Vimy is more than a First World War battle. It is common to hear that Vimy marks the “birth of a nation.”  Yet what is meant by this phrase? Do Canadians actually believe that Canada was born at Vimy, 50 years after Confederation? How did the four-day battle of Vimy in April 1917 transform into an origin story?  While not all Canadians believed in Vimy’s importance, enough did, and the idea of Vimy was invigorated with the building of Walter Allward’s monument on the ridge. Since then, Vimy has been incorporated into Canadian history, although its meaning has changed with each generation. Cook will explore the emergence of the Vimy idea, its changing meaning, and its endurance as a symbol of Canadian service and sacrifice.

The JMS Careless Memorial Lecture: 

Vimy at 100, 1917-2017

by Tim Cook, PhD., C.M.

March 23rd, 5pm-7pm
Kenny Theatre.

Event poster.