Ottawa: Reflection on a Week

E- This drawing is a representation of the talking-stick circle. The talking-stick circle was a time for us to reflect on our week. Because as much as Encounters with Canada wants us to learn, they’re also about making friends. I made so many amazing friends on this trip. Friday was a good chance to say goodbye to everyone, and see how other people experienced the trip.

About Me page. Who are you? Add a picture too!

Hi. My name is Alivia Ward. I’m a Grade 9 student in PLP. I enjoyed this trip mostly because how I bonded with my old friends, and made tons of new ones!

E- This picture shows Canadian identity because of our unity. The person in the middle of the picture is from Saskatchewan, and the people on either side are from BC. But we all show a great interest in Canadian identity, and pride in our country, despite coming from completely different parts of our country.

E- During WW1, pilots only had a lifespan of 2 weeks. This was because planes couldn’t move very fast or high, so they were an easy target.

Include on this page pictures of three different things you learned today. Label each.

E- This is a picture of some of the different ways soldiers would try and block out chlorine gas. The first way they tried was to pee on a handkerchief and hold it to their faces.

E- I never realized how many people they had to fit into an ambulance at once. Imagine being this cramped as you were bleeding out from a gash on your arm. 

Insert here your favourite picture or video relating to Canada’s role in World War I that you saw in this trip. Don’t forget to explain it!

E- This is a map of all the commonwealth of Britain. Before the First World War, that was all Canada was. But during, and after, Canada became a nation.

F- At the centre, on television screens, different heritage Minutes play on a loop.

E- I interviewed Makayla Lynch, from Newfoundland. As you’ve heard, she believes that Canada had a huge impact on the war, and Canada’s identity. But I chose her for a reason. See, in 1917, and throughout the course of the First World War, Newfoundland was its own commonwealth. It didn’t joking until after the Second World War, in 1949. I think it’s really cool, how even though Newfoundlanders may not have been a huge part of the battle, when they joined Canada, they took in a huge part of our worldview as Canadians.

E- If I were alive during WW1, I would have gone to war. But because I am female, it would have been a very different experience. I probably would have become a nurse, to help the soldiers who were wounded. I would choose to serve my country because I think it is honourable to fight for your country. If the Germans had won, one can only imagine what would have happened to Canada. I am eternally great-full to everyone who fought in the war.

E- This painting shows how in Canada, life had to continue, even though terror was everywhere.

E- In WW1, there were many different roles for different people. This picture shows the clothing of a nurse, who could never get the bloodstains out of her clothing.

E- This picture shows a re-creation of a WW1 trench, with some modifications for accessibility. The soldiers stayed here for extended periods of time.

E- During this trip, I learned a lot. Not just about World War 1, and Vimy Ridge. But about all the other wars Canada has been a part of. And I think that is very important. If we learn about these wars, how bloody they were, maybe they will stop. Maybe, we won’t have to go fight awful terrors. The War was horrendous. But it was necessary. If it weren’t for the First World War, women would still be treated as housewives. We wouldn’t be able to vote. Minorities wouldn’t be able to vote. Canada might still be part of Britain. Our technology wouldn’t be as advanced. And, most importantly, we wouldn’t be the strong, connected nation we are today,

E- Tanks were a huge technological advancement due to the war. They were first used in the battle of the Somme, on September 15th, 1916. The results of the tanks were mixed. Some stalled, but several made it through. Tanks have been used ever since, and they become more and more advanced as time goes on.

E- In this picture, you can see the list of all the different bunkers on Canada. All these bunkers were built during the Cold War. Canadians had to prepare for nuclear bombing. These bunkers were built all over Canada, to protect govt. officials. This was because, if there was nuclear bombing, they would need the govt. intact to help rebuild Canada. This changed Canada, as now we have facilities that we could repair and fix in case something like the Cold War were to happen again. 

Put in your best video from today. Remember to include captions!

Put in your best picture from today. Remember to include captions!

For this interview, I was speaking to Kailey Newcomb, from PEI. She said that Canadas identity was changed greatly over the War. Canada became recognizable as a nation for their efforts. They were known to have fierce fighters. After the war, they became peacemakers, devoting tons of effort into peacekeeping.

Use this page to continue the work from the previous page. Include photos and videos to help explain. Add pages if you need them!

E- This is a book of names. That may not sound significant. But it’s who’s names that count. Every one of the names in this book are names of soldier who fought and died in The Battle of Vimy Ridge. All around the room where this book is stored, there are others. Some of the names get added even today. This is how we can pay tribute to all of the soldiers who fought for us. These brave men and women created the Canada that we today live in. They gave their lives, so we could have amazing ones. But how many lives could’ve been saved if it weren’t for these conflicts. So many books, so many pages, so many names. To many.

E- This is my favorite picture from today because of the emotion it conveys. Imagine facing a gun like this. How scared would you be? Young men had to face these every day. It’s awful, but they did it for us.

Insert here your favourite picture or video from today relating to World War I and Canada’s role. Make sure you caption it to help explain it!

D- At the beginning of WW1, Canada was just part of the British Empire, no one special. But Canada supplied the war with lots of soldiers and ammunition. Also, after many failed attempts by the British and French, the four Canadian Regiments took Vimy Ridge in 4 days. This was a huge victory for the allies, and marked the beginning of the end of the war.

E- This affected Canada’s identity hugely. This was a huge turning point for Canadians, because people started to see them as a threat, rather than part of the British Empire. A quote from a soldier who fought in the Battle of Vimy Ridge once said « We went up Vimy Ridge as Albertans and Nova Scotians. We came down as Canadians . »

Fill this page with more photos and video from today. Make sure to include captions to help explain why they are important!

On Sunday we got Vimy Ridge hoodies, from the Vimy Foundation. These were to wear to the National War Monument. On Monday they had a ceremony to commemorate the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which we attended. I think these are really cool and relate directly to our Canadian Identity. The Battle of Vimy Ridge is a huge part of Canadian identity. By sporting the hoodies with the colours of the different regiments, we can help people remember and learn about how amazing Canada really is.

E- This picture is of the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa. The day we visited this monument, April 9th, was the 101st anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. We got to witness the service that they had to commemorate this event. The statue itself finish construction in 1938, the year before WW2 began. The statue was at first meant to commemorate the First World War, but since then, the dates of wars that Canadians have fought in have been added.