Madam Speaker, I am always pleased to have an opportunity to speak about the contributions that are made by the men and women of this country, who since Confederation have answered the call to service whenever their nation has asked.
Except for Veterans Week or perhaps during debate on a bill, we do not often get the opportunity to speak to the sacrifices made by our forefathers and mothers in time of need and in time of war. Therefore, I thank the hon. member for presenting us with such an opportunity today.
This bill suggests ceremonial certificates for those who contributed significantly to Canada in a time of war or armed conflict. Although the bill presents several logistical and other concerns, it seems to me that its intent is all about remembrance and acknowledgement of sacrifice.
We who live in Ottawa and work on Parliament Hill are reminded of that sacrifice every day as we walk past the magnificent war memorial on the way to work. On May 21 this year it will be the 60th anniversary of its unveiling by His Majesty King George VI. One hundred thousand people showed up on that day, six decades ago, to witness the dedication. His opening words were “The memorial speaks to her world of Canada's heart”.
Surely that is what this nation has done in two world wars, in Korea and in peacekeeping missions around the world. We spoke with our hearts and said no to tyranny and enslavement.
We who live in Ottawa and work on Parliament Hill are fortunate to be able to visit the memorial chamber in the Peace Tower to see the magnificent books of remembrance, books that contain the names of Canadians who fought in wars and died either during or after them. They commemorate the lives of the 114,710 Canadians who died since Confederation because of service to their country in battle outside Canada. They remain testaments to our past, for by their very title the books remind us never to forget the foundations of courage on which Canada is built.
Now, through the wonders of technology, Canadians can log on to the Internet to see for themselves the same pages which members of the House have the privilege of accessing in person.
We who live in Ottawa and work on Parliament Hill are reminded that it was not just the soldier, the sailor, or the pilot who risked their lives and shed blood; we are also reminded every time we walk by the nursing sisters' memorial located in the Hall of Honour in the Centre Block on Parliament Hill.
It tells the story of unyielding women who braved all the hardships of war to do their duty and serve their patients, and of those who nursed the casualties left in the wake of war. Every soldier who fell wounded by bullet or bayonet would often wake and the first person he would see would be the face of a nursing sister who bound up his wounds and soothed his fears. They truly were angels of mercy that no veteran would ever forget.
Of course, people do not have to live and work in Ottawa or on Parliament Hill to see memorials and reminders of sacrifice. In towns and cities across the nation are statues and monuments raised in praise and remembrance of those who paid with their very lives to uphold the values we hold so very dear in this country.
Of course, not all monuments are of steel and stone. We have a wonderful tradition in the provinces to name many of our mountains, rivers and lakes in honour of individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice. So in the natural beauty of this nation their names and our history are memorialized in perpetuity.
Canadians are also well recognized overseas. Unlike our American cousins, we have a tradition, like many of our Commonwealth neighbours, of burying our war dead near where they fell. To follow the contributions of Canada's veterans we need only to visit the cemeteries that are filled with simple headstones, laid out row on row across the landscape of Europe and the Far East.
We need only to see the great monuments at Vimy or Beaumont Hamel, at Cassino in Italy, Sai Wan Bay in Hong Kong, or Naechon in Korea to appreciate that our war dead are not forgotten. We need only to talk to the people and to the children and the grandchildren of those nations we helped liberate to understand that these Canadians will never be forgotten.
Those of us who have been fortunate enough to travel with veterans overseas on a pilgrimage have only to watch the expression in the eyes of a veteran when a child approaches. A flower, a kiss on the cheek and a thank you from a little one brings a tear to the eye and a true understanding of the notion of gratitude to anyone who witnesses such a scene, and the knowledge that these Canadians live on in the hearts and minds of generations of grateful citizens the world over.
At the dedication of the war memorial 60 years ago, His Majesty concluded with the following:
This memorial, however, does more than commemorate a great event in the past. It has a message for all generations and for all countries—the message which called for Canada's response. Not by chance both the crowning figures of peace and freedom appear side by side. Peace and freedom cannot be long separated. It is well that we have, in one of the world capitals, a visible reminder of so great a truth. Without freedom there can be no enduring peace, and without peace no enduring freedom.
We will always remember those who have gone on before, and as we pray today for the safety of our service men and women in Yugoslavia and for freedom for those who have none, we would do well to remember those words.
As I said earlier, Bill C-453 is all about remembrance and I applaud the member for Timmins—James Bay for his efforts on behalf of Canada's veterans.