Remarks
at National Day of Honour
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Let me tell all of you how proud
I am to stand before you.
As a Canadian and as Prime
Minister, it is an honour for me to be here today among so many heroes…men and
women in uniform and those who worked alongside them.
This mission, which was triggered
on September 11, 2001 with the death of 24 Canadians in the attacks on the
World Trade Centre, was a long one.
This mission has been long.
Indeed, with the return of our remaining troops in March we marked the end of
the longest military engagement in Canadian history.
And it has been hard, for our
troops and for the many public servants who laboured along with them.
We lost some of our soldiers and
a Canadian diplomat. And some civilians who were working hard to build a better
Afghanistan, also made the ultimate sacrifice.
When I say just how proud I am of
them all today. I know that I speak on behalf of all Canadians right across the
country. Our troops stood strong. And our country stood strongly behind them.
This National Day of Honour, the
first of its kind in Canadian history, is a unique opportunity for us to say
thank you to the men and women who have fought and have served for Canada.
We are here today to honour their
dedication, to honour their heroism, and to honour their sacrifice. We have
gathered as a country, one country united in appreciation, to offer our
gratitude.
And we have also come together as
Canadians to make a collective promise. It’s the same promise our forebears
made after the conflicts of their times.
And it is simply this: we will
remember and we will never forget the 158 brave men and women in uniform who
died to protect Canadians and to set Afghans free.
We will also remember the other
public servants and private citizens who laboured in Afghanistan. International Development officers worked to
provide health and humanitarian assistance and to build economic and
educational infrastructure.
The RCMP and other Canadian
police forces trained policemen and women.
Correctional Services did the
same for prison guards and diplomats from Foreign Affairs worked to advance
democracy, good governance and respect for human rights.
The Canadian mission, more than
that of any other nation, was an integrated, team effort, reflecting the very
best of Canada’s Public Service. In
highly dangerous situations, they worked with our military and they shared the
risks.
And a diplomat, a reporter, three
contractors, and private aid workers also died in the performance of their
duties.
To remember them; that is our
commitment.
The military equipment you see
and have seen before you today the artillery, the armoured vehicles the
aircraft, even the uniforms that so many here wear, they may be the symbols of
our great country’s strength.
But they are symbols only. This mission, like the other great conflicts
that have shaped Canada, has shown once again what makes us truly strong.
Look around you and you will see
what I mean.
It is our families, the
foundation of everything we are. It is
the neighbour who cooks for you and comforts you in your grief. It is the community that surrounds you and
supports you. It’s organizations like
the True Patriot Love Foundation, who rally the vast networks, goodwill and
financial resources of our wider society behind you.
It’s the deep Canadian commitment
to doing what’s right and what is good for each other and for the world. And these are the things that stood behind
our brave men and women in Afghanistan.
These are the things that make
Canada strong.
And these are the things that
will keep Canada strong.
God bless our men and women who
served and their families. And god keep our land glorious and free.
Thank you. |
