I’m pleased to welcome to the Ontario Legislature regional councillor Chris Leahy and regional councillor Steve Yamada. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Today in the members’ gallery we are joined by a delegation of Ontarians who have lost family recently in Israel or had family members who have been taken hostage. I want to welcome them to their House and tell you: We see you, and we thank you for being here.

It’s a privilege to rise here today to speak about one of the most important days of the year: Remembrance Day. It’s the day when we all take pause to remember the immense sacrifices that Canadian men and women made in World War I, World War II, Korea, Afghanistan and countless peacekeeping operations around the globe.

It is truly hard to imagine what our veterans have done and continue to do to fight for the freedoms that we all so enjoy in Ontario and Canada.

In my riding of Perth–Wellington, we are fortunate to have a great sense of patriotism and pride in our veterans. In my own family, Speaker, my great-uncles helped liberate Rome in World War II.

The town of Arthur is known as Canada’s most patriotic village because of its extraordinary effort in the Second World War. It holds a series of beautiful murals and monuments in the downtown core to honour those who have fought.

Earlier this year, the city of Stratford lost an amazing World War II veteran: Art Boon. He was a veteran of the Normandy invasion on D-Day, a tank crew member, someone who shared his stories with the next generation countless times and was the long-time MC of the Stratford Remembrance Day ceremony. This will be the first year without Art’s presence.

Speaker, I know all of us in this place are truly grateful for Canada’s men and women who don the uniform day in and day out. Lest we forget.

We have with us a former member in the Legislature again today, the member for Kitchener Centre in the 38th, 39th and 40th provincial Parliaments, John Milloy. Welcome back.

Go ahead.

Speaker, with your indulgence, I’d like to introduce two groups. Today, it’s my honour to introduce legislative page captain Clara Brunet’s mother, Beth Belanszky; father, Jean-Pierre Brunet; as well as Clara’s brother Oliver. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d also like to welcome members of the Canadian Alopecia Areata Foundation. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes unpredictable hair loss, which can affect anyone at any age. I’d like to welcome CanAAF president, Carolynne Harrison; CanAAF board member and fundraising chair Lauryn Harrison; Richard Harrison; and Stewart MacPhee. I hope you enjoy your time at the people’s House.

I, too, have the honour of introducing the consul general of the democratic State of Israel, Idit Shamir, who is joined by a delegation of Canadian families whose relatives have been abducted or taken hostage or, worse, murdered by Hamas. It is an honour to welcome you to our House of democracy.

I would like to welcome the Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Sciences, including Greg Toffner, Kati Tuomi, Erin Arps, Anna Gasior, Stephanie Shiplo, Hema Merai and Derek Brown. Welcome to your House.

Good morning. I’d like to welcome, from my riding of Burlington, Lauryn Harrison, Carolynne Harrison and Richard Harrison.

I’d like to welcome representatives from the Medical Laboratory Professionals’ Association of Ontario, the Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association and the Ontario Association of Pathologists, and a particular shout-out to London West constituent Alan Stuart, who is manager of the molecular diagnostics program at London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Good morning, everyone. It’s beautiful to see you all again. I’m here to introduce some amazing residents from beautiful Beaches–East York: Carolina Reis and son, Adam, here to support page Clara.

It’s my honour to welcome two residents from my riding of Thunder Bay–Atikokan. From Thunder Bay, we have Kati Tuomi, and from the beautiful Kakabeka Falls, my good friend and neighbour, Erin Arps. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to acknowledge that it’s World Fertility Day. I want to welcome guests we have here from Conceivable Dreams. We have Zane Colt and Baden Colt here with their baby, Scottie, up in the gallery. Congratulations.

We also have Tara Wood, Cassandra Johnston, Heather Douglas as well as clinician adviser Dr. Kimberly Liu. Welcome.

I’d like to welcome Kimberely Fernandes to the House today. Kimberely is a wonderful resident of Ajax and a part of my family. Thank you for coming out, Kimberely.

I would like to welcome representatives from the Medical Laboratory Professionals’ Association of Ontario, the Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association and the Ontario Association of Pathologists and the professionals who work in medical laboratories across Ontario. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

On behalf of the Minister of Health, I wanted to welcome three groups today: the Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Sciences, the Medical Laboratory Professionals’ Association of Ontario and the Ontario Association of Pathologists, and the group from Conceivable Dreams, who had a breakfast this morning. I didn’t get to meet many when I was there because I had to go quickly, but I met the most important people, which were the babies.

They’re on their way up, but I do want to welcome Keith Fleming, Saroj Gandhi and Kam Sandhu, my constituency staff. I just wanted to say—on behalf of all members of this House, I’d like to thank all of our constituency staff who serve our constituents with kindness, compassion and very often having to deal with very difficult situations. Thank you to all of our staff for everything you do to support MPPs. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Speaker. As you know, next week is Remembrance Week here in Ontario, which was made law by the efforts of MPP Jim Wilson. I was proud, with Cheri DiNovo, to co-sponsor that bill and for Jim to ask us.

All of us next week will be back in our communities at cenotaphs, Legions, churches and long-term-care homes, and we’ll all be remembering the sacrifices of people past and present for our freedom, for our democracy.

I got up this morning to iron my shirt and I found this little note that was written by my mother-in-law—not appropriate to today, but it was my mother-in-law and I always like to talk about her today, so it was a bit unusual. You see, my mother-in-law, Yvonne, had four brothers. They all fought in World War II. Three of them, Bill, Neil and Jim, all came home. Her brother Ansley didn’t. She was closest to him in age. She loved him, not just like a brother but a friend. He died at Dieppe in August 1942, on the beaches—actually, in the water.

My mother-in-law is such a great example of not forgetting, because for more than 70 years, she kept his picture. She kept his picture on her dresser. Every day, she looked at that picture—every day for more than 70 years. I guess this morning was a reminder not to forget that. Thankfully, she left that for me.

That’s what we have to try to do, even if we don’t have a picture: every day, remember the sacrifices of people who gave up everything—everything—so we can be here actually doing what we’re doing today.

I’m going to ask for the attention of the House.

As provided for by the Remembrance Week Act, 2016, the assembly will now pause and observe two minutes of silence in honour of those who died serving their country in wars and peacekeeping efforts.

This will be followed by an opportunity for members to make speeches, with five minutes allotted to the official opposition, five minutes allotted to the government, and five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group.

I will ask members to please rise.

The House observed two minutes’ silence.

I recognize the member for Ottawa South.

I’m honoured to rise today to pay tribute to veterans and first responders who have sacrificed so much to defend democracy and to keep us safe. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we gather to remember and honour those who selflessly serve our country.

The memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice continues to remind us of the stark reality of defending freedom and democracy. It is difficult to fathom the degree of courage demonstrated by those young Canadians who served in the World Wars, Korea, Afghanistan, peacekeeping and other missions.

Today, I recall the words of Guelph’s Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae that remind us that we must not break faith with those who fought and died for our freedoms. That is why we must not only pay tribute to veterans and their families, but we also must take the steps and the actions to provide them with the care and support they need and deserve.

So I say to veterans, first responders and their families, thank you, thank you, thank you for your service. We will continue to honour your sacrifice and the sacrifice of your comrades who did not come home. Speaker, on this day and every day, lest we forget.