11/11/25 12:31Trump delivers remarks at Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony
– Globe staff
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump attended a Veterans Day ceremony in Arlington, Va., this morning to honour American veterans.
He delivered remarks after participating in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery alongside Vice-President JD Vance.
The President’s speech follows a day after the U.S. Senate passed legislation to end the longest government shutdown in the country’s history, which has kept food benefits from low-income people and on Sunday alone, contributed to the cancellation of nearly 3,000 flights.
11/11/25 12:10How to properly wear and dispose of a Remembrance Day poppy
– Globe staff
Second World War veteran John Preece, 99, ahead of the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
The poppy is a symbol of remembrance that is worn to honour the veterans who have died in service, inspired by Canadian John McCrae’s famous poem, In Flanders Fields. The Royal Canadian Legion offers a guide on its website of the appropriate and respectful ways to wear a poppy.
How to wear a poppy:
The poppy should be worn on the left side, over the heart. It shouldn’t be worn with any pins that obstruct the poppy.
When to wear a poppy:
The poppy should be worn from the last Friday in October until November 11 – the Remembrance period. According to the Legion, it should also be worn at the funerals of veterans, to any commemorative events, and the anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
How to properly dispose of a poppy:
It is common to leave the poppy on the cenotaph as a sign of respect at the end of a Remembrance Day ceremony. Other ways to respectfully dispose of a poppy include storing it away or discarding it in the garbage or recycling after the Remembrance period has ended.
11/11/25 12:01Remembrance Day marked with solemn ceremonies in Toronto
– The Canadian Press
Two minutes of silence is observed at a Remembrance Day service in Toronto.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Crowds gathered in Toronto this morning for solemn Remembrance Day ceremonies honouring the sacrifices of Canada’s fallen soldiers and veterans.
At 11 a.m., artillery fire rang out to the sound of bagpipes at Queen’s Park as part of a 21-gun salute, followed by a moment of silence.
Among those in attendance were Ontario Premier Doug Ford and federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly.
Hundreds of observers looked on as a quartet performed the song Danny Boy, followed by a young service member who recited the poem In Flanders Fields.
At a separate ceremony held outside Toronto’s Old City Hall, Mayor Olivia Chow said marking Remembrance Day at the site is especially poignant this year, which marks the 100th anniversary of the Toronto Cenotaph.
Dignitaries, veterans and young cadets laid wreaths at both ceremonies in honour of Canada’s veterans.
11/11/25 11:48Princess Catherine makes her first royal appearance at the National Memorial Arboretum ceremony
– Globe staff
Catherine, Princess of Wales attends the Remembrance Day service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire.Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The Princess of Wales attended the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, U.K., a 150-acre memorial site part of the Royal British Legion. Wearing an all-black outfit with a brooch and two poppies, Catherine laid the first wreath of the memorial ceremony. It was the first time she attended the ceremony at the arboretum.
Queen Camilla was at Paddington Station in London this morning for a wreath-laying ceremony, surrounded by veterans and their families.
Wreath laying ceremonies were held across Britain on Tuesday to mark the end of World War I. Queen Camilla laid at wreath at Paddington station in London while Kate, Princess of Wales did the same at a ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
The Associated Press
11/11/25 11:40Veterans, families brave cold to mark Remembrance Day
– The Canadian Press
People began gathering early near the National War Memorial in Ottawa for the capital’s Remembrance Day ceremony.
The Canadian Press
Canadians paused to remember the military members who put their lives on the line as Remembrance Day ceremonies got under way from coast to coast.
Family members of the war dead staked out spots hours in advance in the nation’s snowy capital, braving chilly weather to get a good view of the ceremony at the National War Memorial.
Brian Revet said he lost an uncle in the Second World War who served as an aircraft gunner. He travelled to Ottawa from Saskatoon for the event.
He arrived at 8 a.m. so that he could witness up close a ceremony he has watched on television since he was a teenager.
“It’s always meant a lot, ever since I was 16 years old. I’ve never served, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like,” he said.
This year marks eight decades since the end of the deadliest military conflict in history.
11/11/25 11:25Chaplain General Col. Lisa Pacarynuk delivers invocation in Ottawa
– The Canadian Press
Chaplain General Col. Lisa Pacarynuk delivered the invocation at the national ceremony to mark Remembrance Day in Ottawa.
She said today is a moment for Canadians to remember that life and peace are fragile, and that progress comes from past sacrifices.
