Mandatory Silence On Remembrance Day? - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

stampeder · 2009-11-10, 12:43 PM

In some countries the observance of remembrance of national military service and sacrifice on a certain specific day includes a mandatory stoppage of all activities (including traffic). Recently this item appeared in Canadian newspapers:

Quote:

Canadians who responded to the survey agreed that governments at all levels should enact a law to make everyone stop and observe two minutes of silence on Nov. 11, according to the Ipsos-Reid poll

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/...602/story.html

Question: should Canada have a mandatory 2 minutes of silence on Remembrance Day to honour our nation's veterans and serving military personnel?

hugh · 2009-11-10, 12:52 PM

I respect the idea of commemorating war veterans but 2 minutes of silence should not be legislated.

Soldiers died fighting tyranny and oppressive governments. They died defending our right to choose.

Forcing such a thing would be the antithesis of why these people died. Respect is something earned, not something commanded.

eljay · 2009-11-10, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Question: should Canada have a mandatory 2 minutes of silence on Remembrance Day to honour our nation's veterans and serving military personnel?

Nope. I can appreciate the desire for silence in the vicinty of public monuments where Remembrance Day ceremonies are being carried out, but enacting a nation-wide law or set of laws to enforce "respectful silence" is not the answer. Municipal by-laws or other, more local regulations would be a better solution.

reddwarf · 2009-11-10, 12:55 PM

Not mandatory for the reasons mentioned already.

Plus stoppage of traffic, especially highway traffic, is exceedingly stupid and will result in crashes, injuries and fatalities.

stampeder · 2009-11-10, 01:03 PM

There is already a de facto set of conventions and traditions regarding a moment of silence, such as in legislatures, municipal halls, at sporting events, along with the reading of "In Flanders Fields" in schools, and of course at Remembrance Day functions across Canada.

I am in favour of a law on the books that is there simply to elevate the observance of a moment of silence on Remembrance Day above just a convention or tradition to a specific declaration that this is part of being a Canadian citizen. I care not if it is ever invoked, but the symbolism is potent.

I would also outlaw the "banking" of the Remembrance Day statuatory holiday by HR departments, in which employees are asked (or sometimes flatly coerced) to attach that day to their other holidays in order to avoid closing the business on Remembrance Day.

james99 · 2009-11-10, 02:00 PM

How about a Mandatory holiday?

Luckily my industry respects this day though my Provincial Government does not (though it's good enough for their own employees).

RANT OFF!!

dosborne · 2009-11-10, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by james99

How about a Mandatory holiday?

I'm behind that 1000%. But, everything should close. I hate "holidays" that just turn into shopping days.

I disagree completely with your comments Hugh. You have the right to choose, but don't you think that mandating 2 minutes out of 525600 a year can be spared to honour those that fought to give you the freedom to choose? I think so. We waste a lot more time than that on other mandated drivalry. My Grand Father and Father both served and were wounded in WWI and WWI respectively and strongly believed in Remembrance Day, so I too believe in it.

Personally, I always save and take a vacation day on Novemebr 11th as I feel it inappropriate to work and choose to honour the military instead.

SwivelHips · 2009-11-10, 02:12 PM

Agree with Hugh 100%, it should not be legislated and cannot be practically enforced. Leave it up to people to observe the day. Most will pay their respects: some won't and never will.

dosborne · 2009-11-10, 02:18 PM

True that some never will, but by doing nothing to promote it, that isn't going to change. People, not just children, need to learn an understand the sacrifices military families in general make, not just the loss of life, which of course is horrific.

Canada Day is a big celebration. There would be no Canada Day if it were not for our military. The least we can do is grant 2 minutes of our lives once a year to stop and think about what they have done (and are doing) for us.

(ok, stopping traffic on a highway may be a bit much, but people can pull over safely in many areas. Some people still do this for funerals.....which used to be the custom)

eljay · 2009-11-10, 02:20 PM

Quote:

I am in favour of a law on the books that is there simply to elevate the observance of a moment of silence on Remembrance Day ... to a specific declaration that this is part of being a Canadian citizen. ... [T]he symbolism is potent.

What would that symbolism be? And to what status ("lesser Canadian"?) would it relegate those who choose not to observe a moment of silence?

Quote:

True that some never will, but by doing nothing to promote it, that isn't going to change.

Remembrance Day has always been well-promoted. In recent years, recognition of and support for troops has been promoted through the whole "Wear Red Fridays" thing. We really don't need (more) government-mandated jingoism.

(I love the irony of governments continuing to send soliders off to die in wars that have nothing to do with our "freedom to choose" and then forcing us to observe respectful silence.)

dosborne · 2009-11-10, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eljay

Remembrance Day has always been well-promoted. In recent years, recognition of and support for troops has been promoted through the whole "Wear Red Fridays" thing. We really don't need (more) government-mandated jingoism.

(I love the irony of governments continuing to send soliders off to die in wars that have nothing to do with our "freedom to choose" and then forcing us to respect their sacrifices.)

Please do not confuse/denigrate the situation by bringing jingoism into it. Flag waving and honouring those that serve and protect your rights are night and day.

