Honourable senators, I am honoured to rise today, during Veterans’ Week, to pay tribute to our Canadian heroes, past and present, our brave men and women who proudly wear the uniform with honour and distinction.

Veterans’ Week is a sacred time to pause, to remember and to honour all those who have served our nation in times of war, conflict and peacekeeping. We remember the more than 2 million Canadians who have worn the uniform of our Armed Forces and the more than 118,000 who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. Their courage and devotion have shaped our nation’s history and safeguarded the liberties we hold dear.

Their bravery on the battlefields of the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, in Afghanistan and in missions around the world is woven into the very fabric of who we are as Canadians. When war erupted on the Korean Peninsula in 1950, Canada was among the first nations to respond. More than 26,000 Canadians selflessly answered the call to serve, facing harsh winters and fierce combat throughout the Korean War. Their resilience helped defend a nation under siege and uphold the principles of freedom and peace.

This year marks the start of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Korean War years, a historic milestone that invites us to reflect on the bravery, hardship and sacrifice of those who served. The bond forged between Canada and South Korea through shared sacrifice endures to this day, symbolizing hope, gratitude and the enduring power of friendship born from courage.

I owe my life to our beloved veterans of the Korean War, and I will forever be grateful for their sacrifice and courage. The visible and invisible wounds of service and the families who have stood steadfastly beside them remind us that the impact of war reaches far beyond the battlefield.

As we wear our poppies with pride and bow our heads in silence this Remembrance Day, and as wreaths are laid upon memorials across our nation, let us remember that remembrance is not confined to a single day; it is a lifelong promise. It is a promise to carry forward the memory of those who stood in the face of fear and did not falter, a promise to never forget their courage, their sacrifice or the tremendous cost of the freedoms we enjoy today.

We also remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and the loved ones who waited and prayed for their safe return, a return that never came.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we pause together as a nation to honour and remember them.

Lest we forget.