She extended her thanks to Nancy Payne, this year’s national Silver Cross mother, saying she and others like her bear the scars of military service and their loss is our loss.
11/11/25 11:15The Remembrance Day service in Ottawa
– The Canadian Press
Prime Minister Mark Carney places a wreath at the National War Memorial during a Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
The Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Ottawa Children’s Choir performed O Canada at the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.
Hundreds of attendees wearing poppies stood at attention, some holding photos of their loved ones who died in war.
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived at the site of the national ceremony joined by his wife, Diana Fox Carney. The Prime Minister was greeted by Berkley Lawrence, president of the Royal Canadian Legion.
An Indigenous veteran carried the Canadian Armed Forces’ eagle staff, which is comparable to the Canadian flag, and meant to honour Indigenous members of the forces.
11/11/25 11:08Where does the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ come from?
– Globe staff
In Flanders Fields is one of Canada’s most famous war poems. It was written by Canadian doctor and soldier John McCrae during the First World War after presiding over the funeral of friend and fellow soldier Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, who died in the Second Battle of Ypres. He wrote the first few lines of the poem at Helmer’s grave.
McCrae’s poem helped to popularize the red poppy as a symbol of Remembrance Day and continues to be a part of ceremonies on Nov. 11 in Canada and around the world.
In 2015, The Globe and Mail interviewed 104-year-old Second World War veteran Fred Stevenson who had been reciting In Flanders Fields at Remembrance Day ceremonies for decades. See the video from our archives below.
11/11/25 11:06Canadians gather at global embassies to mark Remembrance Day
– Globe staff
Veterans and staff attended ceremonies at Canadian embassies across the world in honour of Remembrance Day, including in countries where soldiers fought on that very soil.
In Estonia, they were joined by members of the British and French embassies:
The delegation to NATO was at Evere Cemetery in Brussels, where 125 servicemen have their graves:
The Brookwood Military Ceremony in England, where 2,729 Canadians are buried, held a wreath-laying ceremony:
In India, Canadian and Indian officers, as well as those from other Commonwealth countries, came together:
The ambassador to Austria honoured soldiers at the Klagenfurt War Cemetery:
Ceremonies also took place in Serbia, Algeria, Geneva and the Philippines:
11/11/25 10:55This year’s Silver Cross Mother is Nancy Payne
– Globe staff
Nancy Payne was named this year’s National Silver Cross Mother. She will lay a wreath at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Monday.Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press
Each year, the Royal Canadian Legion names a National Silver Cross Mother whose child has died serving in a war. Since 1919, the Silver Cross has recognized the sacrifices of widows and mothers whose spouses and children were killed in service.
The 2025 Silver Cross Mother is Nancy Payne, whose husband and two sons all served in the Canadian Army. Her youngest child, Corporal Randy Payne, was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2006. A member of that mission’s “Close Protection” team, he and three other soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb struck their military vehicle on the way from an operating base to Kandahar Airfield. Payne left behind his wife and their two children, one of whom is now a combat engineer in the Canadian Armed Forces.
As the Silver Cross Mother, Nancy Payne will place a wreath at the National War Memorial in Ottawa during the Remembrance Day Ceremony today, and will fulfill other official duties until her term ends in October, 2026.
11/11/25 10:52Poilievre shares a Remembrance Day message for Canadians
– The Canadian Press
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says Canadians across the country will “pause and reflect” on those who served in war.
In a media statement issued today, Poilievre said Canada’s military history is “as brilliant and storied as the country itself.”
He says he thanks veterans today and every day. “May we all, in our own small ways, carry on their selfless spirit,” he added.
11/11/25 10:48Carney’s Remembrance Day message for Canadians
– The Canadian Press
Prime Minister Mark Carney says that in an increasingly dangerous and divided world, remembrance is an act of vigilance and sovereignty and security are not guaranteed.
In a media statement issued today, Carney says Remembrance Day is a moment to honour the women and men who serve in the Canadian Armed Forces to protect Canadians each day, and to remember their “acts of heroic service.”
He says Canadians remember that their rights, freedoms and way of life were “fought for and were won by Canadians who answered the call.”
Carney, Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan, Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight and other dignitaries are in attendance at the ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
11/11/25 10:42Marking 25 years of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier featured at Remembrance Day ceremonies
– Ian Bailey
The body of an unknown Canadian soldier was brought back from France and interred in front of the National War Memorial in Ottawa in 2000. Since then, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has become an integral part of war remembrance in Canada
The Globe and Mail
The former brigadier-general who successfully advocated for the establishment of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa won’t be on site at today’s Remembrance Day ceremony.
