Canada marked Remembrance Day on Wednesday 11 November 2026 with the National Remembrance Day Ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion. The ceremony began at about 10:30 a.m., with two minutes of silence at 11 a.m., a 21-gun salute, wreath-laying and fly-pasts — four CF-18 Hornets at about 11:05 a.m. and a Black Hawk helicopter at about 11:30 a.m.
Wreaths from the Prime Minister and the Silver Cross Mother
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Governor General Louise Arbour laid wreaths at the National War Memorial. This year’s National Silver Cross Mother, Mrs. Virginia Hicks of Trenton, Ontario, placed a wreath on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a child in military service.
Three Second World War veterans attended the Ottawa ceremony. Twelve members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the RCMP stood vigil as the 2026 Remembrance Day Sentries; Sentry Commander Officer Cadet Quinn MacDonald of the Royal Military College of Canada is the first Officer Cadet to hold the role, marking the college’s 150th anniversary. About 300 RMC cadets attended the parade.
25 years since Afghanistan
This year’s ceremonies mark 25 years since Canadian forces began operations in Afghanistan, a conflict in which roughly 40,000 members of the Canadian Armed Forces served and 159 were killed. This year also marks the Royal Canadian Legion’s centennial.
Honouring the Wainwright soldiers
The ceremonies come weeks after a fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright during a training exercise killed four soldiers and injured 39 others; a separate ceremony was held at CFB Wainwright today.
At 11 a.m., sunlight passes through a single window in Memorial Hall at the Canadian War Museum and frames the headstone representing Canada’s Unknown Soldier. Remembrance Day is a paid statutory holiday for federally regulated workers and in most provinces, but not in Ontario.
Canada’s hockey legends were also honoured this week — Carey Price and Patrice Bergeron were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame — and on the ice the Oilers beat the Rangers 3-1 on Sunday.
Bhudev Bhagaliya is an experienced and senior journalist who has carved a distinct niche for himself in the world of Hindi journalism through his profound understanding and precise writing style. With over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, he has held key responsibilities at Dainik Hindustan for 12 years and at Amar Ujala for one year. Currently, he serves as the Content Editor for the Jagrook Youth News newspaper and portal, where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the news content. Bhudev Bhagaliya consistently writes about issues that help raise awareness within society and among the younger generation.