Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay homage to the anniversary of an event that unfolded on December 12, 1985, in the town of Gander, which rippled across nations. Arrow Air flight 1285 carrying 248 American servicemen crashed that day shortly after takeoff. They were returning home for Christmas to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, after a peacekeeping tour in the Sinai. All aboard, including eight crew members, perished. It remains one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Canadian history, a sombre moment etched in the collective memory of Canada and the United States.
On December 12, as in years before, the people of Gander gathered at the Silent Witnesses Memorial on the site of the 1985 tragedy to remember not just the lives that were lost but the ideals that these servicemen upheld: service, sacrifice and the hope of peace. By honouring their memory, we continue to ensure their legacy endures.
May they rest in peace.