Ottawa |

Ottawa, 11 novembre 2014

Quatres élèves ont participé à l’opération vétérans organisé par un ancien élèves de LCC, le Dr. Paul Kavanagh ’70. Nous avons eu une conférence au Château Laurier qui nous a expliqué le programme, puis, nous avons assisté à la cérémonie et pour finir, nous avons visité le musée de la guerre.

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One thing that really stood out to me during our day trip to Ottawa was when a speaker from The Royal Canadian Legion said the words “Freedom is not free.” The words spoke to me on a different level than the rest of the speeches and truly highlighted the meaning of Remembrance Day.

Le point culminant de ma journée était lorsque deux avions de chasse ont survolé la foule pendent la cérémonie. Ce fut un plaisir d’aller à Ottawa avec M. Maurice, Ryan, Dylan et Andrew. – Christina Papageorgakopoulos ’16

My Remembrance Day experience in Ottawa was something to hold on to. Celebrated in tandem with the 100th anniversary of the First World War and the deaths of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, I got to see multiple displays of the Canadian military, including the Cadets, two roaring fighter jets as well as a 21 gun salute.

Avant la céremonie, j’ai appris comment Operation Véteran a aidé plus que 6500 anciens soldats. De plus, j’ai eu la chance d’écouter plusieurs témoins, des vrais soldats sur cet accomplissement. En conclusion, ce fut une bonne expérience où j’ai appris beaucoup sur l’histoire militaire de Canada! – Andrew Zhang ’17

L’événement a été très bien planifié avec l’intention de faire prendre conscience des horreurs des batailles et de l’importance de se souvenir de nos soldats . Je suis vraiment reconnaissant d’avoir eu l’occasion de venir à Ottawa, et remercie les gens qui ont fait le sacrifice ultime.

Being here during such a somber ceremony was quite the experience. Standing silently side by side with 800,000 other Canadians was extremely powerful and emotional and I am very grateful to have taken part in it. I truly enjoyed this experience as I found it very inspirational and interesting. – Ryan Hawa ’16

The Remembrance Day ceremony was spectacular. As a nation, we stood strong at the heart of our capital on the very location that only three short weeks ago Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was killed standing guard. He died defending the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The memorial that is a constant reminder of our freedom and the ultimate sacrifice that was paid to establish it as well as to protect it.

Au long de la cérémonie, nous avons parlé des sacrifices faits par les soldats des Première et Deuxième Guerres mondiales qui ont réaffirmé l’existence d’un monde libre. Un monde de progrès, sans limite imposée par des dictateurs fanatiques. Il est essentiel que nous nous souvenions que le progrès, les technologies modernes et la facilité de la vie sont le résultat du sacrifice ultime de milliers de soldats canadiens, parmi d’autres.

I left the ceremony feeling proud to be Canadian. I left remembering that we should never forget the sacrifice made by fellow Canadians for our country and that in new times of political uncertainty, religious fanaticism and barbarianism, we must not fall to factionalism; we must instead come closer together and remember why we are here and who paid the price for it. – Dylan Theriault-Harris ’16

On November 11, 2011, three LCC students and I joined over 250 students that came from coast to coast, in Ottawa for the Remembrance Day ceremony. This trip was organized by Operation Veteran, which was founded by an LCC graduate, Dr. Paul Kavanagh ’70. Operation Veteran ensures that all veterans who visit the Canadian War Museum are able to get a free meal at the cafeteria. This cause is supported by private donors and student fundraising initiatives which run throughout the year, and is an ever-expanding project.

We left for Ottawa at 6:30 am. When we arrived, all the students went to the Canada Room of the Laurier Building, where Dr. Kavanagh gave a short talk about Operation Veteran. We then went outside for the ceremony, which was amazing. Governor General David Johnston and Prime Minister Stephen Harper were there, along with a host of other government and military officials. It seemed like half the people that I saw were in uniform! There was a 21-gun salute, and bagpipes and a bugle were played. There was also a choir that sang during the laying of the wreaths at the National War Memorial. There must have been 30 groups that placed wreaths on the monument. There were also two fighter jets that flew overhead and a formation of helicopters. The speeches were especially moving because, every minute or two, a gun would go off. It was a poignant reminder of the sacrifices that we were remembering.

After the ceremony, we placed our poppies on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is part of the War Memorial. Afterwards, we made our way to the Canadian War Museum, which was a really great experience. I discovered the meaning of a couple of the medals that were won by my great-uncles. There were also some really memorable exhibits. I walked through a replica of a trench and touched a chunk of the Berlin Wall!

On the whole, this day was just such an incredible experience, and I’m so glad that I had the chance to go!—Julia Peterson ’13

Tag Archives: Ottawa

Jour de souvenir et l’opération vétérans

Ottawa Trip: Remembrance Day Ceremonies