The Government of Canada has announced plans to set aside a specific day each year to honour the country’s firefighters.
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister Ralph Goodale made the announcement in Regina on Friday. The second Sunday in September will be recognized as National Firefighters Memorial Day.
This year, a special ceremony will take place in Ottawa on Sept. 10. The flag on Parliament Hill will be lowered for the first time to specifically honour firefighters.
“Half-masting is a rare honour,” Goodale told reporters on Friday. “It is my hope that when Canadians see the flag lowered every year at the post office or on the RCMP detachment, as well as on Parliament Hill, it will cause them to ask why and then inspire them to think of the firefighters at work in their communities and the ones who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Before now, there has been a yearly ceremony honouring firefighters organized by the Firefighters’ Associations, rather than the federal government.
