The country has recently shared an important historical moment. On February 18, 2010, John "Jack" Babcock, Canada's last known Veteran of the First World War passed away. This event marks the end of an era in Canada’s military history.

It may interest you to know that when war broke out in 1914, Canada’s population was less than eight million people. Despite this, more than 650,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders served during the First World War. Canadian soldiers braved tremendous assaults along the western front. Soldiers fought for weeks in knee-deep mud, battling through razor-sharp barbed wire and crippling shrapnel—all while enduring the cold and wet, in crowded and dirty trenches.

As a member of the Standing Committee on Veteran’s Affairs, I salute these Canadian heroes and encourage Canadians to remember the war-time sacrifices and achievements of our First World War service men and women.

As a tribute to them, the Government of Canada will hold a national commemorative ceremony to honour all of Canada's First World War service men and women.  The ceremony will be held on "Vimy Ridge Day," Friday, April 9, 2010 in Ottawa at the National War Memorial.

We are forever indebted to those who served for our country during the First World War, more than 170,000 were injured and more than 68,000 lost their lives. As a country we feel a tremendous loss. There are no longer any Veterans to share their personal memories of what it was like to have served for Canada during the First World War. It is up to us to learn about Canada’s contribution to the First World War and about how that conflict shaped the country we live in today. It is up to us to teach ourselves and our children about our past, so we can ensure we have learned all we can for the future. It is up to us to pass the torch of remembrance.