This year's Remembrance Day marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War and as a way to commemorate this significant milestone, a series of events and tributes are planned throughout the northwestern Ontario city that's been coined as the City of the Poppy.

"For some who may not be aware ... there's a plaque in the Prince Arthur Hotel where the decision in 1921 to adopt the symbol for remembrance in Canada, being the poppy, was actually decided by the Great War Veterans Association at the Annual General Meeting" here in Thunder Bay, said Michel Beaulieu, a member of the city of the poppy steering committee.

He said as a way to mark Thunder Bay's connection to the poppy and the 100th anniversary, "the city of Thunder Bay along with a number of community organizations" are hosting a series of events starting on Friday.

Book launch and military parade

"On the 2nd, this Friday, is the launch of a city sponsored book published by the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, called Thunder Bay and the First World War," Beaulieu said, explaining that the book focuses on the contributions of soldiers, nurses and those on the home-front during the war.

Friday's event will take place at the O'Kelly VC Armoury on Park Avenue at 7 p.m.

He said along with the launch of the book, various community organizations will also have "a number of historical displays ... looking at various aspects of the city's contribution during that time."

A military parade is also expected to take place on Sunday Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. "near the Community Auditorium," and starting at 2 p.m., residents are invited to the auditorium for a premiere of a city sponsored movie called, Where the Poppies Grow.

"It will also feature remarks by various dignitaries," Beaulieu added, "as well as the unveiling by the City of Thunder Bay [of] the legacy infrastructure project —​ commemorating and recognizing [and] memorializing the First World War."

Remembrance Week

This weekend and the week leading up to Remembrance Day is known as Remembrance Week and it is intended to "kick off the week of commemoration, the week of recognition."

"It was also decided to have [these events] the week before to introduce [and] provide some context to why the 100th anniversary is so important ... and not to take away from what Remembrance Day means," Beaulieu said.

He said this weekend's events will not only commemorate the anniversary, but will also recognize the contributions made by the many men and women in northwestern Ontario during the the First World War.

To see the original article and read related stories, follow this link to the CBC News website.  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/remembrance-week-tbay-2018-1.4888999