Instead, Duane Daly will be at home in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata as the tomb is featured in the ceremony for the 25th time.
Mr. Daly, who retired in 2009 as the dominion secretary for the Royal Canadian Legion, doesn’t want to fight traffic or find parking to attend. But he makes a solo trip every May, on the anniversary of its unveiling. This past May, King Charles and Queen Camilla, as well as Governor-General Mary Simon, were on hand to mark the 25th anniversary of the tomb.
“I think of all the challenges that we went through to establish it as one aspect, and then the overwhelming gratitude to the Canadian people in supporting the establishment of a Tomb to our Unknown Soldier as a commemoration of all those who we lost,” Mr. Daly, now 83, said in an interview.
“I touch the grave and, shortly thereafter, I leave.”
The tomb represents approximately 116,000 Canadians who have given their lives for Canada, including 28,000 whose resting places are not known.
11/11/25 10:32Governor General to miss Remembrance Day ceremony due to illness
– The Canadian Press
Rideau Hall says Gov. Gen. Mary Simon is recovering in hospital from a respiratory virus, leaving her unable to preside over the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on Tuesday.
Chief Justice Richard Wagner will fill in for Simon at the National War Memorial.
Rideau Hall did not specify the virus or say how long she has been in hospital, saying only that she was recovering and “doing well” on Monday.
The institution also asked that the public respect her privacy as she recovers from the illness.
11/11/25 10:28Remembrance Day ceremonies begin on East Coast
– Globe staff
Canadians in the Maritime provinces are gathered at legions, city centres and cenotaphs to mark Remembrance Day.
In Halifax, a large crowd has gathered for a service at Grand Parade to honour and remember all those who have served.
Boston’s newly re-elected Mayor Michelle Wu is attending the Remembrance Day ceremony in Halifax today to honour the continuing relationship between Halifax and Boston. Wu laid a wreath at the cenotaph on behalf of the City of Boston.
In Charlottetown, the service has started at the cenotaph in front of Province House.
In Saint John, N.B., services are taking place across the city at TD Station, the Field of Honour in Cedar Hill Extension Cemetery and a laying of the wreath ceremony in Public Gardens.
11/11/25 10:05Second World War veterans are a shrinking presence on Remembrance Day
– Matthew Scace
Second World War veteran Elmer Friesen, 103, is among the more than 1.1 million Canadians who served.Todd Korol/The Globe and Mail
Elmer Friesen is now one of a rapidly shrinking number of Canadians who served in the Second World War – a generation that was once a ubiquitous feature in communities small and large. For decades, these veterans have been passing on their first-hand knowledge of Canada’s war effort and been a large presence at Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Mr. Friesen, 103, will be at the National War Memorial in Ottawa later today.
More than 1.1 million Canadians served during the Second World War from 1939 to 1945. Veterans Affairs Canada estimates the number of living Second World War veterans is now just 3,691 men and women. But clear data is hard to find.
In 2022, the average age of Veterans Affairs’ clients who served in that war and the Korean War, which ended in 1953, was 96.
It’s unclear how quickly the number of living Second World War veterans has shrunk over time. The 2021 census was the first time in 50 years that Statistics Canada asked respondents to indicate whether they had served in the military. Between censuses, Veterans Affairs predicts the number through mortality rates; the next official veteran population estimate is to come in the 2026 census.
Nevertheless, that dwindling population – most of whom are now centenarians – makes Mr. Friesen, who was 17 when the war started, an increasingly prominent spokesperson for a time from which there are few remaining eyewitnesses.
11/11/25 09:45First person: Our ancestors fought for different sides, but we remembered them together at Vimy Ridge
– Gregory Strong
Illustration by Catherine Chan
We had grown up with our grandfather’s stories of the First World War. Last summer, my brother and I and a good friend, Andrew, took a road trip to find their battlefields in Northern France. Our grandfather, Ernest Strong, 26th Battalion (New Brunswick), fought for the Allies. Andrew’s great-grandfather – Paul Kölling, infantryman – had fought on the enemy side.
At Vimy Ridge, Canada’s most visited war memorial, Andrew called to us from the German trenches. They were within shouting distance of the Canadian lines. We tried to imagine those days from April 9 to 12, 1917, when four Canadian divisions fighting together for the first time, stormed the ridge. Where the French and British had failed, Canada triumphed.
