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It’s been a more contentious issue than you might think…picking up garbage on Remembrance Day. The City of Chilliwack dealt with a rash of complaints this year, not only from those who say it’s disrespectful to veterans to have the collection service that day, but also from those who get confused when the collection day is changed. In the end, city staff recommended collection stop only between 10:30 and 11:30 on Remembrance Day, but Councillor Sue Attrill was not in favour of that plan.

“We enjoy the freedom that our veterans have provided for us, and I will certainly be voting against continuing service on Remembrance Day.  I’ve been approached dozens of times by veterans and I think it’s a really small thing, and I think if we do get a lot of calls we’ll probably get them in the first year, and then the next year people will just come to expect that it’s just not acceptable on Remembrance Day.”

Councillor Chuck Stam disagreed.

“Out of respect to the veterans, I think shutting it down for an hour is very respectful, and I think it allows people that time of remembrance and a moment of silence.  But I think there’s a nice balance there, to keep civic facilities open for Remembrance Day, but not just pull one layer out and shut it down entirely.”

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 280 requested that it be cancelled on this day altogether.  Instead, council voted to pass the motion, meaning collection will stop for just the one hour.

Remembrance Day is a provincial stat holiday, but isn’t recognized by most of the service industry. Because Remembrance Day falls on different days each year, the city would rather avoid the confusion and keep the collection days as they are currently.