Every year, on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the moment the clock strikes 11 a.m., Canadians pause to observe Remembrance Day. They mark two minutes of silence to honour those who have served, fought – and in far too many cases, died – protecting the country.

A terrible toll

This solemn observance began after the First World War (1914-1918). It was a brutal war that claimed more than eight million soldiers globally. Some 61,000 Canadians died in battle. An additional 172,000 Canadians were injured.