加拿大總理哈珀在紀(jì)念一戰(zhàn)爆發(fā)100周年儀式英語(yǔ)演講稿

Word文檔加拿大總理哈珀在紀(jì)念一戰(zhàn)爆發(fā)100周年儀式英語(yǔ)演講稿Thankyou,Shelly,forthatkindintroduction.

ThankyoutoSuzanneSaraultforservingasouremceetoday.

GreetingstoChiefofDefenceStaffGeneralLawson,toChiefWarrantOfficerWest,toambassadorsandmembersofthediplomaticcorps,tomycolleaguesfromtheParliamentofCanada,RoyalGalipeauandPierreLemieux,membersoftheCanadianArmedForces,honouredveteransandfamilies,distinguishedguests,ladiesandgentlemen.

AsShellysaid,acenturyhaspassednowsincethedullroarofthegunsofAugustwasfirstheardandallacrossEurope,thelightsofpeacefaded.

Thisgreatconflictontheothersideofanoceanneednothaveinvolvedus.

Butthen,asnow,whenourfriendsandthevalueswesharewiththemarethreatened,Canadiansdonotturnaway.

Soitwasthatin1914,CanadianandNewfoundlandvolunteersNewfoundlandbeingthenaseparateDominionacceptedthiscalltoarmsasaduty.

Attheendofthesummerof1914,Canadiansleftbehindfactories,fields,forestsandfisheries.

Theylefttheirhomes,shops,officesandschools.

Menbythetensofthousandssigneduptofight.

MenlikeLeoClarke,FrederickHallandRobertShankland,whoalllivedonPineStreetinWinnipeg.

MenlikebrothersBernardandEricAyreandtheircousinsGeraldandWilfridofSt.Johns,Newfoundland.

MenlikeGeorgeVanierofMontral,ayounglawyerwhohadconsideredjoiningthepriesthoodbeforehearingthecallofduty.

AndwomenlikeBeatriceMcNairfromVancouver,oneof2,500nursingsisterswhoservedoverseas.

ThefirstCanadiansleftforEuropethatOctober.

ManythoughttheydbehomeforChristmas.

Someofthemactuallyworriedthattheydgetovertheretoolatetodotheirpart.

Asweallknow,theywereterribly,terriblywrong.

Thoughthecommitmenttowarwasuncertain,over600,000Canadiansfoughttodefendourcountry,onlyeightmillionstrongatthetime.

Themud,thebloodandthesacrificesthatmarkedthoseyearsleftmorethanathirdoftheseCanadiansdeadorwounded.

ForgivemeifIdonotdwellonthesenumbers,thebitterharvestofsufferinganddeath.

Wehavehadahundredyearstocontemplatethiswar.

Muchhasbeenwrittenonthissubject.

Andyet,whatitmeanstohavelivedinmuckanddisease,tofightthroughmuddeepenoughtodrownaman,tolosethousandsoflivesinasingledaytogainwhatcouldbemeasuredinyards.

Thesenseofthesethingsstilleludesus.

Wecanonlyimaginetheircourage,theirfear,thedevotiontheyhadtoKing,tocountry,andtocomradesthatdrovethemoverthetoptotakethefighttotheenemytimeandtimeagain.

Soletuspassonanddwellinsteadonwhattheyachieved.

Thoughinexperienced,theseyoungmenof1914weredetermined.

Bythetimethewarwasinitsfinaldays,theywereadmiredbythealliesanddreadedbytheenemy.

TheywerecalledtheshocktroopsoftheBritishEmpire.

Itisdifficulttomeasureheroism,butiftheawardingofourgreatestmilitaryhonourtellsthestory,thenlettherecordsshowthatofthe98CanadianswhohaveearnedtheVictoriaCross,72ofthemdidsointheFirstWorldWar.

ThreeofthoseheroesweretheboysofPineStreet:CorporalLeoClarke,Sergeant-MajorFrederickHall,andLieutenantRobertShankland.

AndsoPineStreetinWinnipegisnowcalledValourRoad.

Itsalsodifficulttomeasuresacrifice.

YetonthefirstdayoftheBattleoftheSommewhenCanadiansandwhenBritishandCommonwealthforcessufferednearly60,000casualties,amongthosekilledwereallfourAyreboys.

