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Minister's Speeches Archive
Speaking Notes for the Honourable Bill Graham, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence, at the United Nations Day Ceremony
Ottawa, Ontario - October 23, 2005
NOTE: The following transcript is presented in the language(s) in which it occurred. There is no translation available. We are providing the transcript for your information.
[ check against delivery ]
Recipients of the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, Mrs. Frazer, Colonel Gardam, Members of the Canadian Forces, Veterans, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is a privilege for me to be here once again at this important national monument to pay tribute to the courageous Canadians who have served, and continue to serve, this country on peacekeeping missions around the world.
And it is a solemn honour to be here to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Pendant que nous sommes rassemblés ici aujourd’hui, plus de 1 800 membres des Forces canadiennes participent à des missions dangereuses et exigeantes au service de la paix.
Dans des pays aussi divers que l’Afghanistan, la Bosnie et le Soudan, ils travaillent pour assurer un avenir plus prometteur et plus stable.
Ces femmes et hommes courageux contribuent fièrement à l’héritage de plus de 125 000 militaires des forces terrestres, maritimes et aériennes qui, depuis près d’un demi-siècle, servent notre pays dans diverses missions de paix.
Plusieurs ont dit que le maintien de la paix est devenu une partie intégrante de notre héritage national.
C’est certainement quelque chose que nous, en tant que Canadiens, considérons essentiel et important.
Mais nous sommes également attachés à la tradition de maintien de la paix de notre pays parce qu’elle représente notre détermination à aider les autres à déterminer leur propre avenir dans une société stable et paisible.
Que ce soit en observant des cessez-le-feu ou en assurant la sécurité dans le cadre de projets d’aide humanitaire, les Forces canadiennes seront toujours prêtes à aider ceux qui en le plus besoin.
But we should be under no illusions: peacekeeping is often dangerous, and it has claimed the lives of over 120 Canadian Forces members.
Those of you who have been deployed on these varied missions know too well the difficulties and risks of bringing and maintaining peace.
You know and understand firsthand the great sacrifices that serving the cause of peace exacts from you and from your families.
But you also know that those sacrifices are not in vain and you should take great satisfaction in what you have accomplished. You have helped bring peace and security to troubled nations, restored electricity to villages, provided security for elections, opened airports, and brought smiles to the faces of countless children and in so doing you have done much to establish the great reputation of our country both in the eyes of our citizens and millions of people around the world.
To the families of those who serve, let me say that this country owes you our deepest and most profound appreciation. Family support has been vital to the success of our missions, and the increased frequency and danger of these operations has put additional stress on you. On behalf of all Canadians, I thank you for your strength, endurance and dedication.
Today, we also honour the efforts of these recipients of the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal; it has been awarded as a testament to the gratitude and appreciation of this county. It demonstrates not only the importance that we place on peacekeeping activities, but also conveys to you the thanks of a nation.
To all peacekeepers, past and present, I ask you to take a moment and consider your proud achievements.
You have put into practice Canada’s values of peace, compassion and democracy. And, you have brought these beliefs to the world.
Witnessing the horrors of modern conflict, standing firm and calm in the face of adversity, and doing the right thing when encountering those in the most tragic of circumstances.
It takes a great courage to do what you have done.
You have proven, I think, the wisdom of Winston Churchill’s words: “Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities... because it is the quality which guarantees all others.”
Your courage — and that of your fallen comrades — has guaranteed the freedom, dignity and hope of millions of people around the world.
Let us remember those who did not return from their missions of peace. For they have paid the highest price in Canada’s name. Their sacrifice must never be forgotten.
Tomorrow we celebrate United Nations Day. And so today, in remembering our peacekeepers we also pay tribute to so many Canadians who, by their efforts at the United Nations, have helped create the international institutional framework for peacekeeping thus sparing millions of people from the terrible consequences of war and conflict.
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