How some P.E.I. communities are observing this COVID-19 Remembrance Day

Legions across P.E.I. are finalizing plans for this year's Remembrance Day ceremonies — with COVID-19 restrictions at top of mind. 

Dr. Heather Morrison says the province's Chief Public Health Office has received eight operational plans so far. 

At her weekly briefing Tuesday, she urged Islanders to support veterans by wearing poppies, and to refrain from mingling with others if they do choose to attend smaller Remembrance Day events. 

Below are details of events planned by four communities across the Island.

Charlottetown

In Charlottetown, where thousands usually attend the downtown ceremony, officials from the Legion are keeping to small numbers at the November 11 ceremony, and asking residents to pay their respects from a distance on their own.

"The ceremony will probably last 15 minutes," said William Talbot, vice-president of the Charlottetown branch. 

"We're going to have a couple of speakers and a couple of local representatives from the city, just sort of have a little gathering and that's going to be it."

Talbot said wreaths will be laid at the cenotaph several days in advance, to allow people a large window of time to pay their respects either ahead of the ceremony or later that same day. 

CBC P.E.I. will be live-streaming the Charlottetown Legion's Remembrance Day Ceremony on its Facebook page.

Tignish

Some smaller communities, such as Tignish, have cancelled their parades and are opting for shorter ceremonies with limited numbers present.  

"It's a much more condensed ceremony," said Floyd Gaudet, a member of the executive branch of the Tignish Legion.

The western P.E.I. community usually draws about 500 people to its Remembrance Day ceremony, but a maximum of 100 will be allowed to attend this year's service at St. Simon & St. Jude Roman Catholic Church. 

"That's the most we can offer the public," said Gaudet, because of public health restrictions around gatherings due to COVID-19. 

"We felt it was very important to still maintain the ceremony and acknowledge Remembrance Day and what it means for everybody." 

There won't be an official ceremony at the local cenotaph — but Gaudet said there's been no shortage of support from area residents, with nearly every local business or retailer offering poppies in return for donations to the Royal Canadian Legion.

He's optimistic that Islanders will make time to remember the sacrifices of veterans even if they can't observe the day the way they're used to doing. 

"We want them to wear a poppy, and on Remembrance Day, take a couple of minutes to think about what the day really means," said Gaudet. 

"And even if it's individually, people can go to the Cenotaph and pay their respects to the fallen. And, you know, think of their own family members and the sacrifice that they made."

Summerside

In Summerside, a community that normally expects thousands of people at its indoor Credit Union Place ceremony, this year's service will be held outdoors at the Cenotaph, with a maximum of 200 people in attendance. 

"By and large, we're trying to keep the normality of it," said George Dalton, a member of the veterans' Lest We Forget Committee.

Dalton said it's disappointing to have to scale back the annual Remembrance Day ceremony. But in recent months, he said there's been a surge in interest from young people keen to learn the history of local veterans. That gives him hope that the sacrifices of veterans in years past won't be soon, or easily, forgotten. 

"I think that's role modeling for the years to come," said Dalton. "And that's very important, as some veterans have said to me on their deathbeds, you know: 'Make sure that we're never forgotten. That's all we want. Carry the torch of remembrance.'

"And that's the challenge for everybody."

Stratford

Some communities — like Stratford — plan to hold a virtual Remembrance Day service that can be watched online through the town's Facebook page.

The community is also offering a number of remembrance activities, such as 'Peace Poppies' — a paper poppy residents can use to draw or write what peace means to them.

Residents are also being encouraged to paint poppies on rocks as an act of remembrance, and leave them at the Cenotaph.  

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