Snow has started to fall, the air has turned crisp and poppies have begun to appear on our jackets and coats. Remembrance Day is fast approaching. This is the time of year where we collectively come together to remember the dedication and sacrifice of the men and women of our armed forces and the courage they have shown since the founding of our great nation.

Canada has a long and proud military history and while we have seen the methods of warfare change over time, the bravery of our troops has never been in question. Whether courageously facing battles at Vimy Ridge and Ypres, or undertaking Canada's first peacekeeping mission in the Suez 50 years ago, Canadians have always answered the call against tyranny.

This year, as many of us gather around our monuments of remembrance, whether it be in Lake Country, Lion's Park in Rutland or at City Park, let us contemplate the importance of our act of remembrance. For those of us gathering in City Park, there will be a new cenotaph this year.
This monument is a powerful reminder of what our Veterans accomplished and sacrificed for us all and it is an apt reminder of the commitment of today's exemplary men and women who are willing to sacrifice everything for the liberation and rebuilding of Afghanistan.

In Canada there are only three World War I veterans still living: John Babcock, Lloyd Clement and Percy Dwight Wilson. And although ten percent of our population volunteered for World War II, the list of surviving veterans continues to grow shorter with the passage of time. Soon we will not have the benefit of eye witnesses to the sacrifices made for our freedom in these great conflicts. That is why we must renew our commitment to remember and to share with our children the stories of those who can no longer speak for themselves.

So this year, as with every year, let us remember together the sacrifices of our soldiers who fought in battles past. Let us remember the ongoing sacrifices of our men and women serving in Afghanistan and around the world. And as we join together on November 11th, 2006, let us commit to the act of remembrance so that these heroes of our nation will not soon be forgotten.