FLAGS FLYING
Sydney hosts Flags of Remembrance ceremony
Sydney hosts Flags of Remembrance ceremony.
Dozens of people were at Open Hearth Park on Saturday to honour Canadian veterans from both past and present at the Flags of Remembrance ceremony in Sydney.
The ceremony, presented by Veterans Voices of Canada, was one of 12 sites in Canada that honoured soldiers and RCMP by flying 128 full-sized Canadian flags representing 128,000 Canadians reported lost or missing in action from the Boer War to present day.
Louise MacNeil, 78, was a sponsor of a flag for her father Henry Muise, who was a sailor during the Second World War. She said she flew a flag on Saturday to remember her father and other brave veterans.
“It brings back memories and I think everybody should remember the war. I’m proud to be a Canadian and we should all remember the vets. I thought the ceremony today was amazing,” said MacNeil.
The ceremony started with a few words by Tony Clarke, a former member of the Cape Breton Highlanders who helped Veterans Voices of Canada acquire donations and sponsors to raise the flags on Saturday.
“It’s important for people to know and hear what these veterans did for us,” said Clarke, whose grandfather fought in the Second World War with the Cape Breton Highlanders. He added it was a special day.
“Seeing all of these flags unfurled — it’s just amazing.”
Sydney’s Open Hearth Park site is the
only site in Nova Scotia of the 12 sites in Canada that raised flags for Veterans Voices of Canada on Saturday. Dave Piercey, the local co-ordinator for Flags of Remembrance, said he’s proud of the response and support Cape Breton has shown.
“I think it’s remarkable that the people from Sydney and surrounding areas came out and they have done this two year so far and they’re always a big supporter of veterans — I’m very proud,” said Piercey, who added that seeing the flags raised was emotional for him.
“I was rather nervous earlier this afternoon, however, the pride and powerfulness of the flags being unfurled is almost overwhelming.”
During the celebration, the crowd unfurled 128 flags, there was a moment of silence and several speeches, including one from Afghanistan veteran Jennifer Mason, who came to Cape Breton to experience the event and talk about her fellow veterans.
The flags will fly at Open Hearth Park until Nov. 13.
Veterans voices of Canada was founded in Sylvan Lake, Alta., by Al Cameron, a Sydney native, in 2006 and has a main mission to digitally record Canada’s military and RCMP veterans telling their own stories in their own words. These recordings, including Saturday’s event in Sydney, are kept for historical and educational purposes and are made available to schools and libraries.