Mr. Speaker, at the end of World War II, West Vancouver approached the community to ask it for its ideas for commemorating and creating a war memorial. Groups formed and the winning submission read:
A public library exemplifies the spirit and meaning of free democratic institutions. Its shelves are open to writers of all opinions. It is free from political influence. Its services are available to all classes of society and all economic, racial or religious groups. One of the first acts of the totalitarian states was to purge the libraries of all volumes expressing enlightened democratic principles. As a memorial to our fallen, we submit that a public library is uniquely suitable.
On November 11, 1950, the doors of the West Vancouver Memorial Library opened, a living monument and everlasting commemoration to veterans.
On behalf of librarians, library boards, friends of the library, and citizens across the country, we will remember them.