Throughout history, Canadians and Americans have stood shoulder to shoulder in times of conflict, united by a shared commitment to freedom, peace, and the protection of others. From the battlefields of the First and Second World Wars to Korea, Afghanistan, and beyond, our nations have fought alongside one another, forming a bond built on courage, sacrifice, and mutual respect.

Canada and the United States have always been more than just countries sharing a border. We are neighbours. Like neighbours who may not always agree on everything, we have stood together when it mattered most. Generations of Canadian and American soldiers have fought side by side, depended on one another, and sometimes made the ultimate sacrifice together. Political differences may come and go, but the history we share and the sacrifices made together are far greater than the disagreements that sometimes divide us.

Here in Guelph, Ontario, we have a special connection to Remembrance Day. Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, born and raised in Guelph, served as a Canadian military physician during the First World War. In 1915, he wrote the now-famous poem In Flanders Fields, whose words became an enduring symbol of remembrance around the world.