Play celebrates WWII legacy as Canadians’ connection to Remembrance Day evolves

More than a million Canadians served in the Second World War — but eight decades later, only a small number of them remain. As their voices grow quieter, artists and veterans alike are finding new ways to keep their stories alive and relevant for future generations.

In Wells, B.C., playwright Julia Mackey and her husband Dirk Van Stralen created Jake’s Gift, a heartfelt stage play inspired by Canada’s role at Juno Beach, one of the key sites of the 1944 D-Day invasion. Now in its 18th year on tour, the production follows a fictional Canadian veteran, Jake, who returns to Normandy for the 60th anniversary of D-Day to honour his fallen brother and reflect on the passage of time.

Along the way, Jake forms a bond with Isabelle, a curious 10-year-old from the local French village, who helps him rediscover hope and connection. Mackey says that intergenerational connection is at the heart of the play’s lasting impact.

“One of the things we’ve discovered, unintentionally, is the themes in the play are really about loss, forgiveness, and friendship — and those things are universal,” Mackey said.

She adds that nearly every audience member can relate to Jake’s story because “every Canadian has their own Jake — someone in their family who served.”

Mackey and Van Stralen began developing the character in 2004 after interviewing Canadian veterans who returned to Normandy for D-Day’s 60th anniversary. Jake’s personality was inspired in part by Fred Rogers, a Second World War artillery veteran who visited schools to share his story.

“The reason we keep touring is to honour the veterans that we met,” said Mackey. “And to honour the present-day veterans too.”

A new generation of remembrance

While the Second World War shaped Canada’s identity, more recent conflicts have reshaped the way Canadians — especially younger generations — connect with Remembrance Day.

Darcy Eggleston, a retired paratrooper and military police officer from Fort Nelson First Nation, says that for many younger Canadians, remembrance is now tied to more recent missions in Afghanistan, Syria, and the Middle East.

“There are some [veterans] that are very bitter,” Eggleston said. “And there are some that have blended back into society — you wouldn't even know they were veterans unless you asked.”

Eggleston joined the Canadian military in 1979 and served for over two decades, including deployments in Cyprus and Syria. In 1989, he briefly served alongside his father, Bill Eggleston, a Royal Canadian Engineer, during a peacekeeping mission in Nicosia.

His grandfather, Lester Eggleston, served in the Canadian Forestry Corps during the Second World War but rarely spoke of his experiences until later in life.

Now 66, Darcy continues his family’s tradition of service through volunteer work with the Royal Canadian Legion’s poppy campaign, alongside his 84-year-old mother, Celine.

“I just appreciate people who donate towards the poppy campaign,” he said. “It’s very appreciated — all that money does help veterans.”

Carrying the torch forward

For both Mackey and Eggleston, remembrance is not confined to one day in November. Whether through art, education, or community service, they represent a shared effort to keep Canada’s military legacy alive — not as a distant chapter of history, but as a living story of sacrifice and connection.

“Until the very last veteran’s story is told, there will always be a need for Remembrance Day,” Mackey said.