Statement by the Prime Minister on Remembrance Day

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Remembrance Day:

“Today, we honour the Canadians who have served and defended our country. We share their stories of undaunted bravery. We remember.

“For generations, Canadians have answered the call of duty. In the tunnels and trenches of Vimy. On the beaches of Dieppe and Normandy. In the mountains of Afghanistan. Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans have – throughout every chapter of our history – kept Canadians safe. Signing up to serve in times of war and peace. Leaving behind their family for days, weeks, and months. Fighting shoulder to shoulder alongside Allies, against artillery fire, missiles, and bombs. Some returned home from the battlefield never truly the same. Others never returned at all.

“Earlier this year, we marked 80 years since over 14,000 Canadians stormed Juno Beach on D-Day. The tragic loss we faced that day, the sacrifice our troops endured, and the defining victory that D-Day inspired is a vivid reminder of their courage and devotion.

“Canadian Armed Forces members continue to serve to this day – during wildfires and floods, in remote search and rescues, training our Ukrainian friends, and standing guard for our country and continent. When our friends and Allies see the Maple Leaf emblazoned on a uniform, they see a legacy of courage that has kept the world safe and prosperous. That legacy will live on – through epitaphs, through monuments and memorials, through stories of patriotism, and through remembrance.

“On Remembrance Day, it is our tradition to pay tribute to those who have served. But it is also our obligation. A way of recognizing a debt that we can never fully repay. When families gather to reflect across small towns and big cities, at cenotaphs and cemeteries, during ceremonies, and on sacred ground – we remember. When our kids read ‘In Flanders Fields’ or listen to the ‘Last Post’ for the very first time – we remember. When the country takes a moment to pause at 11:00 a.m., proudly wearing poppies over our hearts – we remember.

“On this Remembrance Day, and every day, let us pay tribute to Canada’s veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members. Let us carry the light of remembrance into the future. We stand today, free and at peace, because of them.

“Lest we forget.”