PRIME Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday in a statement on Remembrance Day said: “Today, we honour the service of the brave women and men who answered the call. Those who sacrificed years away from loved ones, those who returned from combat forever changed, those who never came home.
“In an increasingly dangerous and divided world, remembrance is also vigilance. Our sovereignty and our security – and those of our allies – are not guaranteed. The women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces protect them every day. They rush to communities as wildfires and floods roll in, they airlift life-saving aid across waters, they stand guard in the Arctic, and they defend NATO’s Eastern Flank. When people see a maple leaf on a sleeve or the back of a truck – they see hope, they get help.
“Today, we pause to remember those acts of heroic service. We remember that our rights, our freedoms, our way of life were fought for and were won by Canadians who answer the call.
“Lest we forget.”
PREMIER David Eby said: “On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, at the precise moment in 1918 that guns were silenced to end the First World War, British Columbians join others across Canada in two minutes of silence. It is a symbolic time of contemplation to honour the fallen and to recognize the sacrifices of all who serve and have served.
“At cenotaphs across the province, we stand with veterans, merchant mariners and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces to reflect on the terrible cost of war.
“We do so this year at a time of renewed interest in what it means to be Canadian. Our country forged part of its identity on the battlefields of faraway lands: Vimy, Passchendaele, Dieppe, Juno Beach, Kapyong. Those simple placenames hold stories of heroism and horror, of sacrifice and dedication, of perseverance and resilience.
“Canadians also made important contributions to supporting the multinational coalition in Afghanistan, notably in the southern province of Kandahar, where soldiers engaged in large-scale battles and daily firefights, as well as enduring such hazards as travel along roads seeded with improvised explosive devices.
“More than 40,000 members of the Canadian Armed Forces served in the war, our largest deployment since the Second World War, in a conflict lasting 12 years, the longest in our history. The war claimed the lives of 158 Canadian soldiers. Many others were wounded in action and while serving. Others came home suffering from their time spent in a war zone.
“Canadians are also rightly proud of our tradition as peacekeepers, an idea championed by diplomat Lester B. Pearson, who won a Nobel Peace Prize before serving as prime minister in the 1960s.
“On Remembrance Day, we acknowledge the sacrifices of those who served, as we also acknowledge the sacrifices of those at home who waited for them to return. We recognize the bravery of those who served, as well as the ongoing commitment of those today who seek to preserve peace and security.
“On this sombre day, we remember the fallen, forever young in memory. Lest we forget.”
Photo: Conservative Party
CONSERVATIVE Leader Pierre Poilievre said: “Today, more than a century after the guns fell silent in Europe, Canadians across the country and around the world pause to reflect.
“Our military history is as brilliant and storied as Canada itself, from simple farmers defending their homes at Queenston and Ridgeway, to the tenacious resolve of our forces in the World Wars, to those who upheld our nation’s honour in Korea, in Afghanistan and on peacekeeping missions across the globe.
“It is a legacy of professionalism, duty and courage. Of sailors, soldiers and aviators giving their all, and often their lives, for a common cause. A story of adversity, struggle and triumph.
“For generations, we have marked this day with prayer, gratitude and, most of all, remembrance. Because as proud as our history is, we know the high price at which these victories came.
“This and every Remembrance Day, we thank our veterans and present-day military members for their service on sea, land and air, and we honour the memories of all those who fell in our nation’s wars. May we all, in our own small ways, carry on their selfless spirit.
“Lest we forget.”
Photo: X
FEDERAL NDP Leader Don Davies said: “Today serves as a reminder to all Canadians to join together and honour the brave men and women who sacrifice so much to protect our country.
Veterans and members of the Canadian Armed Forces are vital to protecting freedom and building a safer world. And sadly, for many, their commitment to standing up for these ideals came at the ultimate cost.
I am proud to wear a poppy as a sign of respect to all those who have served our country, and as a tribute to the families who have lost their loved ones who served.
Their courage and integrity are an inspiration to us all, and we will always be grateful for their sacrifice.
Lest we forget.”
