Remembrance Day ceremonies were held yesterday (November 11) in Airdrie and Mayor Peter Brown took time to reflect and give thanks for the sacrifices made by Canadians to ensure that we live in a free country.  

This year marked 100 years since the end of World War One.  Brown believes the efforts of Canadians in that war are something that too many people take for granted.  "If not for those people that stood up for us against a tyrant and a bully so many decades ago we would not enjoy the life that we have.  I really believe that it's imperative upon our generation, my generation, and other generations to make sure that the new generation understands the sacrifice that these people made on our behalf to provide what we have today."

Brown is sometimes frightened when he thinks of what would have happened had the war had a different outcome.

"I can't even imagine what life would have been like if we were on the other side of that war and had lost.  Where we would be, what we'd be doing, what we'd be facing, the hardships."

Brown was particularly moved by two ceremonies he attended before Remembrance Day, both of which involved young people.  He talked about the ceremony at the Nose Creek Museum when 158 white crosses were unveiled, remembering those who lost their lives in the Afghanistan conflict.

"You know what's great about that?  It was young people from the Building Futures Program who are now in Grade 11 that built those crosses.  I was there when they placed the crosses,  They walked around and looked at those individuals on those plaques to recognize what people sacrificed for all of us.  It was really an awesome ceremony, a great recognition for those fallen heroes."

The other ceremony took place on Friday at George McDougall High School.  Brown says, "They had poppies lined up throughout the whole building.  It was extraordinary to see.  When you see young people recognizing the importance, and being taught the importance of what these individuals have done for us it's quite incredible to see and I hope it continues." 

Comments? Questions? Story ideas? Email us at news@discoverairdrie.com