Parliament Hill
November 28, 2011
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Good morning and thank you Doug.
General Natynczyk,
The Honorable Marjory LeBreton,
Mr. Dave Sopha,
Honoured Veterans,
Canadian Forces members,
Distinguished guests,
Families of the fallen,
Ladies and gentlemen.
It’s an incredible honour to stand here at the seat of our democratic government—on Remembrance Day—to pay tribute to the many brave Canadians who have given this country an invaluable legacy of valour, patriotism and self-sacrifice. As a Member of Parliament, and now as a Minister of Veterans Affairs, I have come to realize the extent of their service and sacrifices . . . and what it means.
This is the third time in recent weeks that I’ve had the privilege of seeing this tribute and it moves me every time.
The first time I saw the Portraits of Honour—a few weeks ago in Charlottetown—I was struck by two faces I instantly recognized.
Corporal Karine Blais from Les Méchins, Québec. She was 21 years old serving with the Royal 22nd Regiment Battle Group when she was killed in 2009.
You can see her face in the second row from the top . . . just right of the dove’s wings.
Corporal Steve Martin served with the 3rd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment. He was from St-Cyrille-de-Wendover, Quebec, and was only 24 when he was killed a little more than a year ago. Your eyes are drawn to the look of eagerness on his face . . . as it appears n the bottom right corner.
I did not have the privilege of knowing either of these promising individuals before they left to serve our country. But I attended their funerals, met their families and got to know a little bit about them after the fact.
Each time I see their faces, I gain a better understanding of the human drama that is represented: for each soldier, each family, each individual story, each hard-hit community and also for the history of our country.
When the Portraits of Honour0 mural was on Prince Edward Island a few weeks ago, Sally Goddard spoke to the audience. Sally is the mother of Captain Nichola Goddard who died in 2006 in a grenade attack by Taliban insurgents.
Sally told the story about Nichola calling her sister one day in November. She asked her sister if she was going to the local Remembrance Day service. Her sister said she was busy with school work and didn’t think she would go. Nichola admonished her sister and said that Canada’s Veterans and service men and women should be honoured and remembered at all times . . . but especially so on this hallowed day.
Sally said that Nichola’s sister has never missed a Remembrance Day service since then.
As today is Remembrance Day, I want to share my deepest appreciation to those men and women who have given so much in the name of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
I also want to thank Dave Sopha for his outstanding—and very public—demonstration of remembrance. His passion has truly made a difference for Canada’s service men and women and their families. And Dave’s work is not done. Sadly, he has another portrait to paint with the loss of Master Corporal Byron Greff on October 29.
Walk through this display.
Look deep into the eyes of the men and women you see here.
Think about what their service and sacrifices mean to you.
Say “thank you” or offer a silent prayer.
Then make the short walk from here to the National War Memorial to the National Remembrance Day service and pay tribute to their everlasting sacrifice.
They—like so many generations before them—deserve our gratitude and respect.
In the 11th month, on the 11th day and at the 11th hour . . . make a commitment to always remember.
Lest we forget.
