Remembrance Day Message from IVP Flemming
Every year on November 11, at the 11th hour Canadians pause to remember and honour the more than 1,500,000 women and men who have served and the more than 100,000 that have died in the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War and in peace keeping missions and conflicts since then so that we continue to live free and in peace in our Country.
For many of us, the horrors of war are something we only have read about, seen through the lens of a camera or heard about from a family member, a friend of a friend or in a Legion Hall on November 11. Most of us have been spared the reality of the brutal conflict but have reaped the many benefits of the bravest of the brave women and men who have given their lives, limbs and sometimes sanity to ensure our traditions, and a future in Canada they believed in.
Today, in 2011 we watch as our Canadian soldiers return from Afghanistan, some to grieving family and friends. We have to recognize and honour their service and commitment so their sacrifices are not meaningless.
Brothers and Sisters we must remember and involve ourselves on Remembrance Day so that the courage and selflessness of these women and men is not lost to future generations. We remember because they have given us so much and not the least our right to participate and reap the benefits of our Union.
In Solidarity and Remembrance,
Phil Flemming
International Vice-President
1st District, IBEW