Reflecting on the meaning of sacrifice

Elmwood-Transcona

With Remembrance Day just behind us, I hope you were able to take part in your local ceremony. This is an important day, when we must honour those who have fallen and who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service of Canada. A day when we ought to reflect upon remembering the hardships before us, be thankful for what we have now, and think about our place in the world.

We ought to take a moment to say thank you to those who donned the uniform and who fought for something greater than self. To say thank you for standing up for Canada in her darkest hours and protecting the world from harm.

We ought to also take a moment and reflect upon what that means today. We are very fortunate to live in a country like Canada. A land that has lived in relative peace. We should not just remember the lessons of the past, but we should also understand the world we live in and not become complacent in it. The world is becoming a more volatile place. With aggressive nations invading their neighbours, and others posturing to do the same, the threats in this world still exist and are real. We must be a nation that is prepared, that is capable, and that can stand up when duty calls.

It is important to take a moment of silence to think about the hardships of the past, the sacrifices made to get us where we are today, our place in the world right now, and how we can all make Canada and this world a better and safer place.