The following is a speech made by Lee Richardson, MP for Calgary Centre at the Royal Canadian Legion in Calgary on Remembrance Day.


I’m happy to be here today to pay tribute to and to recognize the commitment made by members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families.

We have many things to be thankful for in Canada, including freedom: freedom to choose where we live; freedom to choose our career, freedom to choose our government, freedom to just be ourselves.

That’s what freedom is – it’s about having choices.

We have these choices today because of the courage and sacrifice of those brave men and women who came before us, those who took up the fight against the enemies of freedom and the forces of tyranny and oppression.

Today, November 11th, 92 years have passed since, the eleventh day of the eleventh month, on the eleventh hour, when silence descended on the battlefields – the Armistice treaty between Germany and the Allies, the culmination of the First World War.

The Members of our Canadian military have given selflessly for our freedom: too many made the ultimate sacrifice. Through their achievements, their bravery and their courage, they have shaped the future of our country and their service is a point of national pride for us all. They have also shaped the history and the future of people throughout the world, ensuring them a better future.

The men and women who served our country, and who serve today, exemplify the highest ideals of duty, courage and loyalty, that is why today we salute the sacrifices that Canadian Veterans have made so that we can enjoy the freedom we have today.

I am pleased to see so many Calgarians wearing the poppy. These days people are paying more and more attention to the poppy, it is not just a thing to do, putting it on is something we feel we must do, putting it on serves as a reminder to us all.

I’m grateful that Canadians recognize; that our kids know how proud we all are of the service the Veterans have done for our country.

Those of us not in the military have a role to play as well, it is up to us to care about and for the families of our Armed Forces, whether they are home or abroad.

There can be no higher call than that of the duty to serve ones country and uphold its most treasured values in the face of evil. Our duty in return to those who answer that call is to provide the tools and support they need both to do their job, and to live a full and complete life upon completion of that job.

Today is an opportunity for all of us to recognize and honour the past and present sacrifices of the men and women in the Canadian Armed Forces. We say ‘thank you’ for all they have given and will continue to five up to fight for our country.

From the First and Second World Wars, to the Korean War, to the mission in Afghanistan and countless peacekeeping assignments, our Troops always stood up for Canadian values – serving with courage, bravery and dedication.

Thank you all for your efforts in organizing today’s event, I would also like to thank all those who are out there every year handing out poppies to help support our Veterans, and to everyone who came out to this Remembrance Day ceremony and to the Canadians in attendance at other ceremonies across the country. We are here to pay tribute to our Veterans, past, present and future.

Thank you.

We Remember