Honouring the Legacy of Vimy Ridge in Toronto and Ottawa, 108th Anniversary Commemoration

By Capt Rey Garcia-Salas

In Toronto: A Ceremony of Unity and Remembrance

On April 13, 2025, the Latin American Soldiers Committee (LASC) was honoured to participate in the 108th Anniversary Commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at the Cenotaph, Old City Hall, in Toronto. Organized by the Vimy Ridge Memorial Committee, this moving and dignified ceremony stood as a testament to Canada’s enduring commitment to remembering its military history and the lives sacrificed for freedom.

Bringing together dignitaries, veterans, serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), military attachés, youth, and community leaders, the event paid tribute to the thousands of Canadians who fought—and the many who fell—on the bloodied slopes of Vimy Ridge during the First World War.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge, fought from April 9 to 12, 1917, marked a defining moment in Canadian history. For the first time, all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought side by side as a unified force. In a battle characterized by determination, innovation, and sacrifice, Canadian soldiers succeeded in capturing the strategic ridge from heavily fortified German positions. The cost was steep—over 10,000 Canadian casualties—but the victory was historic, symbolizing Canada’s coming of age on the world stage.

Though often overlooked in traditional accounts, Canadians of Latin American heritage have made meaningful contributions to Canada’s defence efforts—from the trenches of WWI to modern peacekeeping operations and national defence. Recent archival research by LASC has identified approximately 200 individuals of Latin American descent who served during the First and Second World Wars. These soldiers, sailors, and aviators served with distinction in combat, logistics, medical support, and communications roles—embodying the very spirit of service and sacrifice.

At the Toronto ceremony, Major Rogger Guzman-Bucheli (CAF and LASC Military Coordinator in Toronto), Civilian LASC Coordinator Betsabe (Betsy) Requena, and Colombian military members Major Cesar Augusto Chisica Ramirez and Lieutenant Alvaro Javier Orrantia Zabarain represented LASC and the Latin American community. Together, they laid a wreath in memory of all who served—including those of Latin American descent whose contributions are only now being fully recognized and honoured.

Musical tributes performed by the Toronto French School Wind Ensemble and the 7th Toronto Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery Orchestra, alongside bilingual readings from students of the Toronto French School and the Lycée Français de Toronto, deepened the emotional resonance of the day. Their recitations of In Flanders Fields and messages of peace connected the sacrifice of those at Vimy with the hopes of future generations.

Distinguished speakers included:

The Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

His Excellency Bertrand Pous, Consul General of France

Her Worship Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto

Each spoke of remembrance, reconciliation, and the enduring bond between Canada and France—cemented in shared sacrifice on battlefields far from home.

In Ottawa: A Sacred Gathering at Vimy Bridge

Continuing the national tribute, the Latin American Soldiers Committee participated in a second ceremony on April 17, 2025, near Vimy Bridge in Ottawa. This intimate and deeply respectful event, organized by Le Souvenir Français in Canada, paid homage to Canadian, French, and Allied soldiers who fell during the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

A solemn prayer was offered by Retired CAF Chaplain Yves Lesieur, whose words echoed through the quiet evening air:

“We recall the day our country became a nation when ‘colonials’ marched up one side of Vimy and came down the other side of that hill victorious. Fulfil in those who saw combat the high purpose of your love… and bring us, along with them, to your eternal joy…”

Wreaths were laid in reverence by representatives of LASC, Le Souvenir Français in Canada, and the City of Ottawa. Attendees included Ottawa City Councillor Mr. Steve Desroches; Christophe Baldacchino, Delegate for Ontario and Manitoba for Le Souvenir Français in Canada; CAF representatives; and LASC members Capt Rey Garcia-Salas and Giuseppe Marconi.

This symbolic act of remembrance reaffirmed our collective duty to preserve the memory of the fallen—not only as a matter of history but as a moral obligation for future generations.

LASC’s Mission: Inclusion Through Remembrance

The Latin American Soldiers Committee remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring that Canada’s military history reflects the full spectrum of its diversity. Through commemorative events, archival research, and educational outreach, LASC continues to uncover and honour the stories of Latin American Canadians who have served with distinction.

We call on all Canadians—especially youth—to embrace a broader understanding of our shared heritage. Let us remember not only those who fought at Vimy Ridge but also those who came from distant lands—Buenos Aires and Bogotá, San Salvador and Santiago, Guatemala City and Caracas, and many other cities—to build a better, freer future in Canada.

Their legacy is not confined to the past. It lives on in every Latin American Canadian who serves today in the Canadian Armed Forces—men and women who continue to uphold the ideals of courage, honour, and peace.

To our Latin American communities across Canada: your history is Canadian history. Your stories of service, resilience, and patriotism deserve to be heard, celebrated, and preserved.

A Collective Duty to Remember

The 108th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge was not merely an occasion to reflect on the past—it was a powerful reminder of our duty to uphold the values that generations before us fought to defend. Through remembrance, we renew our collective commitment to peace, unity, and inclusion.

The Latin American Soldiers Committee extends its deepest gratitude to the Vimy Ridge Memorial Committee, Le Souvenir Français in Canada, the City of Ottawa, and all those who made these commemorations meaningful, inclusive, and inspiring.

We will remember them.

We will carry their legacy forward—together.

Stay connected with the Latin American Soldiers Committee

www.latinsoldiers.ca