Mr. Speaker, as a former commanding officer of the Régiment de la Chaudière, I got to spend some time with the heroes who sacrificed everything to spend years training in order to be ready to join the invasion of Europe on the beaches of Normandy.
These heroes did not see themselves as such. To them, the real heroes were the fallen comrades in Flanders fields. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians from across the country and from all backgrounds, answered the call to defend liberty against oppression.
Those who served under the flag, those who worked in the arms industry to support the war effort, and the country as a whole were united in this fight. When the times called for it, an entire generation sacrificed everything.
As Canadians, we have a duty to remember these heroes. Lest we forget.