Veterans' Week
Every year during the lead-up to Remembrance Day on November 11, we honour those who have served Canada in times of war, military conflict and peace. Canada's diverse population of Veterans has served on many kinds of missions, both at home and abroad. Learn more about seven of those missions, some marking key anniversaries in 2021, covering more than a century of Canadian military history, that are featured on Veterans.gc.ca.
November 4: No Stone Left Alone
No Stone Left Alone was officially launched in 2011 to help ensure an enduring national respect and gratitude for the sacrifice of the Canadian men and women who have lost their lives in the service of peace, at home and abroad. The event sees students place poppies on veterans' headstones. The hope is that one day all of the soldiers' headstones would have a poppy placed in their honour, with truly No Stone Left Alone.
| In 2020: 28,722 poppies placed & 59,116 headstones honoured, 1,510 students participated (health restrictions). | In 2019: 12,297 students from 127 schools placed 64,503 poppies in 121 cemeteries. |
A special livestream ceremony from Beechmount Cemetery in Edmonton will take place on November 4 at 10:30 am. Organizers behind memorial services at both Beechmount Cemetery and the Beverly Memorial Cenotaph on November 11 will proceed as they did in 2020 by streaming the events online. You can watch the special ceremony on nostoneleftalone.ca.
November 8: Indigenous Veterans' Day
On November 8, we mark Indigenous Veterans' Day. First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in Canada have a long and proud tradition of military service to our country.
While exact statistics are difficult to determine, the rate of Indigenous participation in Canada's military efforts over the years has been impressive. These determined volunteers were often forced to overcome many challenges to serve in uniform, from learning a new language and adapting to cultural differences to having to travel great distances from their remote communities just to enlist.
Learn more about Canada's Indigenous Veterans:
- Veterans Affairs Canada: Indigenous Veterans
- 14 Facts You May Not Know About Contributions of Indigenous Veterans
- National Aboriginal Veterans Monument
- Indigenous Veterans and Stories: Tommy Prince
November 11: Remembrance Day
ECSD schools will mark Remembrance Day on November 10, as November 11 is a statutory holiday.
Discover the stories of those who have served Canada, and those who have made significant contributions to commemoration by visiting Veterans Affairs Canada's People and Stories.