Every year on November 11, Canadians gather in silence to honour the lives of those who served and died in times of war. The red poppy remind us of the immense cost of freedom. But Remembrance Day is more than a memorial—it is a moral responsibility. It calls on us to remember not only the soldiers who gave their lives to end tyranny and fascism, but also the democratic values they fought to protect: equality, freedom, and solidarity.
Tens of thousands of Canadians gave their lives during the world wars, and hundreds of thousands more returned home forever changed. Many were working-class people—millwrights, loggers, farmers, teachers, and miners—who answered the call to defend the ideals of freedom and justice. Their courage and sacrifice remind us that the struggle for a fair and democratic society has always been, and always will be, a struggle led by working people.
When Canadian troops fought overseas during the Second World War, they were fighting to end a system that had enslaved millions, outlawed unions, and replaced collective power with dictatorship. The Nazis and their allies crushed workers’ organizations, banned strikes, and executed trade unionists. They understood something fundamental—that an organized working class is the most powerful force against tyranny. That is why they sought to destroy it. And that is why the victory over fascism must always be remembered as a victory for working people everywhere.
For the Canadian Union of Skilled Workers (CUSW-BC), the fight against fascism was not only a battle between nations—it was a fight over the future of humanity itself. Fascism sought to crush democracy, silence workers, destroy trade unions, and replace solidarity with fear and obedience. In standing against it, generations of Canadians defended not just their country, but the very right of ordinary people to live and work with dignity.
In the years after the war, returning veterans came home determined to build a more just society. They wanted to ensure that the sacrifices of their comrades were not in vain. The post-war generation demanded social progress: universal health care, public education, unemployment insurance, decent housing, and the right to join a union without fear. Those demands helped shape the Canada we know today.
Unions were at the forefront of that transformation. Working people organized, bargained, and struck for a fairer deal—because they knew what was at stake. They had seen what happened when democracy was taken for granted. They had seen what happened when greed and power were left unchecked. The labour movement understood that the best way to honour the fallen was to fight for the living—to build a country rooted in equality, peace, and justice.
Today, as we mark Remembrance Day, we must remember that freedom and democracy are not guaranteed. They must be defended by every generation, in every workplace, in every community. We live in a world still scarred by conflict, where authoritarianism, racism, and economic exploitation continue to rise. Around the world, working people are being silenced, unions are being attacked, and war is once again being used as a tool to divide and control.
The lessons of history could not be clearer. When workers are divided, when voices of dissent are silenced, when governments serve corporations instead of people, the door opens to the same forces our grandparents fought to defeat. That is why remembrance must be active—it must compel us to act. It must inspire us to protect the rights and freedoms that so many Canadians died for.
The CUSW-BC believes that the best way to honour those who fought and fell is to carry forward their mission—to build a peaceful, democratic world where no one is exploited, oppressed, or sent to die in war. That begins with solidarity. Working people across Canada, and across the globe, must stand together against those who profit from division and destruction.
War does not start in a vacuum. It begins when greed outweighs compassion, when inequality fuels resentment, and when the powerful choose conquest over cooperation. Workers have the power to change that. By uniting across borders, by demanding fair trade instead of militarized economies, by pushing our governments to invest in health care, education, and green industries instead of weapons—we can build a future worthy of those who gave everything for peace.
The CUSW-BC also believes that peace is not simply the absence of war—it is the presence of justice. True peace means good jobs, safe communities, environmental sustainability, and respect for human rights. It means that every person, regardless of race, gender, or nation, has the opportunity to live with dignity. Those are the same values that motivated Canadians to take up arms against fascism—and they remain just as vital today.
The red poppy is a symbol of sacrifice—but also of renewal. Out of the blood-soaked fields of war, new life grew. Let us carry that symbol forward, not only on our jackets, but in our hearts. Let us keep alive the promise of those who gave everything—that justice will prevail, that peace will endure, and that the power of people united will always overcome tyranny.
Lest we forget.
