Mr. Speaker, today, as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the defeat of Nazism, we should think of the generation of people who sacrificed themselves to save humanity from the worst scourge in history.
The Laurentian region provided a large contingent of volunteers, sometimes all the sons in the same family, such as the five Bélair brothers from Nominingue and the three Chapeleau brothers from Prévost. Some of them were too young, but they still left for the front at 17 years of age. They accomplished amazing feats.
They were men like Jacques Viger, from Nominingue, of the Royal 22nd Regiment and André Rousseau, from La Minerve, of the Royal Canadian Navy.
With the same courage they showed in combat, they rebuilt their lives and became model citizens in their communities. No one gave as much and asked for so little in return. We are very fortunate: these two young men are still with us. They are visiting the site where in 1939 a decision was made that changed their lives.