Peter Braid had the honour of delivering the address at the 2009 Waterloo Remembrance Day ceremony. The text of his speech is included below.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and honoured guests. It is with a great deal of humility that I speak with you this morning, as we gather to mark Remembrance Day.

Canada today is a great nation of hope and opportunity, where people of all origins live together in equality, harmony and respect.

Our society is built on fundamental principles affirmed by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker in 1960 as he introduced the Canadian Bill of Rights:

“I am Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.”

Freedom – a founding principle of our nation. But today on Remembrance Day we are reminded that freedom is not free, but comes at a great price.

That price was paid by Canadians who stood up to injustice and oppression. The men and women who answered the call of duty and paid the ultimate sacrifice; the ones who returned scarred and forever changed; and the families and loved ones who waited and prayed.

Many Canadians remember with solemn pride their family history of service and sacrifice.

In my own family, my paternal grandfather was a soldier in the Scottish Fusiliers and fought alongside Canadians at Ypres in the First World War. He was wounded in battle and received two medals.

My maternal grandfather was unable to enlist in the Second World War due to his own failing battle with cancer. But he still did his part as a senior volunteer with the Milk for Britain Fund that provided milk to the war children in the UK, and as a member of the National War Services Committee.

Although I never knew either one of my grandfathers because they predeceased my birth, each time I meet a veteran I begin to understand what they must have been like.

Similar family stories are shared across our country. Ordinary men and women made extraordinary sacrifices. They took up the challenge, not as a matter of choice, but because it was the right thing to do. They defended our shared values of freedom, democracy, and justice.

In the First World War, Canada proved our strength and determination as a young nation, as we fought on the front lines of Europe to break the grip of tyranny. In the Second World War Canada answered the call again, to battle evil and oppression.

In Korea, and peace keeping missions throughout the world, our soldiers demonstrated strength and determination again and again, as they rose to the challenges.

Today in Afghanistan, our Canadian Forces work to bring peace and stability to a war-torn and fragile country. With courage and dedication, they are answering the call to stabilize that country, to build a better life for the Afghan people, and to fight the terrorism that threatens our world today.

Though the role has changed over the decades, the constant has always been the courage and sacrifice of our brave soldiers, and their unfaltering commitment to stand up for what is right.

So today we remember.

We pay tribute to the Veterans among us today. Your service has laid the foundation, and shaped the future of our nation, and has safeguarded the values that we cherish so deeply.

When we Canadians exercise our freedoms, when we vote, when we stand up for what we think right, when we speak out against what we believe wrong – let us never forget that Canadian soldiers fought and died for our right to do so.

I call on all Canadians, not just today on Remembrance Day, but every day, to acknowledge and respectfully remember the valiant men and women who fought and sacrificed for our country, and whose legacy to us is the abundant life that we enjoy here in Canada.

Words alone cannot begin to capture and fully express our deep gratitude for your sacrifices, your courage and your contribution to our nation.

But words are all that we have...

Merci beaucoup.
N’oublions pas. Lest we forget.
Thank you.