11/11/25 09:30N.L. Remembrance Day ceremonies change as province prepares for heavy rain, snow
– Globe staff
With heavy rain, wind and snowy conditions expected in parts of Newfoundland and Labrador, many Remembrance Day events in the province will now take place indoors.
In St. John’s, the Remembrance Day parade has been cancelled, but the main ceremony will happen as usual at the National War Memorial, starting at 10:55 local time.
Meanwhile, the ceremonies in the towns of Paradise, Conception Bay South, Clarenville and Grand Falls-Windsor have been moved to take place indoors.
11/11/25 08:45Where to find local Remembrance Day ceremonies and live streams
– Globe staff
Assembly of First Nations Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak places a wreath at a Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa last year.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
The Royal Canadian Legion is hosting the National Remembrance Day Ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa’s Confederation Square. The ceremony begins at approximately 10:30 a.m. and will be streamed live on the Legion’s website.
There are hundreds of other Remembrance Day events taking place across Canada today, including at Toronto’s Old City Hall to mark the 100th anniversary of the cenotaph’s installation. Find a Remembrance Day ceremony in your community here.
11/11/25 08:40What time is the Remembrance Day moment of silence?
– Globe staff
No matter where you are in Canada, or whether your province considers Remembrance Day a statutory holiday, the official two-minute moment of silence takes place at 11 a.m. local time.
At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, it marks the time that First World War hostilities ceased in 1918.
The moment of silence honours the fallen, recognizes the sacrifice of all who serve, and is considered “the most sacrosanct and central element” of remembrance, according to the Royal Canadian Legion.
11/11/25 08:30Is Remembrance Day a statutory holiday in Ontario, Quebec, B.C. or elsewhere in Canada?
– Globe staff
A Remembrance Day ceremony in Kingston, Ont., in 2022. Nov. 11 is not a statutory holiday for most workers in Ontario.Lars Hagberg/The Canadian Press
While Remembrance Day is marked across Canada on Nov. 11, it is not an official statutory holiday for everyone. Remembrance Day is a federal statutory holiday, meaning all Canadian government employees and those working in federally-regulated industries have a paid day off work.
The following provinces and territories have also designated Nov. 11 as a statutory holiday with all the paid day off protections that come with it:
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nunavut
- Prince Edward Island
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
Ontario and Quebec have not legislated it as a statutory holiday, meaning for most it is a regular day at work or school.
Two other provinces are special cases: In Manitoba, Nov. 11 is considered an official day of observance with significant restrictions on retail businesses. And in Nova Scotia, the Remembrance Day Act prohibits most businesses, except for some essential services, from opening. However, depending on their industry, employees aren’t necessarily entitled to a paid day off work if their workplace is forced to close.
11/11/25 08:20What is open on Remembrance Day?
– Globe staff
Canada Post and banks are among the services that will be closed today due to the Remembrance Day federal statutory holiday.The Canadian Press
Because Remembrance Day is a federal statutory holiday, Canadian government services and federally-regulated industries are closed on Nov. 11. That includes:
- Banks
- Canada Post
- Service Canada and passport offices
- Parliament and federal government offices
In the nine provinces where Nov. 11 is also a statutory holiday, public schools and provincial government offices and services will be closed. While many retail businesses, municipal recreation centres and public transit will be open, most will be operating on reduced holiday hours and schedules.
While Nov. 11 isn’t a statutory holiday in Ontario, several municipalities and retailers have their own policies that will also lead to closures. LCBO says all of its locations will remain closed until at least noon, with those in Ottawa opening at 12:30 p.m. due to a local bylaw prohibiting retail businesses from opening before then on Remembrance Day.
11/11/25 08:15Why is Remembrance Day on Nov. 11?
– Globe staff
Remembrance Day is commemorated on Nov. 11 to mark the signing of the armistice to cease First World War hostilities at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. This year is also the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Also called Armistice Day, Remembrance Day is celebrated in the U.K. and many Commonwealth countries. In the United States, it is called Veterans’ Day.
11/11/25 08:00How to watch the national Remembrance Day service in Ottawa
– Globe Staff
A person places a poppy on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Canadians across the country will pause at 11 a.m. local time to remember those who have served and sacrificed in service of our country.
The Royal Canadian Legion has organized a national Remembrance Day service on at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. The ceremony begins at approximately 10:30 a.m. with a program that includes a veterans’ march, a playing of the Last Post, two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. ET and a 21-gun salute.
The ceremony will be live-streamed on the Legion’s website.