Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the NDP and all Canadians to enthusiastically support the creation of a national memorial day for police and peace officers to occur the last Sunday of September of each year. This has been long overdue.
This will formalize a tradition observed for over two decades. It is clear that the families and colleagues of fallen officers count on all of us to pay tribute to the memories of police officers who are no longer with us. It is a time when we all pause to reflect on the contribution that police and peace officers make to our society and to honour their sacrifice.
A formal national memorial day will serve Canadians well and remind us that our safety often comes at the great sacrifice made by our peace officers. We are all indebted to police and peace officers for their hard work and sacrifice. They have paid with their lives for their dedication to their communities. They and their families deserve our gratitude and recognition.