We Remember

---The following is the address given by the Governor General of Canada on the grounds of Parliament Hill during the ‘Day of Solidarity and Remembrance’, an event held to honor the memory of those who fell during Abyssal Day Zero. ---

I bid good day to you, my fellow Canadians: esteemed representatives of the Ten Provinces, members of the various Services of the Armed Forces, and, most important of all, the citizens who came together today. A month ago today, the first Abyssal salvo struck our beloved Homeland’s soil. A month ago today, many of our loved ones and friends fell to attacks filled with hate and malevolence. A month ago today, a new darkness fell upon Our True North, engulfing us in fire and destruction. Yet we gather today, not to lament this nightmare that we fell into. Today, we remember the affirmation of our Country’s unity on that dark day. Today, we remember the bravery, the courage, the intrepid fighting spirit displayed by our brave men and women in the Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on that day. TODAY, we remember how, in the midst of adversity, Canada stood, bloodied but unbowed, her body torn but her spirit unbroken.

Yes, we remember. For many of us it was a day like any other: uneventful, routine, normal. Perhaps there were bills to pay. Perhaps there were lawns to mow. Perhaps the house needed cleaning. There were reports to file. The class project had to be turned in before the day was over. In any case, it started out as any normal day for the average Canadian would be.

And then from out of nowhere, the dark clouds descended upon us like the Wild Hunt itself arrived to lay claim to us all. With guns, torpedoes, and an insatiable thirst for destruction and death, they came. They chose not who they fired upon; their only goal was to lay waste to whatever suited their fancy. These ‘Abyssals’, as people have learned to call them, made almost quick work of most of the coastal towns and industrial complexes that they reached. Montreal… Montreal was almost razed to the ground, its harbor in shambles, its storehouses aflame, its dockyards ruined. Many innocent lives were lost that day.

In the midst of the confusion, our valiant Forces mobilized to face the enemy. Outnumbered and outgunned, the sailors stationed at Halifax went into the fight, unsure of any chance of victory, but determined to stop the carnage with whatever force they could muster. Not a few sacrificed their lives in order to prevent the Abyssals from getting further. Many more would fall in the next few days as our troops reorganized themselves to better combat the threat and assist in the evacuation of the populace caught in the crossfire. They knew the risks and the threat of death, but they held fast to their duty as defenders of the land, and as a result of their sacrifice, many lives were saved.

In the weeks that followed, many of us grew weary of the near-daily offensives that shook our Homeland’s coasts. Parents worried for their children who would sortie to provide protection for the convoys that carried live-saving supplies across the sea. Siblings waited anxiously for older brothers or sisters who answered an emergency call for evacuation assistance. Spouses stayed up late at night for husbands or wives who assisted in rescue work for those caught up in the fighting. A wave of uneasiness fell upon the land. Yet, even in the midst of all the fighting, in the midst of the chaos, we went on with our lives, unperturbed by the bleak imagery around us. We went on with our lives, not out of a sense of animosity, dread, or defeatism, but because we know within our hearts that we are not alone in our struggle. We felt a stronger sense of kinship with neighbors, rekindled ties with old friends, reaffirmed good-natured competitiveness with longtime rivals. A wave of solidarity rose across the Nation in defiance of the malevolence that the Abyssals brought to bear against us.

I commend you all for standing firm together as one nation and keeping the faith in one another. With your devotion and unity, you continue to show that world that Canada shall not fall, nor falter, to these abominations. Shaken yet unbroken, you continue to stand in solidarity with each other, not letting the Abyssals have their way on the home front. Let this be our sword and shield against the tide of abomination that continues to slam itself against our shores. Let it also be a reminder that there are many who stand with us in this dark hour.

In the days following the first attacks, we learned that the Abyssals were not the only ones whose ranks were filled with the mighty warships of old. Across the world, various spirits of fallen warships came to the aid of their beleaguered nations and helped push the eldritch beasts back. As for us, we are lucky to have with us now a young maiden of the sea, straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. She is the light cruiser Ontario, and she stands ready to fight. Unable to fill her purpose as a fighting ship during the War, she has returned to serve alongside her compatriots in this new war, a war for survival. Upon her we pin our hopes that the conflict shall soon pass, and Canada shall be safe once more. May she be a rallying point for every one of us; a reminder of the solidarity that keeps us together as one nation.

As we remember those we lost, we shall never forget to smile, because we know that they are still with us in spirit. As we wake up each morning to face another day filled with trials and tribulations, we shall hold our head up high. Let us show these Abyssals what a true Canadian can do. As we continue to stand guard, we shall await for the lasting, rich reward of a brighter day for our Homeland. And above all this, as we honor the memory of the fallen, we shall once more commit Binyon’s words to heart:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.
[At this point a Governor General’s Foot Guards bugler steps forward to play The Last Post.]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4NtSqZcT_4
[A moment of silence is observed. Afterwards the bugler steps forward again to sound The Rouse.]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nPjYXmdWBI

Let Binyon’s words of Remembrance give strength to us all as we stand together, shoulder to shoulder, against the dark beasts from the depths. May the clarion bugle call continue to inspire Canada’s stalwart sons and maidens to face the enemy with courage in their hearts. And may The Almighty continue to keep our Homeland in his care, as we wait for the day of promised victory. Thank you all, and may you all have a solemn Day of Solidarity and Remembrance.