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Premier's Speeches
Remarks for Premier Rodney MacDonald
Military Appreciation Rally
Granville St., Halifax
November 8, 2006
Thank you. This is such an impressive turnout of support for the men, women and families of our Canadian Forces.
Let me say a special thank you to Ms. Eisnor for adding your voice, Command President Aucoin, Rear Admiral McFadden, Mayor Kelly, Minister Scott. Let me also recognize all the cadets, musicians and volunteers here this afternoon. Your enthusiasm and spirit are very much appreciated.
Our military—they are the ones who stand up for people by helping to rebuild societies, who stand up for what's right amid injustice and ignorance, and who stand solidly for freedom.
Our thanks extend beyond our Forces personnel, themselves, because we also feel deep gratitude to our military families:
- to the husbands and wives who somehow manage their households on their own for extended periods;
- to their children who eagerly await the return of their parents;
- and to the mom and dad who send their son or daughter off with mixed emotions.
The men and women of our Canadian Forces are also mothers, fathers, sons and daughters of our province, our great country, and of the larger global community. Our Canadian Forces members have always been there for us, such as during the struggle and victory against Fascism in Europe and Japan 60 years ago, or when our military personnel welcomed and sheltered 1,400 Kosovar refugees who came to Nova Scotia in 1998 to build new lives.
The Canadian Forces are tremendous role models. They inspire us.
They and their families not only respond to foreign threats, they are ready to help when we need them here at home. When Feed Nova Scotia needed help repairing and insulating its building, they were there. When Habitat for Humanity needed help to build homes for Nova Scotians, they were there. And when all of us needed help when Hurricane Juan hit and when white Juan choked our streets, the men and women of our Army, Navy and Air force were there.
Your show of support today and the words expressed by the speakers before me shine a light on something I truly believe: Our young men and women in the Canadian Forces make our communities strong, and they help make our world safer so that people can remain free.
Each and every day, they stand ready to deliver security and stability to us and to our neighbours around the world. More than 3,000 Canadian Forces personnel from our Army, Navy and Air force are doing this right now in countries stretched from Cyprus to Sudan, and Bosnia to Afghanistan.
In the Sudan, they are working with the African Union Mission to stop violence and genocide in Darfur. They are protecting civilians – especially women and girls who are the victims of sexual abuse and violence.
In Afghanistan, our Canadian Forces are in Kandahar Province under United Nations mandate and NATO leadership. They are part of a multinational team made up of military, police and reservists from many nations. Their mission is to create the conditions for stability and freedom. Their mission directly benefits people who live in a country that once festered poverty, oppression and terror so dark that it spilled over onto the rest of the world.
Afghanistan is a country still struggling, and this is a concern for us all.
We are helping the Afghan people prevent their nation from relapsing into a failed state, and becoming a dangerous agent of instability and a threat to freedom. That's why our Forces are helping the Afghan government build democracy by helping to hold fair and free elections, building roads to enable economic growth, training the Afghan Police to provide security, and removing and destroying land mines and explosives.
Our Forces are bringing health care to more and more of Afghanistan’s 28 million people every day. In 2001, only eight per cent of Afghans had basic health care, but today 80 per cent have it and 5 million children are now vaccinated against childhood diseases.
Our Forces are building a clean-water distribution center for Kandahar University and providing a generator so classes can continue when the power goes out in the city.
And the Canadian team is building schools. It is a sad fact that most adults in Afghanistan are illiterate and, because of that, Afghanistan doesn't have the strength that naturally flows from a literate, educated population. The ground is fertile for the spread of terrorist doctrines which are based on ignorance.
However, in 2001 only 700,000 children (and only boys) were in school. Today, about 7 million children are in school and, significantly, one-third of them are girls.
Ladies and gentlemen, these are inspiring deeds. They bring to mind the wise words of Doctor Moses Coady, a son of Inverness County, a great Nova Scotian and a teacher for us and for nations everywhere.
He said: If we are wise, we will help people everywhere get the good and abundant life. We are all our brother’s keepers.
This truly fits what our Canadian Forces personnel are. They willingly give of themselves to be our defenders, mentors, and builders. They are vital contributors to the world and to us at home. They always do their duty.
Here at home, our duty is to never take for granted the men and women who are willing to take the tough jobs, the dangerous jobs, on our behalf. We’ve all asked ourselves: What can we do to do to support them and their families?
It is a small thing that we do here today, ladies and gentlemen, but it is why we are gathered here. And it's why today all members of this Legislature unanimously passed our resolution of support for the brave Canadian Forces, and the mission they have in Afghanistan.
Thank you.