Remembrance Day speech template (Canada)
Published 10 October 2026 · Date checked on 5 October 2026 · Written by the Cue Card Converter team at EventProgrammer, event production professionals
Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to remember the Canadians who have served in war, military conflict and peacekeeping, and especially those who died. The date marks the end of fighting in the First World War in 1918. At 11 a.m., Canadians pause for two minutes of silence. The national ceremony takes place at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, and communities hold services at local cenotaphs. Many people wear a red poppy in the days before.
- Date
- November 11
- Next dates
- Wednesday 11 November 2026
Thursday 11 November 2027
Saturday 11 November 2028 - Country
- Canada
- Tone
- Solemn – remembrance
- Typical events
- School Remembrance Day assemblies, services at local cenotaphs, Royal Canadian Legion branches, workplace gatherings at 11 a.m., and ceremonies held by Canadian embassies abroad.
- Length
- 197 spoken words · about 1.5 min at 130 words a minute · 4 cue cards
The Remembrance Day speech, ready as cue cards
A complete host script in 4 cards, about 1.5 minutes of speaking. Open it in the editor to add your names, change the card size or highlights, and print.
- GOOD MORNING1 / 4
Good morning, students, staff and guests. I'm {Your name}, and welcome to the Remembrance Day assembly at {School or organisation}. We are especially grateful to the veterans and Legion members who have joined us today. Please take a moment to settle, and make sure your phones are switched off. - WHY WE WEAR THE POPPY2 / 4
During the First World War, a Canadian army doctor, John McCrae, wrote a poem about poppies growing among soldiers' graves in Flanders. His poem helped make the red poppy a symbol of remembrance. We wear it for every Canadian who served in war, conflict and peacekeeping, and especially for those who never came home. - IN FLANDERS FIELDS3 / 4
Now {Student's name} will recite McCrae's poem, In Flanders Fields. Please stand if you are able. After the poem, the Last Post will sound, and we will keep two minutes of silence, followed by the Lament and the Rouse.
[POEM – LAST POST – TWO MINUTES OF SILENCE – LAMENT – ROUSE] - CLOSING4 / 4
Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you to our readers, our musicians and our guests. Remembering is something we do together, and also something each of us carries. If you know a veteran, thank them. If not, take a minute this week to learn one name from our local cenotaph. Please leave the hall quietly.
Red is used only for names, titles, organisations, dates, times and section headings. Replace the words in {curly brackets} with your own details; lines in [SQUARE BRACKETS] are stage directions and are not read aloud.
How to adapt it
- Canadian ceremonies usually follow the order Last Post, two minutes of silence, Lament, Rouse, then the Act of Remembrance. Your local Royal Canadian Legion branch can advise on the details.
- Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday in some provinces and territories but not in others. Where schools are open, assemblies are often held on the day; elsewhere, hold yours on the last school day before.
- Poppies are worn on the left side, over the heart, in the days leading up to 11 November. After the ceremony, some people lay their poppy on a cenotaph or wreath.
- Invite local veterans early, reserve seats for them near the front, and ask whether they would like to be introduced by name. Give student readers the full text in large type.
Print and rehearse
“Edit and print these cards” opens the script in the free cue card maker, where you can choose A5, 4 × 6 or 3 × 5 inch cards, print several per sheet with cut lines or export PDF, PowerPoint and Word, and rehearse full screen in practice mode. To write your own programme around it, see how to write an MC script and the run of show template.
Sources
Date and background checked on 5 October 2026 against: Commemorative events | Veterans Affairs Canada. Customs vary between organisations and regions; always follow the official programme of your event.
More Canada speech templates
- Canada Day · July 1
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation · September 30