The Boer War, World Wars One and Two, Korea, Bosnia, the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan-it is difficult, if not impossible, to find words adequate enough to describe the volume of sweat, tears and blood that Canadian Forces members have given in the name of international peace, security, human rights and freedom. Like the land where these wars took place, it is a reality that is foreign to many of us. Imagining the worlds of anguish and sorrow caused by war is very difficult for those of us who have never experienced it.
What makes their sacrifice all the more incredible is that, in a country where freedoms and opportunities are plentiful, they put their safety at risk so that the rest of us could live in peace and tranquility. The quietude for which we have become accustomed to as Canadians is, however, an anomaly when we consider the turmoil that has surrounded us. We are a bastion of stability in a world where fierce ethnic rivalries and fanaticism are an unfortunate reality. Leaving this peaceful land to combat tyranny abroad is an act of selflessness and bravery of the highest order-one that we faithfully show our appreciation for every November.
Sacrifice, however, is not something limited to our service members abroad. Over 200 RCMP officers have died while on active duty here in Canada, including the shooting deaths of Const. Robin Cameron, 29, and Const. Marc Bourdages, 26, near Spiritwood, Saskatchewan back in 2006. Service members sent on search and rescue missions within our borders have also paid the ultimate price. Sgt. Janick Gilbert, 34, for example, died in 2011 while rescuing two hunters in the Hecla Strait off the coast of Nunavut. Lest we forget the sacrifices of those who protect our security here on Canadian soil.
Throughout our history, there have been groups of people who, despite not enjoying the same amount of freedoms and opportunities as other Canadians, fought valiantly to defend this land and its values. A famous example is Tommy Prince, a decorated World War Two hero, who as a First Nations member was denied basic voting rights here at home. It was not until 1960 that voting rights were extended to all First Nations people living in Canada. A similar example is the Chinese-Canadians who fought for Canada during the Second World War despite their treatment as second-class citizens. Lest we forget the sacrifices of those who fought for this country despite being denied equal rights as citizens.
With recent military engagements in places like Bosnia, the Middle East and Afghanistan, Canadian service men and women continue to sacrifice their safety for the sake of ours. Maj. Paeta Hess-von Kruedener of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, for example, died in 2006 while on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. One hundred and fifty eight Canadian Forces members were killed during the war in Afghanistan (four of which were women). Our involvement in the Persian Gulf War during the early 1990s marked the first time in Canada's history that combat positions were open to women.
Families of service members who perished during these recent interventions are continuing to feel the aftershocks of war. Some of the survivors have returned with injuries that are both physical and psychological, some of which will never fully heal; for these veterans, the battle continues. Lest we forget those Canadian Forces members and their families in our midst who continue to bear the brunt of war.
This Remembrance Day, as we remember the sacrifices of our traditional veterans, there are a number of Canadian Forces members whose more recent sacrifices we ought to be grateful for. Whether it is peacekeeping missions abroad, search and rescue missions here at home, protecting the peace on a day-to-day basis, or enduring the traumas inflicted in our most recent combat mission overseas, we owe thanks to those who bravely put themselves in harm's way so the rest of us can fully enjoy the freedoms that we sometimes take for granted.
