Hon. Marty Klyne: Honourable senators, as we approach Remembrance Day next week, I rise to pay tribute to the men and women who have served our country and the families and communities who have stood behind them.
For me, Remembrance Day carries a deeply personal meaning. My mother, Alice McKay, was one of the first to sign up with the Canadian Women’s Army Corps. My father, Lawrence Klyne, was a proud Canadian veteran whose military service spanned 25 years. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps in January 1940, just months after Canada entered the Second World War. He served five-plus years overseas, including in the Italian and European theatres. He later served in Korea. He retired from the Canadian Army in 1966 as Sergeant Lawrence Klyne.
My father was a man of discipline, determination and quiet strength. To me, he was a hero. His service shaped the person he was, and he passed those values on to his family. I remain immensely proud of his contributions to our country.
His story is also a reminder to me that behind every uniform is a person, family and community. In Saskatchewan, we know this well. From our largest cities to our smallest rural communities, generations of families have answered the call to serve. Their names and stories are woven into the very fabric of our province.
Across Canada, in communities large and small, we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who returned home carrying the physical and emotional scars of war and the generations of Canadians who have served our country in uniform. We also recognize the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces who continue to serve today, both at home and abroad, in defence of our security, our values and our allies.
We must also recognize the families who endured long separations, uncertainty and loss and the communities that welcomed veterans home and continue to carry their memories forward.
Remembrance is more than an annual ceremony. It is an opportunity to reflect on the freedoms, democracy and peace we enjoy and on the extraordinary sacrifices made to defend them. It is also a responsibility to protect these values, to stand up for one another and to ensure that future generations understand the price of the freedoms they inherit.
As we prepare to mark November 11, let us take a moment to remember those who served, to honour those who continue to serve and to express our gratitude to all who have sacrificed so much for Canada.
Lest we forget. I know I will raise a glass and cheer “The Johns” of the Royal Regina Rifles, and I hope you do as well. I will toast today, “Up the Johns!”