How Remembrance Day and politics collided and what it means for the future [Video]

One of the most revered days in the Canadian calendar was caught up in controversy this week as a debate raged over the appropriateness of playing an Arabic song and invoking the transatlantic slave trade during Remembrance Day ceremonies.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has accused some event organizers of being too “woke” and defiling a day meant to mourn war dead and pay respect to Canadian soldiers, sailors and airmen who fought to protect the country.

“What an absolute disgrace that so many woke activists & authorities used Remembrance Day to push their divisive and radical causes, denigrating our history and the brave military members who sacrificed for it,” Poilievre said in a social media post Tuesday.

Poilievre hasn’t said much about what he would do with the military — he’s repeatedly dodged questions about meeting NATO spending targets— but he has promised to dismantle what he calls a “woke” culture and replace it with a …