Mr. Speaker, today marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe. Some 500,000 Canadian veterans of World War II are still with us today to rejoice in the V-E Day celebrations. They, along with their families, friends and all who supported them, are very special people, for they serve to demonstrate that good can triumph over evil. They left home and country and travelled to foreign lands and seas to combat tyranny and oppression.
Today we pay tribute to their great sacrifices and to those ideals of peace, freedom and democracy that inspired those sacrifices.
While tens of thousands commemorate the anniversary throughout Canada via a number of venues, many vets have returned to Europe to revisit old battle sites, to tell a new generation about the horrors of war, to reacquaint themselves with old friends and make new friends; especially to remember their fallen but not forgotten comrades, the 45,000 who paid the ultimate price so that we may know a legacy of peace and freedom today.
In the Glen , the regimental newspaper of the Calgary Highlanders, is published a short poem with the heading ``The War in Europe is Over!'' It reads:
We came from all walks of life from coast to coast Making one of the finest fighting forces in the the world Yes, unity was achieved and victory was the result Soon we expect to go home and back to a normal life Let us not forget Let us not allow ourselves to fall for lies or propaganda Which will have French-speaking Canadians against English-speaking Canadians, Jews against Catholics And Protestants against Catholics East against west We must go back and maintain our unity achieved through Sweat and blood We won a great victory for mankind Above all we must remember those comrades of ours who gave Their lives fighting to make a world which will know no war And in which there will be real happiness for all Let us go back together as Canadians to make Canada A happy place for all We must not fail
For all who cherish freedom today, remember to thank a veteran.