Canada dropped ball on WWI centenary: historians
Lost opportunity to learn about war and its lasting impacts
OTTAWA — Canada has missed an opportunity to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War with efforts that fell far short of those in allied countries, several historians say.
“I think the government of Canada botched the commemoration of the First World War,” said author and military historian Jack Granatstein, a former head of the Canadian War Museum. “Other than the Vimy Ridge celebration in 2017, I think they have done a very bad job.”
This past Remembrance Day marked not only the centenary of the armistice that ended the First World War, but also the conclusion of four years of commemorations around the world to learn about and remember the “War to End All Wars.”
While the war cost the lives of more than 60,000 Canadians, it also had significant and lasting impacts on Canada’s political, social, economic and cultural landscape, such as the rise of Quebec nationalism, women’s suffrage and more autonomy from Britain.
Veterans Affairs Canada says it has spent $13 million since 2014 on different events commemorating the war, with most of the money dedicated to last year’s high-profile ceremony for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. That was a large event: More than 24,000 people attended.
But the British government set the standard when it budgeted 100 million pounds, or about $170 million, for ceremonies, BBC documentaries, school visits to battlefields, museum refurbishments and other programs about the war.
Several other countries also organized signature events and educational programming, with New Zealand setting aside at least $20 million and Australia budgeting nearly $80 million.
Veterans Affairs contends that it wasn’t sitting on its thumbs over the past four years. Ten large-scale public events were held in Canada and overseas, a spokesperson said, while TV and internet advertising reached millions of Canadians.
Still, a glance at the Veterans Affairs website in recent weeks showed the majority of events were organized not by the department but by individual communities and organizations.
Vimy Foundation executive director Jeremy Diamond said his organization received $5 million for a new education centre at Vimy that opened last year, as well as money for a book of colourized photos from the war. Yet he worries the only “legacy project” from the centenary is the Vimy centre.
“It seems like it was geared locally more than nationally with local events in communities,” he said. “The challenge is (smaller projects) will often benefit the local community and a smaller group of people, but that sort of signature legacy project ... is what really helps educate and engage young Canadians.”
Whoever is to blame, University of Calgary historian David Bercuson said there’s no denying it was a “missed opportunity,” lamenting: “When are we ever going to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the armistice again?”