As per the posts above and talking with people in general, many are ignoring this day completely, and worse yet, many don't even know or understand it. Your elected government can do a lot worse than force you to take 2 minutes to think about life.

eljay · 2009-11-10, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Please do not confuse/denigrate the situation by bringing jingoism into it. Flag waving and honouring those that serve and protect your rights are night and day.

The confusion and denigration starts when a government forces its citizens to honour its military institutions.

Police officers serve and protect our rights and I have plenty of respect and appreciation for the work they do. I also have plenty of respect and sympathy for the good soldiers who are dying for reasons not even remotely related to protecting our rights.

MikeRo · 2009-11-10, 05:45 PM

You cannot legislate patriotism or gratefulness. Both must come from the heart if they are to mean anything.

docted · 2009-11-10, 05:57 PM

Dosborne, as Hugh said YOU have the right to choose. Others choose otherwise.

asd · 2009-11-10, 06:21 PM

I understand the sentiment behind the idea but, like Hugh, I think it's antithetical to the notion of freedom, as allegedly practised in Canada. But I'd be curious to know what the penalty would be for failure to adhere to such a law? Moreover, I have trouble with the concept of symbolic days or even hours devoted to fathers, mothers and deities, since to me they symbolically let one off the hook the rest of the time -- and it's just shy of all the time! For instance, I'll be nice to anyone on their birthday and then it's business as usual -- is that the symbolic meaning?

View Poll Results: Mandatory 2 Minutes Of Silence On Remembrance Day?
Yes, I agree	17	36.96%
No, I disagree	23	50.00%
Not sure - needs more study	2	4.35%
Don't care	4	8.70%
Voters: 46. You may not vote on this poll

2009-11-10, 12:52 PM	#2
hugh Member #1 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 47,501	I respect the idea of commemorating war veterans but 2 minutes of silence should not be legislated. Soldiers died fighting tyranny and oppressive governments. They died defending our right to choose. Forcing such a thing would be the antithesis of why these people died. Respect is something earned, not something commanded. __________________ As of January 2012, I am no longer the owner of the Digital Home website. If you have questions about the operation of the site, please contact VSAdmin. For personal inquiries contact me at the Hugh Thompson website.

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2009-11-10, 12:55 PM	#4
reddwarf Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Toronto Posts: 819	Not mandatory for the reasons mentioned already. Plus stoppage of traffic, especially highway traffic, is exceedingly stupid and will result in crashes, injuries and fatalities.

2009-11-10, 01:03 PM	#5
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	There is already a de facto set of conventions and traditions regarding a moment of silence, such as in legislatures, municipal halls, at sporting events, along with the reading of "In Flanders Fields" in schools, and of course at Remembrance Day functions across Canada. I am in favour of a law on the books that is there simply to elevate the observance of a moment of silence on Remembrance Day above just a convention or tradition to a specific declaration that this is part of being a Canadian citizen. I care not if it is ever invoked, but the symbolism is potent. I would also outlaw the "banking" of the Remembrance Day statuatory holiday by HR departments, in which employees are asked (or sometimes flatly coerced) to attach that day to their other holidays in order to avoid closing the business on Remembrance Day.

2009-11-10, 02:00 PM	#6
james99 Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burlington Posts: 24,791	How about a Mandatory holiday? Luckily my industry respects this day though my Provincial Government does not (though it's good enough for their own employees). RANT OFF!!

2009-11-10, 02:12 PM	#8
SwivelHips Rookie Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Calgary Posts: 13	Agree with Hugh 100%, it should not be legislated and cannot be practically enforced. Leave it up to people to observe the day. Most will pay their respects: some won't and never will.

2009-11-10, 02:18 PM	#9
dosborne Veteran Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ottawa, ON - Sharp Aquos 52" LCD - Bell 9200, 4x5900, 3x3100, E50 DVD-R, Harmony 880, Garmin C550 Posts: 2,814	True that some never will, but by doing nothing to promote it, that isn't going to change. People, not just children, need to learn an understand the sacrifices military families in general make, not just the loss of life, which of course is horrific. Canada Day is a big celebration. There would be no Canada Day if it were not for our military. The least we can do is grant 2 minutes of our lives once a year to stop and think about what they have done (and are doing) for us. (ok, stopping traffic on a highway may be a bit much, but people can pull over safely in many areas. Some people still do this for funerals.....which used to be the custom)

2009-11-10, 05:45 PM	#13
MikeRo Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Edmonton Posts: 70	You cannot legislate patriotism or gratefulness. Both must come from the heart if they are to mean anything.

2009-11-10, 05:57 PM	#14
docted Join Date: May 2004 Location: Guelph,Ont. Posts: 313	Dosborne, as Hugh said YOU have the right to choose. Others choose otherwise.

2009-11-10, 06:21 PM	#15
asd Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Annapolis Valley Posts: 368	I understand the sentiment behind the idea but, like Hugh, I think it's antithetical to the notion of freedom, as allegedly practised in Canada. But I'd be curious to know what the penalty would be for failure to adhere to such a law? Moreover, I have trouble with the concept of symbolic days or even hours devoted to fathers, mothers and deities, since to me they symbolically let one off the hook the rest of the time -- and it's just shy of all the time! For instance, I'll be nice to anyone on their birthday and then it's business as usual -- is that the symbolic meaning?