Those who gave their lives in battle were remembered Thursday at the UBC Okanagan campus during the university鈥檚 annual Remembrance Day ceremony.
Despite a heavy and persistent snowfall, a crowd of about 100 people tuned out for the ceremony, which featured speakers, including Lt.-Col. Mike McGinty, the commanding officer of the B.C. Dragoons in 麻豆精选. Wreaths were also laid on behalf of the university and the local Royal Canadian Legion.
McGinty, who is also the associate director of risk management services at UBCO, spoke of the men and women he remembers at this time of year, men and women who did not come home from battle.
鈥淲ar is a terrible business,鈥� he said, adding life can be too, if not for the freedoms afforded Canadians by those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the past.
He said it鈥檚 important to mark Remembrance Day鈥攁lbeit two days early鈥攐n the university campus because universities are places of free thought and expression.
鈥淎nd that free thought and expression has been bought at a cost by our predecessors and current (military).鈥�
McGinty said it鈥檚 important to bring that sacrifice from the abstract and that was why he spoke of the men and women he was thinking about Thursday and wanted to tell their stories.
UBCO deputy vice-chancellor and Okanagan campus principal Deborah Buszard said the annual event is important to the university for a number of reasons, including the fact the university in 麻豆精选 has a close relationship with the B.C. Dragoons.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an important piece of our Canadian heritage,鈥� said Buszard about Remembrance Day. 鈥淎nd we continue on with these events to honour the memory of the people who have given us the freedoms we all enjoy today.鈥�
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