A day to 'remember what has brought us' to today

Although she has nopersonal connection to the military, Brittani Ennstook the time on Friday to honour the memory of Canada's war dead.

"I feel like it's important to recognize those who have gone before us and have allowed us to enjoy the freedoms of this beautiful country we are in today," said Enns, one of approximately 4,500 people who attended the Remembrance Day service at RBC ConventionCentre.

"Coming hereis important to refocus, to take the day off not as a holiday where we don't have to work, but as a day where we remember what has brought us to where we are today."

The largest of Winnipeg's Remembrance Day services filled the third floor of the north wing of the convention centre. Premier Brian Pallister, Mayor Brian Bowman and federal cabinet member Jim Carr were among the dignitaries who laid wreaths to memorializemore than 118,000 military personnel who died fighting for Canada since its inception.

"(They) chose to set aside their personal ambitions and dreams to ensure the well-being of our great nation," said John Gillis, the master of ceremonies. "We the living are indeed the beneficiaries of those who made the tremendous sacrifices for the advancement and security of our liberty."

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Joe Meconse, who served in Germany and Cyprus, said as an Indigenous veteran, he was pleased to see so many people come out to honour all veterans.

"It's very surprising," he said, of the large crowd. "When I first started out, Remembrance Day, hardly anybody showed up because they didn't know anything." He said he has spoken at schools in an effort to change that.

The large turnout is emblematic of changing Canadian attitudestoward the nation's military. A generation ago, Canadian soldiers were primarily peacekeepers, while the cohort that fought overseas was aging and dwindling in numbers.

The war in Afghanistan and other recent conflicts spawned a new generation of veterans who have seen action overseas.

"It brought things closer to home because it was an act of war that we were participating in. It wasn't grandmaand great-grandpa and great-great-grandpa's war. It was something that was close to Canadians," said Lt.-Col. Ken Bridges, a safety officer with1st Canadian Air Division, who has servedItaly when the Canadian Air Force was engaged in Libya.

"Canadians are becoming more and more aware of the sacrifices that have been made to keep this country free," said Lt. (Navy) David Brookes, also of 1st Canadian Air Division.

No fewer than66,665Canadians died in the First World War, while 46,998 died in the Second World War. The number of Canadian war dead in the Korean War, Afghanistan and peacekeeping operations are516, 157 and 121, respectively.