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Every year, on November 11, something rare happens. The world goes quiet.

Cars pause. Conversations stop. Children in school gyms lower their voices. Veterans straighten their medals. And at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we observe two minutes of silence.

This is Remembrance Day.

It isn’t a festival, a sale, or a long weekend. It is a Canadian tradition rooted in respect—for the soldiers who served, the ones who never came home, and the families who carried the weight of war long after the headlines faded.

Why November 11?

On November 11, 1918, the First World War finally ended. A conflict that reshaped the world, scarred nations, and cost millions of lives came to a close. The date became a symbol: peace hard-won and never forgotten.

The Poppy: A Small Flower with a Tremendous Story

The red poppy worn on jackets and coats is more than decoration.

During the First World War, the soil of Flanders Fields was torn apart by artillery. Yet, through shattered ground and silent battlefields, poppies grew. Bright red flowers—fragile, stubborn, uninvited—became symbols of life in the places where so many had lost theirs.

Canadian soldier and poet Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae wrote about that scene in “In Flanders Fields,” and the poppy became a tribute worn across the country.

How We Remember

Remembrance Day ceremonies take many forms:

• Laying wreaths at cenotaphs

• Standing for the Last Post

• Reading names etched in stone

• School assemblies that teach new generations who and what came before them

• Veterans sharing stories—when the memories are not too heavy to hold
  

Whether you wear a poppy, attend a ceremony, or simply stop for a quiet moment at 11 a.m., the meaning is the same: we remember.

More Than History

Remembrance Day is not just about the past. It is about understanding the cost of peace today.

It honours:

• Soldiers who fought in the world wars

• Veterans of Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, and peacekeeping missions worldwide

• Those who returned home with physical and invisible wounds

• Families whose loved ones never returned

It is gratitude in silence.

Why It Matters

The world changes, generations come and go, and new conflicts appear on distant screens. Remembrance Day keeps one truth alive: freedom is not an accident. It was earned, defended, and paid for.

We wear the poppy so we do not forget.

The Dan DaCosta Real Estate Group is proud to support and serve the brave individuals who dedicate their lives to protecting our country. To every veteran, active service member, and military family—thank you for your sacrifice, your courage, and your unwavering commitment to Canada. It is our honor to work for those who serve.