Honourable colleagues, today I rise to pay tribute to Private Frederick Lee and the soldiers who fought with him in a World War I battle that you likely will not have heard of.

In August 1917, a ferocious battle was waged just north of the city of Lens, France. Led by General Sir Arthur Currie, three divisions of the Canadian Corps successfully mounted an assault on German forces occupying the high ground known as “Hill 70.” They held off an astonishing 21 counterattacks by an enemy that was determined to retake this position. The Canadians achieved a remarkable victory, but at the cost of some 9,000 casualties. There was no shortage of valour in this battle. Six Canadians were awarded the Victoria Cross for their actions at Hill 70, which is two more than the VCs awarded to Canadians at the more well-known battle of Vimy Ridge.

One casualty of the Hill 70 battle was a 20-year-old by the name of Frederick Lee. Mr. Lee was born in Kamloops and was a farmer before he enlisted with the 172nd Rocky Mountain Battalion in early 1916. The fact that anyone would volunteer to go to war is extraordinary in itself, but Mr. Lee’s actions were all the more extraordinary because he did so for a country that did not recognize him as a citizen. The Chinese Immigration Act of 1885 denied him and other Chinese Canadians of the right to vote. Yet, he and some 200 other young men of Chinese descent volunteered to fight for Canada in the Great War.

Mr. Lee’s story is one of many that underscore the role of Chinese Canadians in building this country at a time when they were not welcome in this country. Chinese Canadians have been part of Canada for as long as Confederation itself, yet it is commonplace to speak of the Chinese Canadian community as newcomers to Canada.

The fact is that Chinese Canadians contributed to the creation of a country by helping it break away from its colonial past. They built a railroad, opened up markets on the other side of the Pacific, brought jobs and prosperity to the frontier, and sometimes even gave their lives in the service of peace.

Much like the Battle of Hill 70, Frederick Lee was a forgotten piece of Canadian First World War history. It took a group of dedicated volunteers from the Hill 70 Memorial Project and the Finding Frederick Lee Project to shine a light on Hill 70 and the soldiers who sacrificed their lives at that battle. They include Jack Gin, Susan Everett, Sarah Murray, Colonel Mark Hutchings and Robert Baxter. I’m pleased to report to the chamber that their efforts have resulted in the establishment of the Battle of Hill 70 Memorial Park in Loos-en-Gohelle on land donated by French authorities near the original battle site.

The team has also produced a set of Hill 70 educational materials in English and French. These materials include period photographs, recruitment photos, official documents and a graphic novel.

Most of us will likely never have the opportunity to visit the memorial, but you can get a sense of it by visiting www.Hill70.ca. My office has just sent the link to all senators, and I encourage you to help spread the word about this important event in Canadian military history.