We are seeing a tremendous strengthening. I often refer to the years between the 1960s and the early 1990s as the dark years for remembrance. It was almost taboo in Canada to talk about remembrance. You didn't hear much about it in schools. I didn't hear much about Canada's military history when I was in school. During part of that period it was, in a way, an offshoot of what was happening with our neighbours to the south in the Vietnam era. During the 1990s things started to turn around dramatically in the country at large, but also specifically with young people and in schools. We are finding that the requests for learning materials are growing, and participation by youth at events across the country is growing as well.
I remember a few years ago, during the Year of the Veteran, the CBC, along with other media outlets, was working with us on some of our early planning, and they told us that their national broadcast of the Remembrance Day ceremony had tripled in audience over the previous 10 years, from 1995 to 2005. They also do a crowd estimate, along with the RCMP, here in Ottawa in particular, and the in-person attendance and participation had also tripled over that 10-year period.
We're seeing many more young people involved, and many more young people are taking their own roles as leaders in remembrance. We are seeing many more activities led by young people in schools and in communities across the country. We see that through our Canada Remembers staff in the five cities across the country where they are located. They are getting requests for support and assistance, and sometimes ideas on what they can do. Youth groups, Scouts, are very prominent, but there are many other groups across the country. We are definitely seeing an increase in youth participation.