Each year on November 11th we gather to recognize those who have served and continue to serve to protect and defend our nation.

As citizens of this nation, Canada, we have much to be thankful for. Few places can match the raw beauty of our country. We have been blessed with a wealth of natural resources. We have productive farms and vibrant cities. We have opportunities to learn, grow and prosper that are only limited by our imagination. And we have freedom: freedom to chose where we live; freedom to choose our life work; freedom to choose our government; freedom to just be.

We enjoy these privileges today thanks to the courage and sacrifice of brave Canadian men and women who took up the fight against enemies of freedom and the forces of tyranny and oppression. They made protecting our values, our families and the Canadian way of life their priority. They risked their lives in two World Wars, in Korea, throughout countless missions to establish and protect peace internationally, and they continue to do so today in the fight against terrorism.

In Afghanistan, Canadians are defending Canadian core values of freedom and providing hope to communities. Mohammed Haneef Atmar, the Afghan Education Minister, just last month in Toronto, expressed his appreciation for their work.

Reflecting on his past efforts to provide education to Afghan children he explained that he had been thrown out of the office of the Taliban minister of education ten times, simply because he wanted to establish schools for girls. Minister Afmar went on to say that thanks to the support of Canada he sees real progress being made in vital services like education. Since the Taliban militants were driven out of power less than six years ago, the number of Afghan schools has multiplied. In 2001, only 900 000 students attended school – all of them male. Now, there are over six million students, 35 per cent of whom are female. The Education Minister reported that this is the highest number in the entire history of his country, thanks in large part to our Canadian men and women in uniform.

Indeed, Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged their efforts in his recent Address to the House of Commons after the Speech from the Throne.

He stated: “The soldiers who are serving in Afghanistan, and their families and friends who are supporting them back home, rank among the finest Canadians I’ve ever known. Their compassion for the people of Afghanistan, their resolve in the face of a barbaric opponent, their manifest skill and professionalism, and the diplomats and development officers they work with are a credit to our great country.”

These words apply equally to those who went before. Those who have served Canada in peacekeeping missions, in Europe and in Korea are also among the finest of Canadians. They exemplified the highest ideals of duty, courage and loyalty.

Our duty – so small in comparison – is simply to remember them. We honour their sacrifice and thank them for defending our country and preserving our freedom. We remember them today and pledge to remember them for all time.

Lest we forget.

For more information, please contact:
Leon Benoit, MP

1-800-463-1194/ (613) 992-4171