“Every year on November 11, we come together to honour the brave women and men in uniform who uphold our values here at home and around the world. The values that unite us as Canadians – values of peace, freedom, and democracy.

“In hockey arenas, school gymnasiums, city centres, and retirement homes in every community across the country, we vow to never forget the sacrifices members of the Canadian Armed Forces and our Veterans have made for us. We wear red poppies over our hearts to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice – a tradition inspired by Canadian Lieutenant-Colonel and surgeon John McCrae’s poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ – and we pay tribute to their family members and loved ones.

“‘The torch; be yours to hold it high,’ wrote Dr. McCrae during the First World War. From fighting alongside our allies in the First and Second World Wars, to today providing essential emergency response support to Canadians impacted by severe weather events and training the Ukrainian military as they defend their country, generation after generation, Canadians have answered the call to serve. Our service members have worn the maple leaf with honour as they represent the best of what it means to be Canadian.

“Today, we pay tribute to Canadian service members, past and present, for all they have done to keep us safe. At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we observe two minutes of silence for the brave women and men who gave their lives in service of a better Canada – we are forever in their debt.

“Lest we forget.”

CONSERVATIVE Leader Pierre Poilievre said in a statement:

“Today, the hearts of Canadians are heavy with solemn reflection. Gathering around cenotaphs and war memorials, our heads are bowed together in sorrow as we remember the thousands of Canadians who have fallen in service to our country. We cannot begin to understand the grief felt by those who lost loved ones to the ugliness of war. As a nation, we mourn these incalculable losses, and lament for the many bright futures that were stolen by violence.

“As we weep for those who have fallen, we also honour the memory of many who overcame tremendous odds to repel evil. This year marks the 105th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I – both pivotal victories against enemies of freedom that were won with the courage and sacrifice of Canadian military heroes.

“On Remembrance Day, we are reminded that our freedom is not free. It has been bought with a heavy price – the courageous men and women who answered the call to defend liberty and uphold peace and justice.

“In return, we are asked to remember. We must never allow passage of time to wipe away our deep reverence and gratitude. We are compelled to honour memory of the thousands of faithful Canadians who paid the ultimate price so that we might be free.

“Lest we forget.”

PREMIER John Horgan said:

“Today, British Columbians will pause at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month to honour Canadians who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

“We come together for a moment of silence, filled by our personal reflections on the horror and pain of war. We remember the fallen, and we recognize the loss of the grandparents, parents, spouses and children left behind.

“At local cenotaphs throughout B.C., we stand alongside the veterans, armed forces members and merchant mariners who have served our country so courageously.

“We do so in an uncertain global landscape, marked by Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine and conflicts around the world that threaten people’s lives, freedom and democracy. It’s a reminder of the true bravery of those who commit their lives to the service of our country.

“Today and every day, we honour the Canadians who have sacrificed so much to build a better world.

“Lest we forget.”