By Honorary Colonel Phil Richardson
March 30th, 2006
For the past thirteen years, I have had the luxury, which I am coming to appreciate more by the second as I stand here, of sitting at the Head Table for the Air Force Anniversary Dinner, enjoying my fine Port, the good food and the great company...and listening to someone else do all the work!
Things have changed all of a sudden! How did this happen? | was almost home free...its my retirement year...but then came the invitation..."we'll even pick you up at homel" the Colonel said. Thriftily, I accepted. My grandfather from Glasgow would have approved, especially following the Toast we just gave. The standard of speaking that you have come to expect over the years is pretty high and I hope you'll forgive me if I don't reach it...but I'll try my best to measure up. Please hold your buns until after finish.
So many acts of bravery and dedication by our valiant men and women in uniform over the past 82 years have brought us together tonight. We have had the honour of listening to many of them, right in this room, recount their stories of struggle on our behalf. We have been held spellbound by them, further magnified by the humility that has marked these heroes. Tonight you are being addressed, not by one of those brave people to whom we all owe so much, but rather by an average Canadian who is, frankly, in awe of them.
But as a verv lucky average Canadian, I have had the incredible opportunity of being the fly on the wall, learning through my personal association with all of you, about the immense contribution that you have made, and continue to make, to the development of our marvelous country.
This perspective has been given to me as a gift, one that I want to share not only with you tonight, which is my privilege, but also with every other Ganadian I come in contact with, and I will continue to do so until my last breath.
But it is not a reminiscence that I wish to share with you tonight, as pleasant as that would be, given the many distinguished military members I have met, people like Ron Button, Len Birchall, Stan Nicholls, Al Duquetteville, Rick Pitre, Pat Moran, Paul Hussey and so many others. Instead, l would like to share a vision of our future as a country that I have been allowed to see because of my close association with you and your comrades.
This, I believe, is what is most important for us all to consider, namely, what lies. ahead, because, without the right Vision, and the strength to pursue it, we will not achieve what we are capable of as a nation.
We all know the tremendous privilege we share of living in the hest country in the world. But it was Gasey Stengal who said "lf vou don't know where vou're qoinq. you'll probablv end up there." Without a well supported, shared vision, we may fail as a country to live up to our promise. And God expects much more from us because of the many blessings and capabilities He has given to us!
Our Country and its people are a rare mixture of incredible talent and vigor, a combination that is destined to contribute significantly to the progress of the world, and not just our beautiful part of it.
But, as always, with, great opportunity comes great responsibilitv. I believe I speak for most Canadians when I say that we do feel an obligation to advance not only ourselves, but also all of our brothers and sisters everywhere on the planet. Our core Canadian values of Freedom, Democracy and the Rule of Law,
are admired a,round th$ world and we believe that we have a dutv to share them and to, promote them. This, then, is our shared Vision...that we will help the World in this way.
But how can we accomplish this lofty goal? This is a task that seems so difficult at times that it appears almost impossible. Many people would turn away. But that will not be us!
The way forward is based upon the very foundation on which our Air Force and Armed Forces stand, our people, and it is shown to us every day by their tremendous spirit as they forge ahead, enduring adversity, sacrificing their comforts and too often, sacrificing much more, in their service to our country. I
would like to pause for a moment to remember those who have given their lives for our country and for our vision, in Afghanistan since 2002:
Pte. Robert Costall
Gpl. Paul Davis
Master Gpl. Timothy Wilson
Pte. Braun Scott Woodfield
Cpl Jamie Brendan Murphy
Sgt. Robeft Alan $hoil
Gpl. Robbie Ghristopher Beerenfenger
Sgt. Marc Leger
Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer
Pte. Richard Green
Pte. Nathan Smith
You and your comrades accept your duty as a given in your everyday lives...you practice it, whether you are in North Bay, Afghanistan, or wherever else in the world you are sent.
