Commemorating Canada's First World War

Home / Explore / Canada's History Forum

Read the transcript

Keynote speaker Jonathan Vance speaks about the challenges of war commemoration, how Canadians have remembered and marked the war, and how and why our national memory has evolved over the past 100 years. He cites examples of what Canadians have done well, what they haven't, how our understanding of this history has changed over the century, and what are some of the best practices for Canadian planning and preparation of centennial commemorations in our communities.

This presentation was made during the fifth Canada's History Forum on December 9th, 2012 at The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Canada.

Jonathan Vance is a professor of military history, Canadian history, and social memory at Western University. He is the author of over ten books, including Death So Noble: Memory, Meaning and the First World War.