Memorial Gathering

Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa
August 13, 2017

On August 13, the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) organized a floral tribute and memorial concert to pay deepest respects to the Party’s Founder and Leader Hardial Bains, on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of his birth on August 15, 1939 and the 20th anniversary of his untimely death on August 24, 1997. The tribute also paid respects to five Party members who died in the past year: Charles Boylan, Wendell Fields, David McKay, William McQueen and Alastair Haythornthwaite, and to all deceased Party comrades. A special tribute was given to Fidel Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban people and revolution and Comrade-in-Arms of the peoples of the world, on the occasion of the 91st anniversary of his birth on August 13, 1926.

As the Party’s musicians and choir played music and sang songs that evoked the memory and contributions of those who have passed, delegations of Party comrades from across Canada and Quebec, fraternal comrades, families and friends laid flowers on the Party monument and gave their red salutes. Following the Floral Tribute, people gathered around the monument to remember and appreciate the contributions of all the comrades whose names are inscribed on its red granite flag. Party youth presented a design for an elegant extension of the monument to inscribe the names yet to be added.

This year’s commemorative events concluded with a Memorial Concert dedicated to Hardial Bains, Fidel Castro and all deceased Party comrades. Held at the Beechwood Cemetery memorial hall, the program of songs and instrumentals commemorated fighters in the anti-colonial struggles, the Paris Commune, the Great October Revolution and fighters of the anti-fascist resistance. The concert also celebrated the Party, the working class and modern nation-builders.