Mr. Speaker, 60 years ago today Pearl Harbor was attacked, taking the lives of 2,390 Americans. It was a day of infamy.
The attack galvanized the entire United States and it brought them into the war. The rallying cry became “Remember Pearl Harbor!”.
Pearl Harbor stands as a lesson in the need to be vigilant in our defence of our values and our freedoms.
In recent years with the end of the cold war that lesson may have been forgotten by some governments. Tragically, not quite three months ago, the free world was again reminded of the dangers of complacency.
Today yet again the free world is defending itself against aggressors that seek to destroy what we value. September 11 has also become a day that will live in infamy.
Let us hope that the tragic events of December 7, 1941, and September 11, 2001, will serve future generations as examples of both the tragedies of terrorism and the courage of those who defend us from it.