On a cold April morning 103 years ago today, 15,000 Canadian infantry jumped out of muddy trenches and ventured into no man’s land. The odds were atrocious. More than 100,000 soldiers had already died trying to take Vimy Ridge, a strategic piece of real estate in the French countryside occupied by German forces.

For the first time, four Canadian divisions (as in not representing Her Majesty) were amassed to fight a seemingly invulnerable enemy, hidden from view, and equipped with significant killing power. Having practiced and taken on specialized roles, carefully timed waves of soldiers attacked, preceded by significant artillery pounding enemy positions.

Three days later - and with more than 10,000 Canadians injured and nearly 3,600 killed - victory was achieved. It was a defining moment for Canada and an example I believe we should hold up during the current global battle against COVID-19.

Coming Together

Over a century ago, Canadian soldiers faced, in many ways, what all of us are facing today. In our own ‘trenches’ at home, we are being asked to virtually come together to fight an invisible enemy. We are being asked, for the first time, to make sacrifices and to collaborate, allowing the specialists in medicine, science, epidemiology and other fields to fight a pernicious virus. While we do not face a barrage of machine-gun fire, the threat to our lives is real. Some of us - particularly the infirm and elderly - may not survive this battle, but if we act together, we will advance against what our Prime Minister has asked of us all (including our children).

Indeed, the efforts of millions of us, holed up in our homes, are what will ensure we effectively counter this pandemic. A vaccine is coming, but for now, this is how we can fight: listen to orders and do our part to stay home (a relatively small ask, methinks).

Our respective and collective responsibilities to work together, and eventually, to prevail, should unite us as they did for those brave Canadian soldiers more than one hundred years ago.

Today, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial symbolizes Canada’s long commitment to peace in the world, its stand for liberty, and the rule of international law. As much as the sacrifices of thousands of men who stepped out of their trenches won’t be forgotten, we can’t forget the important role we all play in combating the invisible foe before us.

Lest we forget. Let us unite.