Mr. Speaker, leading into Remembrance Day, the town of Truro, Nova Scotia, renamed its outdoor athletic facility in honour of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, the only all-Black Canadian unit in World War I. The men of the No. 2 showed up ready to enlist, and Canada said, “No, thanks; this is a white man's war.” When eventually allowed to serve, the No. 2 was the backbone of Canadian efforts, laying track for railroads and milling lumber, every board going to trenches, bridges, observation towers, walkways and fence posts.
These men built the infrastructure that won the war; it was first-class service from men treated as second-class citizens. The No. 2 Construction Battalion provides us with an example of national service and commitment to community that we would do well to remember today. Let us serve the memory of its members by being of service to one another.