Mr. Speaker, as Veterans' Week begins and Canadians prepare to gather on Remembrance Day, we are reminded of a simple truth: Remembrance matters.
Today, we remember.
Across our country, Canadians will gather in communities large and small. They will stand at cenotaphs and memorials, wear a poppy, observe a moment of silence and remember. They will remember generations of Canadians who answered the call to serve in times of peace, war, conflict and uncertainty. They will reflect on those who never returned home and on those whose lives were forever changed by service. Their courage helped protect the freedoms we enjoy today. Their sacrifices helped safeguard the democratic institutions that define our country. The Canada we know today was shaped not only by the service they gave, but by the sacrifices they made.
However, remembrance is not only about those who served in the past. It is also about recognizing service that continues today. We see it in those who continue to serve Canada in uniform. We see it in veterans, whose commitment to our country continues long after their service has ended.
As we begin Veterans' Week, we do so carrying heavy hearts following the recent loss of four members of the Canadian Armed Forces at CFB Wainwright: Sergeant Morgan Wong, Private Shaun Farrell, Private Aidan Goulding and Private Hayden Lykkemark. Our hearts are with their families, friends and fellow service members. We see the profound impact of this loss on all who knew and loved them. Canadians share in their sorrow.
We will remember those we have lost, those injured and those still recovering, and we recognize the grief being felt across the Canadian Armed Forces among military families, throughout the veteran community and by Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
The deaths of those military personnel, along with other losses suffered in Wainwright, remind us that this is not just part of our history; it is also part of our present, in times of peace as well as in times of war.
Canada sees every veteran, every serving member and the families who stand beside them. Canada is grateful for their service, and Canada will always honour their contributions to our country.
No one serves alone. Behind every veteran and every serving member are families who share the realities of military life, families who endure separation, relocation, uncertainty and sacrifice in service. In a country as diverse as Canada, remembrance remains one of the moments that bring us together.
Canadians come from different backgrounds, live in different regions and hold different perspectives, yet during Veterans' Week, we are united in gratitude for those who have worn Canada's uniform. We are also privileged to serve in this House alongside colleagues who have worn Canada's uniform and continue their service to Canada in public life.
Every generation has a responsibility to remember them.
It is a responsibility shared by all Canadians. Remembrance is not passive; it is an active responsibility to learn the stories of those who served, to remember them and to ensure that their sacrifices are never forgotten. As November 11 approaches, Canadians can fulfill that responsibility through simple but meaningful actions. Wear a poppy, attend a ceremony or thank a veteran or serving member. These actions may seem small, but they are how remembrance endures: through a conversation, a handshake, a young person learning a veteran's story or a community gathering together.
These are the ways in which we ensure that memories live on. Remembering must be a choice. Each of us must choose to remember.
Veterans Week is a time of reflection, a time of gratitude and a time to recommit ourselves to remembering, so let us choose remembrance. Let us honour those who served by ensuring that their stories continue to be told. Let us honour their sacrifices, not only in words but through actions.
It is now our turn to carry the torch.
Lest we forget.