Language selection


Search veterans.gc.ca

Speakers Corner - A Time for Reflection Part 2

Speakers Corner

Speakers Corner - A Time for Reflection Part 2

Transcript

Speakers Corner - A Time for Reflection

Various people sharing their thoughts at Speaker's Corner

So far we've had a pretty intense experience with a lot to take in. Also I would like to add that the people here are the same age as the soldiers that fought and that we're commemorating. I have found this week an amazing experience so far being able to see just like the Vimy memorial in person and to see just how many lives were gave in order to save our freedom. It was simply amazing and to hear about the history of what happened and it was really interesting to learn about, visiting the grave sites. It was amazing. I don't know how to describe it in words and it was truly astonishing to see. So we are very excited to be here today representing our country who fought heroically in the war of Vimy Ridge 100 years ago. And I think it means a lot for us in this turbulent time around the world to be taking a stand against violence and showing that Canada will have a say in the future of the world just as we did with the success of Vimy Ridge and that we're not standing down for our unique values that mean so much. This is also incredible to be part of such a historic event and we're going to be a huge part of history 100 years that's such an incredible time and we're very excited to be here. I think it sends such a big unifying message that a lot of Canadian youth coming together to celebrate this, like making history together. It's kind of amazing to be with 25,000 other Canadians, it's just as unifying forces as Emma was saying andn it's also so nice to see everybody passionate about Canada's history and about the events that occurred here. I also think it's very important that there is the youth here because we are the future of Canada and if we all pledge like Chantal was saying towards a future here of peace and freedom. I think that's really imporant. Hello Canada, I'm Murray Baux from Calgary, Alberta. It's an honour to be here at the 100th Anniversary of Vimy Ridge. It's amazing to see all the students and everything here and I feel privileged to be here. It's very surreal being here, at a loss for words. I think it's a really great experience to be a part of this whole thing and how we gathered everyone from around the world for whoever was invited to be here. It's pretty cool! I think like it's a great environment, you get to meet a lot of new people and you get to see like a lot of cool things and all and it's just a great experience. It's just crazy seeing the monument in person. I have only seen pictures of it and it is so much bigger than I ever expected. I think it's really nostalgic, it's really exciting to see a bunch of people who are all Canadian just show up here to commemorate something that happened that was just done by Canadians. I am so grateful to be here because it is so surreal to see all the cool things we've seen like the memorials, the musuems, I'm so grateful to see how Canada has been shaped by Vimy Ridge and all the things they have done. It's so cool to be here to see the land, to see the monument In person it's different, it's so cool! As I'm walking up it's just like chills are going through my body just being able to see it, just... It doesn't give it enough justice No it definitely does not. It's super powerful to be here thinking we were here like 100 years ago fighting for our and. It's just not the same coming from, you know, Ontario. We see pictures and like okay whatever, we're here and it's like "Wow!" It just kind of hits you, you know? It's super inspiring. I love it, yah! This is awesome! So far it's great, I can hardly wait for the day to continue. I don't know what else to tell you but it's and I'm really proud of Canadians and what they've done especially when you look at it from a historical point of view, if you look at the battle itself but then after the battle how all the troops came together and they were proud to be from Canada although most of them weren't originally born there. So great time and I'm very proud. Hello this is my great uncle Private Frederick Fancher who was a sniper during the First World War. He was a volunteer and he was about twenty five when he enlisted from Edmonton. He was with the Canadian Expeditionary Force sent to Britain in 1916, April and was involved in the Battle of Passchendale, Ypres Misson 70 and here at Vimy. The monument is just so cool to see and all the boots and to hear all the names , it makes you feel so many different emotions and I'm in love with this trip and all the monuments and everything we are seeing is just so great. Hi I'm Theresa and I'm from the same school, we're from Kentville, Ontario and I am so happy that I signed up for this trip, it's just so great and I'm so happy to be here and I'm so happy to be Canadian and there are so people here and it's great that we're all here celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Vimy Ridge and it's just a great time and I know we will never forget it. And "Hi Mom!" Hi Mom and Dad and Emily! H my name is Mauri, I'm also from Saint Michaels in Kentville, I don't think I really understood just how many people died at Vimy until I heard all the names called basically it staretd at 12 and I don't think they even gotten half way through the alphabet. It's really amazing the contribution those people made.

Canada.ca/Vimy-100

Logo Canada 150

A Message from the Government of Canada
Description

A day where many Canadians traveled to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, their thoughts are recorded with an invitation from “Speakers Corner” sharing their thoughts and emotions for being part of this historical event.

Meta Data
Medium:
Video
Owner:
Veterans Affairs Canada
Recorded:
April 9, 2017
Duration:
5:50

Copyright / Permission to Reproduce

Related Videos

Date modified: