I remember as a child always marking Remembrance Day with my family and going to the cenotaph on the 11th. I had the opportunity to do that with my family because we didn't have to go to school that day. Also, the important stories we heard from veterans who came into our schools in the days leading up to Remembrance Day always stuck with me. It was always very important for our community to show its support for our veterans by going to the ceremonies. Where people are able to take the time off work or do not have to be in school, I think it's a wonderful thing that we see increasing attendance at ceremonies.
Also, I had the very good fortune, after graduating from university, to be a tour guide at Vimy Ridge in France. That really opened my eyes to the sacrifice that Canadians made and to the pride that Canadians have in their service members and what they accomplished, not only at Vimy Ridge but throughout the continuum of service we have seen in our country. That makes us such a wonderful country to live in. Anything we can do to shine a light on Remembrance Day, to elevate the status of this important day, and to make sure we're marking it appropriately is very important to me.