Senator Martin: I agree about honouring our veterans and their service, which is why this is such an important project.

It is about the process, senator, and our Afghan veterans deserve better than this, as do the families of the fallen. Now there are delays.

A House of Commons committee has voted to further investigate the mismanagement of this monument over the objections of its Liberal members.

Leader, does the Trudeau government commit to providing all relevant, unredacted documents to the House committee?

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, Veterans’ Week — leading up to Remembrance Day — is an important week for all Canadians. On November 3, Veterans’ Week began with the wreath-laying ceremony in the Senate Chamber. A solemn candlelit tribute to veterans was held at the Canadian War Museum on November 6. Ceremonies and events took place for National Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8. Over the course of Veterans’ Week, No Stone Left Alone ceremonies have taken place in cemeteries across Canada, where students and participants laid poppies on the graves of veterans.

This year — 2023 — also marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of United Nations peacekeeping, as well as the seventieth anniversary of the Korean War armistice. On Remembrance Day, we gather to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have served our great nation, and to honour the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It is a day when we remember the profound debt of gratitude we owe to all of our veterans.

The Korean War is Canada’s third-bloodiest war. More than 26,000 Canadians served in Korea between 1950 and 1953, and more than 7,000 served in peacekeeping duties after the signing of the armistice. Those courageous men and women fought in harsh conditions — in a faraway land across an ocean — to protect the people of Korea from communist tyranny. They faced formidable challenges, and endured harsh winters, sweltering summers and the grim realities of war.

The battles they fought, like the Battle of Hill 355 and the Battle of Kapyong, stand as testaments to their unwavering determination and the indomitable spirit of our Armed Forces.

But it is not just their physical battles that we remember today — it is the emotional and psychological scars that many brought back with them. In the face of the horrors of war, they displayed remarkable resilience, and today, we remember those veterans who might still bear the invisible wounds of conflict.

Through their sacrifices, our Korean War veterans helped shape a world where freedom and democracy triumphed over tyranny and oppression. Their commitment to defending the principles we hold dear has left a legacy of freedom and peace that we continue to cherish today.

As we gather in this chamber to honour all of our veterans — past and present — we must also acknowledge the importance of supporting our veterans, not just on Remembrance Day, but every day. Let us be grateful for their service, and the service of those who — today — don Canada’s uniform. Let us commit to being there for them when they need care, understanding and support. On this Remembrance Day, let us pay tribute to them by ensuring that their legacies endure, and by promising to uphold the ideals they fought so valiantly to protect. We will remember them.

[Translation]

We will remember them.

[Editor’s Note: Senator Martin spoke in Korean.]

[English]

Hon. Yonah Martin (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Government leader, although you claimed that your government has not mismanaged the creation of the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan, there are many who would disagree.

Former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour gave an interview on Monday in which she said the Trudeau government chose to “cheat” the winning design team by ignoring their own rules in awarding the design contract to another team. Justice Arbour served as an adviser to the team chosen by a jury.

Leader, I hope you would agree with me that a former Supreme Court Justice using the word “cheat” to describe your government’s actions should not be taken lightly. Who made the decision to overturn the jury’s decision, and did that directive come from the Office of the Prime Minister?