News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

November 6, 2020

Province Launches `Manitoba Remembers', a Digital Project to Honour Veterans



The Manitoba government will make it easier for Manitobans to show their support for veterans this year through a digital project to honour veterans, remember their sacrifices and bring the community together, Sport, Culture and Heritage Minister Cathy Cox and Jon Reyes, special envoy for military affairs, announced today.
 
“We owe veterans our gratitude and respect, but under COVID-19 we cannot gather together to show them our appreciation as we have in the past,” Cox said. “We must not let this moment pass and I ask all Manitobans to join with us in taking a few moments to think about their sacrifice.”
 
The ‘Manitoba Remembers’ campaign includes a digital photo frame that can be applied to profile photos on Facebook. The province will again display the locally created, 85-ft. poppy blanket made of over 8,000 hand-sewn poppies on the Grand Staircase of the Manitoba legislative building. Although the building is closed to the public at this time, images of the blanket will be posted and available to the public.
 
The Archives of Manitoba, including the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, is also inviting the public to look at online exhibits and digitized copies of records that are available on the archives’ website. Although the Archives of Manitoba’s Research Room is currently closed, it plans on highlighting resources including letters from Manitoba soldiers who served in the First World War and a Manitoba government film that documents how Manitobans were contributing to the war effort during the Second World War. The public can access these resources online to mark Remembrance Day and honour Canadian veterans. The Archives of Manitoba will be tweeting and blogging this week and next to encourage the public to view its online resources. 
 
The province will also be sharing images of upgraded and refurbished memorials from around the province dedicated to veterans. Through the province’s Military Memorial Conservation Grant program, a number of memorials have received financial support to make repairs or maintenance to these important community monuments since the program was launched last year. 
 
In addition, the Manitoba government has made legislative amendments to the Municipal Assessment Act to exempt veterans’ associations from payment of municipal property taxes in Manitoba. This change will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2021. Currently, some municipalities voluntarily exempt veterans’ organizations from property tax. Starting in 2021 all eligible organizations would receive this exemption, which will help support groups like legions and help ensure their long-term stability.
 
“The men and women who have served in our Canadian Armed Forces have made huge sacrifices and paid the price so that all Canadians can enjoy the freedom we have today,” Reyes said.  “Providing tax relief to veterans’ organizations and supporting the care and maintenance of community monuments are important ways we can show our appreciation to veterans while helping the Manitoba Legion and the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans (ANAVET) organizations that are facing serious financial challenges.”
 
These efforts are in conjunction with the national campaign by the Royal Canadian Legion, which includes online methods to support legions and veterans, as well as a way to create a personalized digital poppy. For more information visit www.legion.ca
 
To access the digital Manitoba Remembers photo frame, search “Manitoba Remembers” in the “Add photo frame” tab under “Edit profile picture” on Facebook. 
 
For more information on the poppy blanket, visit www.poppyblanket.ca.
 
For more information on the Archives of Manitoba, visit www.gov.mb.ca/archives or follow the Twitter account at www.twitter.com/MBGovArchives.
 
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