Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the death of the last known Canadian First World War veteran, John Babcock:
I was deeply saddened to learn today of the death of John Babcock, Canada's last known First World War veteran. On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to Mr. Babcock's family and friends. As a nation, we honour his service and mourn his passing.
John Babcock was Canada's last living link to the Great War, which in so many ways marked our coming of age as a nation. In honouring his service and mourning his passing, we honour the proud history of our country and pay tribute to all those who fought and died for Canada.
Mr. Babcock was one of 650,000 Canadian men and women who served in the Canadian Forces during the First World War. They paid dearly for the freedom that we and our children enjoy every day. Today they are all gone. However, their voices and stories live on. They live on in our commitment to never forget, to cherish the values they fought for and to remember their sacrifices.
The passing of Mr. Babcock marks the end of an era. His family mourns the passing of a great man. Canada mourns the passing of the generation that asserted our independence on the world stage and established our international reputation as an unwavering champion of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
