A lot has been said and commented and shared this year on the ideas of sacrifice, freedom, service, and those to whom we are thankful.
| North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney. |
There have been many wartime terms and analogy used to describe the times we’re in, and the response that is being asked of us all. In fact our military was even called into service to assist in seniors care facilities when they were overwhelmed in the first phase of the pandemic in Ontario and Quebec.
So on this Remembrance Day, November 11, 2020, it is more important than ever that we hear the stories and consider the wisdom and perspective of those who have been through literal wartimes, who have fought and have sacrificed for the things our country stands for: our fundamental freedoms and rights, and our responsibilities to our country, and to one another.
As the Critic for Veterans Affairs, I have had the honour and responsibility of hearing from many veterans in our riding and across Canada about their experiences, their frustrations, and their hopes. On Remembrance Day, and every day, we can honour them, and those that came before them by continuing to build a nation where even during the health and economic crisis we find ourselves in right now, we leave nobody behind.
We can honour them by ensuring that all front-line workers – from grocery store clerks, teachers, and long-term care workers to armed forces members and health care workers – are fairly compensated and treated with respect. We can honour them by making sure that as a country we provide our seniors, our elders and our veterans with a life of dignity when their service years are over.”