Remembrance Day 2021 on Queen Street

On the 11th day of the 11th month 2021, the Royal Canadian Legion ceremony at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Cenotaph was a little different than pre-pandemic years, but no less emotional.

Although the service was planned to be divided into two parts to cut down on the number of people gathering, with many of the wreaths laid before the start of the service, it seemed about the same size crowd as in the past,, as NOTL residents paid tribute to those who served their country and made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for freedom and democracy. One difference was the mostly empty seats set up for veterans, their families, and others who could not stand for the duration of the service, a reminder of those no longer with us, no longer able to attend or possibly choosing not to because of COVID.

Another move from tradition was to keep the service shorter than in other years.. Although there were representatives of all levels of government present, their were no speeches —Rev. Sheldon Kofsky gave a reading and performed the task of Master of Ceremonies. After Last Post, the two minutes of silence was used to read the names of the fallen from Niagara-on-the-Lake, often with more than one from families, brothers and cousins who did not return home.