Mr. Speaker, the following comments or thoughts could have been made by thousands of people we know.
While people sleep, we are out there. While people are sitting down at Thanksgiving or Christmas, we are out there. When it is raining and cold and people are glad to be home with their families, we are out there. When it is people's children's birthday, we are out there. When it is our children's birthday, we are still out there. When people are scared, they call us; when we are scared, we carry on. While people are asleep with their spouse, ours sleep alone. When people tell their families “see you tonight” as they leave for work, they mean it. When we tell our families that, we pray that we will.
Therefore, the next time we are out with our families or friends and we see a patrol car go by, let us remember the incredible sacrifice made by those officers every day. Inside that car is a person who sacrifices his or her life, both professionally and personally, every day.
God bless the soul of Constable Daniel Woodall; God bless his family in their time of tragedy; God bless the recovery of Sergeant Jason Harley; and God bless all members of the Edmonton Police Service and all police forces.