Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon to pay tribute to the proud women and men, past and present, of the Royal Canadian Legion Silverthorn Branch 57 in my riding of York South—Weston.
When it comes to serving our country, the Silverthorn-Keelesdale community has a distinguished place in the history books. During World War I, this community sent more men per capita into service than any other jurisdiction in the entire British empire. To honour those brave men, a cenotaph was erected and dedicated in front of the then Silverthorn War Veterans Hall in 1923. That veterans hall became the local legion hall and continued as a place for veterans to gather until 2008, when the building was sold and the legion moved.
The cenotaph remained and there were plans to move it to a new site but due to its deteriorated state, it was decommissioned and a new cenotaph was planned. This past Sunday the brand new cenotaph was unveiled and dedicated at the corner of Kenora Crescent and Silverthorn Avenue. It stands as a monument for the entire community to remember and reflect on the great sacrifices made by past generations of local residents.