I have seen you as you have stoically left for extended remote assignments around the world, leaving behind your families and the familiarity of your everyday lives ...I have visited some of you there; I am leaving tomorrow to see your comrades again in the Middle East...to bring them some encouragement from all of us here tonight. I have seen the hardships that you endure...l have seen the heavy costs that you have paid and will continue to pay, and that you modestly brush aside as just being part of your job.
It is that great strength that you show in support of your commitment to our Country that convinces me absolutely that we will fulfill our Vision, Your Can-Do attitude will carry us through and serve as the example our country needs to
progress towards it. We need to generate that attitude in the rest of our fellow Canadians, and you can help to do it.
As an illustration of the power of your example, and speaking personally, you have energized me to find ways to communicate this vital essence to all of our fellow Canadians, so that they too can share in it. With your amazing spirit, we can achieve all that is expected...and much more. This is the vital role that you must all play, we Canadians must all adopt your attitude and character. But how can you persuade us? By continuinq your great example and bv sharing your devotion to your countrv with everyone.
I recently attended a speech given by former President Bill Clinton and he truly inspired me when he said "everyone in this room can be a great public speaker by remembering to talk to people as you would to a friend and to speak from your heart."
Every one here is also highly capable of effectively telling the story of the life of commitment that you lead that will inspire your fellow citizens to do likewise. And this is what achieving the Vision rests upon...sharing it with others in an open, honest and inspirational way. This is not just an opportunity, it is a fundamental responsibility that we all have to our country, and you are the leaders who can and must continue to promote our vision.
I had wondered for years, where does your strength come from, your willingness to sacrifice every day, and sometimes to pay the ultimate price? What is it that drives you to live the life of service that you do? We need to know the answer to this important question so that our fellow citizens can understand it and be inspired to adopt it.
It was during the Year of the Veteran that I found it, the answer to this most important question, when I saw so many who had been prepared to lay down their lives for their fellow citizens, parade in honour of those who did. We honored them then, and we continue to honour them today.
I would like to read you something that I wrote for them and for you, for Remembrance Day last year, that I believe reveals the
Truth about your commitment and shows us the way forward to
achieve our vision. lt is entitled:
THE EXTRAORDINARY BY THE ORDINARY
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT YEARS AGO, OUR BELOVED COUNTRY, CANADA WAS BORN. COMPOSED OF A MIXTURE OF PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD, WE HAVE PROSPERED TOGETHER, BASED ON OUR COMMON BELIEF IN FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PEACE LOVING COUNTRY, BUT AT TIMES IN OUR HISTORY, WE HAVE HAD TO RISE TO DEFEND THOSE
VALUES THROUGH FORCE. AT THOSE TIMES, WE CALLED UPON THE VERY BEST THAT WE HAVE HAD TO OFFER: OUR ORDINARY CITIZENS, OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.
THEY WILLINGLY VOLUNTEERED TO LEAVE OUR SHORES AND THE FAMILIES AND FRIEND$ WHOM THEY LOVED, TO DEFEND US ALL AGAINST MORTAL THREATS. THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE RISKING THEIR LIVES IN THIS VALIANT AND DANGEROUS EFFORT...BUT THEY WENT ANYWAY.
WE KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THEIR BRAVERY: AS THEIR BENEFICIARIES, WE LIVE IN THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, FREELY ABLE TO RAISE OUR FAMILIES IN SAFETY AND PROSPERITY.
BUT ASK YOURSELVES WHY THEY DID IT, WHY SO MANY WILLINGLY RISKED THEIR LIVES AND WHY SO MANY GAVE THEIRS UP TO DEFEND US? WHY WAS THE EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMED BY SO MANY OF OUR ORDINARY CITIZENS?
I BELIEVE THAT THE ANSWER LIES IN A SIMPLE PASSAGE FROM THE SCRIPTURES ... JOHN 15. "THERE IS NO GREATER LOVE THAN THIS: TO LAY DOWN ONE’S LIFE FOR ANOTHER."
FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS, WE, YOUR FELLOW CANADIANS, THANK YOU, VETERANS AND CURRENT SERVING MEMBER$, ALIKE, FOR YOUR LOVE OF YOUR COUNTRY AND OF YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS,
MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
