Vimy Ridge monument at the War Museum. Click
here for larger picture.
As part of the Vimy Memorial Project that took place from April 7-9, 2017, the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Veterans’ Council brought Métis veterans from Ontario and British Columbia together with Métis youth for Vimy commemoration events that took place over that weekend in Ottawa.
On the April 8, the Saturday of the weekend, Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) President Margaret Froh and MNO Veterans’ Council, Métis Youth and Veterans from Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) boarded a bus to the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
Upon arrival, the delegation split into two with a mix of Ontario and British Columbia veterans and youth in both groups. The War Museum guides were knowledgeable and led the group on a journey through the Museum.
After the guided portion of the tour, everyone was free to investigate and look around more to see what the Museum had to offer. In the Great Hall, there were tanks, jeeps, personnel carriers, a jet fighter suspended from the ceiling and a variable depth sonar and naval gun. There were also replicas of the statue figurines from Vimy Ridge monument in France set out in a symbolic way with the sun shining through a long narrow but high glass window.
The separate exclusive Vimy Ridge exhibit was breath taking and moving to say the least. The back wall is lit up with 3,598 lights to represent all who fell at Vimy. As the group walked through the exhibit, there were displays of life-sized soldiers and also videos with about the Vimy Ridge Monument. The life-sized soldiers gave the group an incredible feeling as if they were standing with them and there was a loud silence in this exhibit that was very solemn that allowed reflection on what these young men must have been thinking prior to jumping out of their trenches to do battle.
Posted: June 7, 2017