Statement By The Prime Minister Of Canada

February 26, 2010

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the eve of the private funeral for John Babcock, the last known Canadian First World War veteran:
 
“As John Babcock is laid in his final resting place, Laureen and I, along with all Canadians, extend our deepest condolences to his family.  Mr. Babcock’s passing marks the end of an era, one in which a new Canadian identity emerged from the battlefields of Belgium and France at the cost of 60,000 young lives.
 
“Though our last living link to the First World War is gone, the names of places like Ypres, the Somme, Passchendaele and Vimy will forever reverberate through Canada’s history.
 
“To mark Mr. Babcock’s passing and to honour those who served in the Great War, the Government of Canada will soon be announcing plans for a National Commemorative Service.”