for you to remember that they did it for a good purpose, for freedom, and for our country. It’s very important that you will remember and we take this moment.” The ceremony takes place every year starting at 10:45 a.m. and consists of vigils, prayers, poetry, a children’s choir, as well as moments of remembrance. An artillery gun marked the beginning and end of two minutes of silence. Dignitaries from various levels of government and organizations laid wreaths marking the day. Pam Hilchie attends this ceremony every year with her family to honour her father Gordon Hilchie, who served during the Cold War. “I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else since dad passed. We come here every year,” says Hilchie. She was joined by her husband and her brothers and sister. Mike Pearson says it is important to gather to remember his father-in-law. “He was more of a friend than a father-in-law. He was a confidant,” he says. “We had a bond, so that was kind of special.” Susan Boyle says it was significant to come this year to honour everyone who paid the ultimate sacrifice. “We can never forget what all of these people sacrificed,” Boyle says. “Just to have what we have now: the rights, the freedoms, the democracy; that is in peril right now.” Olivia Ferderber came with her husband to continue a family tradition of marking Remembrance Day at Beechwood. Both of her grandparents are buried in this cemetery. “It’s nice to have a day to come annually and see them and think about them, their lives, whether it was their contributions in the war or just in general, what they meant to me as my grandparents. And when you see people doing the same thing here. It’s really special. It feels uniting to all be here kind of for common cause.”
