Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I rise today in this chamber ahead of Remembrance Day to recognize the bravery, sacrifice and heroism of our veterans and those who are currently wearing the uniform with honour in defence of this great nation and the freedoms we all cherish so deeply.

My home province of Manitoba has provided some great heroes of both world wars, as has every other province from coast to coast to coast. Today, I want to acknowledge some of their contributions.

I will first mention Major William Barker from Dauphin, Manitoba, who served in World War I as a flying ace and in the Royal Flying Corps. As part of his distinguished service, he was credited for having provided air support to our troops at the Somme and destroying 52 enemy aircraft and nine enemy balloons. His contributions earned him a Military Cross with bar, a Distinguished Service Order and the Victoria Cross, presented to him by King George V.

Another great Manitoban and highly decorated war hero was Sergeant Tommy Prince from the Brokenhead Band at Scanterbury, Manitoba. In World War II, Prince served in the Canadian First Special Service Force — a joint Canadian and American unit that became a versatile assault group with a reputation for specialized reconnaissance and raiding. Following his service in southern France, Sergeant Prince was summoned to Buckingham Palace, where King George VI decorated him with the Military Medal and — on behalf of the U.S. President — the Silver Star.

Colleagues, these two Manitobans served their country with the highest distinction. They have inspired other Canadians through their self-sacrifice.

We honour their service and that of so many others. Collectively, these Canadians have ensured that we can continue to live in peace and freedom.

In doing so, we must never forget what they themselves sacrificed. They have had experiences that changed them forever. Many have come home plagued by demons we cannot even imagine — and many never came home at all.

As Canadians, we must never forget what they sacrificed on a personal level.

We are also being increasingly reminded that the freedoms they fought for are facing new threats. We have a profound obligation not only to remember, but also to be ready to defend the freedoms that they won and secured for us. If we as parliamentarians value the serving men and women of today, then we have an obligation to ensure that we prepare and provide for them tools, training and support to protect them in the face of the terrible struggles they will have to endure.

To all of those in uniform in the service of Canada, who fought for a selfless cause on behalf of their country: We owe you our lives and our freedom. As a nation, we are eternally grateful and will always remember. We promise to do our utmost to remain vigilant.

May God bless all of them, and may God bless Canada.

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, Veterans’ Week — leading up to Remembrance Day — is an important week for all Canadians. On November 3, Veterans’ Week began with the wreath-laying ceremony in the Senate Chamber. A solemn candlelit tribute to veterans was held at the Canadian War Museum on November 6. Ceremonies and events took place for National Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8. Over the course of Veterans’ Week, No Stone Left Alone ceremonies have taken place in cemeteries across Canada, where students and participants laid poppies on the graves of veterans.

This year — 2023 — also marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of United Nations peacekeeping, as well as the seventieth anniversary of the Korean War armistice. On Remembrance Day, we gather to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have served our great nation, and to honour the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It is a day when we remember the profound debt of gratitude we owe to all of our veterans.

The Korean War is Canada’s third-bloodiest war. More than 26,000 Canadians served in Korea between 1950 and 1953, and more than 7,000 served in peacekeeping duties after the signing of the armistice. Those courageous men and women fought in harsh conditions — in a faraway land across an ocean — to protect the people of Korea from communist tyranny. They faced formidable challenges, and endured harsh winters, sweltering summers and the grim realities of war.

The battles they fought, like the Battle of Hill 355 and the Battle of Kapyong, stand as testaments to their unwavering determination and the indomitable spirit of our Armed Forces.

But it is not just their physical battles that we remember today — it is the emotional and psychological scars that many brought back with them. In the face of the horrors of war, they displayed remarkable resilience, and today, we remember those veterans who might still bear the invisible wounds of conflict.

Through their sacrifices, our Korean War veterans helped shape a world where freedom and democracy triumphed over tyranny and oppression. Their commitment to defending the principles we hold dear has left a legacy of freedom and peace that we continue to cherish today.

As we gather in this chamber to honour all of our veterans — past and present — we must also acknowledge the importance of supporting our veterans, not just on Remembrance Day, but every day. Let us be grateful for their service, and the service of those who — today — don Canada’s uniform. Let us commit to being there for them when they need care, understanding and support. On this Remembrance Day, let us pay tribute to them by ensuring that their legacies endure, and by promising to uphold the ideals they fought so valiantly to protect. We will remember them.

[Translation]

We will remember them.

[Editor’s Note: Senator Martin spoke in Korean.]

[English]

Hon. Rebecca Patterson: Honourable senators, during this week of remembrance, both conflict and geopolitical instability place the peace and security that we enjoy, as Canadians, increasingly under pressure.

Like countless conflicts in the past, Canadian women and men have always answered the call to defend Canada and our values — at home and abroad. In April, I spoke to you about the 38th Ottawa Overseas Battalion and the actions of Captain Thain MacDowell, who earned the Victoria Cross at Vimy Ridge.

In June, I relayed to you that Francis Godon of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles described how landing at Juno Beach on D-Day was like wading through ketchup because the sand was so thick and red with the blood of the fallen.

It is too easy to think of conflict as something in the past. Canadian schoolchildren learn about Vimy and Juno as a matter of study, and they wear poppies in November. They might even hear stories of modern veterans like Captain Ashley Collette, an infantry officer with the Royal Canadian Regiment, who received the Medal of Military Valour for her leadership under fire and her performance in combat. That was critical to defeating the enemy attempts to reoccupy a key village in Afghanistan.

But how will many of them learn about the other conflicts that Canadians have engaged in since the Second World War, such as the Battle of Medak Pocket? This battle saw our soldiers from the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry — 30 years ago in September 1993 — engage in an eight-day battle with Croatian troops.

Speaking about the conflict in the Balkans, one soldier who was there described their experience as follows:

One of the lessons is that civilization is a very thin veneer that can be readily ripped away and in this case, we saw neighbours killing neighbours. It was very, very sad to see.

But it speaks to the naivety that we have here in our country. We should be thankful for what we have. Canada is so secure and insular.

Colleagues, Canada’s security comes at a price. That price is paid directly by those who serve and have served. It also has a long-lasting impact on their families, loved ones and the communities that support them. All of us need to remember that.

Senators, this is my first Remembrance Day since my retirement from the Canadian Armed Forces. I invite all of you to reflect upon the moral imperative of the decisions that we, as senators, make about security and defence — which is paid for in blood by those Canadians who serve, and have served, this great country.

As we approach November 11, I will reflect upon those who served and came home — many with permanent wounds of service, both visible and invisible. I will remember our fallen who did not come home. I will never forget. We must never forget.

[Translation]

We will remember them. Thank you.

[English]

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Senator Gold, I recently asked you about the NDP-Liberal government’s new directive placing restrictions on public prayers at Remembrance Day ceremonies. After considerable backlash, the Chaplain General has reportedly clarified:

In light of questions that have been raised concerning the Directive, any chaplain who participates in a Remembrance Day ceremony this year can propose a spiritual reflection or opt for the practice of recent years, which included the recitation of a preamble.

Leader, “the practice of recent years” and “preamble” are another way of saying “prayers.” I also note that this so-called clarification refers to Remembrance Day “this year.” What about next year and every year after that? What happens, leader?