Mr. James Moore (Port
Moody—Westwood-Port Coquitlam, CPC):
Mr. Speaker,
across Canada we join in thanks to our veterans. From Vimy Ridge,
to Paesschendaele, to Sicily, Juno Beach, the Battle for Hill 355,
the Battle of Kapyong, the efforts in Kandahar, and all the
countless acts of bravery in battles that are too numerous to list,
I say thank you.
It is because
of your strength, your courage, your sacrifices that we enjoy our
freedoms, our democracy, and our way of life.
A couple years
ago I was given a poem that I would like to share with this
Parliament. While we politicians have a fault of taking credit for
too much, this poem serves to remind us who truly deserves praise.
The Soldier
It
is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It
is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.
It
is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It
is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It
is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.
On
Remembrance Day, and everyday, let us never forget who gave
themselves, so that we may be free.
