Mr. Speaker, this week marks the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, a pivotal moment in modern history, which gives us an opportunity to remember the price of freedom.
When Lord Nelson signalled to his fleet that “England expects that every man will do his duty”, he made history. The Royal Navy's brilliant triumph against more powerful forces at Trafalgar marked the beginning of the great Pax Britannica which brought freedom of the seas, prosperity for North America, the end of the slave trade, the spread of free trade and the rule of law across the globe, and indeed the conditions that made possible Confederation here in Canada.
The patriot newspaper, Le Canadien , wrote in 1808 that “Great Britain's navy is now the bulwark against tyranny”.
That is why Maritimers and Newfoundlanders, Upper and Lower Canadians, French and English, all rang their church bells to celebrate the victory of freedom over tyranny, why Quebec City was lit up in 1805 to celebrate and why Lord Nelson's Column graces Montreal's Place Cartier today.
Mr. Speaker, lest we forget.