REGINA, Sask. – Members of the Legislative Assembly as well as veterans and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces and others gathered Nov. 4 for the Annual Service of Remembrance for the Public Service.
It is the annual ceremony which, according to the province, honours those who served the country and those who gave their lives in times of war. It paid particular tribute to those in the public service who served the country.
This year’s ceremony, held as usual in the week before Remembrance Day, once again drew a large number of MLAs but notable in their absence was Premier Scott Moe and Opposition Leader Carla Beck. Both were in Prince Albert that day for the memorial service for Private Shaun Farrell, 23, who died following a fire incident at CFB Wainwright.
The service at the legislature was officiated by Rabbi Jeremy Parnes of the Beth Jacob Synagogue.
In his remarks, he said remembrance “must be more than an exercise in looking backward. It must also be a commitment to how we choose to live today and shape tomorrow…
“Remembrance is not passive. It places a responsibility upon us. On this day, we honour those who served Canada, including those who fought in two world wars, Korea, Afghanistan, and other conflicts. As well as those who served and continue to serve in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. And most recently, we remember four soldiers serving with Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Regiment who died Oct. 17th at CFB Wainwright when a wildfire engulfed the terrain during a training exercise. We honour the contributions of Indigenous veterans, Jewish veterans, and Canadians of every background who answered the call to serve. Even when some faced discrimination in the very country they were defending, their service reminds us that courage, sacrifice, and devotion to the common good transcend the differences that too often divide us…
“Today, as we stand in remembrance, may we also stand in resolve. May our gratitude become responsibility. May our memories become acts of kindness and courage. And may the sacrifices of yesterday inspire us to build a more just, compassionate, and peaceful tomorrow.”
The service included a stirring cello performance by 96-year-old Holocaust survivor Klara Belkin, in what was described as her final public performance.
Deputy Premier Jim Reiter paid tribute to Belkin, and to “those who fought for us, those who continue to serve, and those who have lost their lives in service to Canada. More than 11,000 men and women with connections to Saskatchewan have made the ultimate sacrifice…
“It was Canadian soldiers, along with others, that helped liberate Nazi concentration camps, camps like Bergen-Belsen, freeing those who survived the worst during the Second World War. One of the survivors of that camp, a 15-year-old girl liberated 81 years ago, is here with us today.
“Klara Belkin, a Holocaust survivor whose life stands as a powerful testament to courage, resilience, and the enduring importance of remembrance. Having survived the atrocities of the Second World War and gone on to build a life here in Saskatchewan. She reminds us of the human cost of hatred and conflict, and of our shared responsibility to preserve the stories of those who lived through these events.
“Ms. Belkin, thank you for being with us here today, for entertaining us, and for helping future generations understand when we must never forget.”
Following the ceremony inside the Legislature building was the laying of a wreath outside, at the Saskatchewan War Memorial.