ASt.Johnsnewspaperventuredthis:that“thepriceoffreedomispaidintears.”

TheFirstWorldWardecimatedanentiregenerationofyoungCanadians.

SomanycommunitieslikeSt.Johns.

Somanytears.

Yetamidtheappallingloss,byanymeasure,CanadaasatrulyindependentcountrywasforgedinthefiresoftheFirstWorldWar.

Thatistosaywhenthegreatnationsoftheworldgathered,wemustneverforgetthatourplaceatthetablewasnotgiventous.

Itwasboughtandpaidforonthegas-chokedbattlefieldatYpreswhereJohnMcCraewrotehisimmortalwork,InFlandersFields;atVimyRidge,whereCanadianmenunderCanadianleadersachievedavictorythathadeludedsomanyothers;inthedrenchedandcrateredwastelandofPasschendaele,whereLieutenantShanklandearnedhisVictoriaCross;inthesombreandblood-soakedfieldhospitals,whereBeatriceMcNairwouldbecomeoneofthefirstCanadianwomentoreceivemilitaryhonoursforgallantry,standingbyherpostandcomfortingherpatientsunderconstantbombardment.

Asthealliesrelentlesslypushedaheadduringthefinalhundreddaysofthewar,anenemyshellcostMajorGeorgeVanieraleg.

ButVaniersurvivedandcontinuedservinghiscountry,goingontobecomeitsfirstFrench-CanadianGovernorGeneral.

OneachbattlefieldwhereCanadiansfought,theymadeaboldstatement.

Nomatterthepriceinbloodandtreasure,Canadawouldgoallintoensurepeaceandfreedomforall.

Canadawasofcourseyoungthen,fullofideals.

Wearenolongerquitesoyoung.

Still,ourcommitmenttovalueshasneverwavered.

SoasCanadianswenttoEurope100yearsagowhenanoldimperialismtoreapartthecontinentspeace,againin1939weenteredthefray,thistimetodefeatfascism.

ItswhywithourallieswejoinedarmsacrossEuropeaftertheSecondWorldWartostemthetideofCommunism.

ItswhywesteppedinafterSeptember11,2022,whenthedefendersoflibertyattackedtheterroristsseekingtodestroyus.

Anditiswhytodaywestandonceagainwithfriendsandallieswhosesovereignty,whoseterritorialintegrity,indeedwhoseveryfreedomsandexistencearestillatrisk.

Wherever,wheneverthosevaluesweholdmostdearhavebeenthreatened,Canadahasbeenpreparedtodefendandpreservethem.

AndsothewordsofPrimeMinisterRobertBordenstillspeaktoustoday.

Ahundredyearsagothismonthhetoldaspecialwar-timesessionofParliamentthatCanadahadgonetowar,“notforloveofbattle,notforlustofconquest,notforgreedofpossessions,butforthecauseofhonour,tomaintainsolemnpledges,toupholdprinciplesofliberty.”

AndIsaythatnothinghaschanged.

ForourCanadaisstilltodayloyaltoourfriends,unyieldingtoourfoes,honourableinourdealings,andcourageousinourundertakings.

Thisremainsthecharacterofourcountry.

Earliertoday,weallgatheredatourNationalWarMemorial.

ItwascreatedtocommemoratetheCanadianswhoservedanddiedintheFirstWorldWar.

Thoseyears1914to1918arethere,forevercarvedingranite.

OverthepastcenturyotherdateshavebeenchiselledintothemonumenttocommemorateCanadascontributionsfrom1939to1945,from1950to1953and,now,from2022to2022.

Butthesedatesarenotjustcarvedinstone,theyareetchedinourhearts.

Hereathomewehavecenotaphsineverycommunity,theNationalWarMemorial,theTomboftheUnknownSoldier.

AshortwhileagoattheNationalWarMemorial,IwasinformedthatfromthisdayforththesentriesattheTomboftheUnknownSoldierwillextendtheirsolemnvigilfromVimyRidgeDayeveryApriluntilRemembranceDayeachfall.

Now,letmeconcludewiththis.

Ladiesandgentlemen,thesemonumentswill