I tender my thanks to the Committee for honouring the hundred clubs of the Dominion by inviting their honorary president to take part in the proceedings of this great day.
The real celebration of the centenary of the battle and the fitting remembrance of the hero who gave up his life for Canada one hundred years ago, has already taken place in the six thousand schools by six hundred thousand scholars of this premier Province of Ontario. By this vast army of patriots in the making there has been celebrated within the past few days in song and story the splendid heroism of the immortal Brock, and the work done by him for our common country a century ago.
In that great work he was nobly seconded by the brilliant young Glengarrian Macdonell, who, like his illustrious leader, fell on the slope of this sacred hill.
In this dread contest there fought side by side regular soldier and militiaman; the noble red man and the freed black man contended against a common enemy to that freedom and that constitution that every Briton loves so well.
It was indeed a proud thing for Canadians to remember that whilst there was a great Imperial officer to lead the little band, close beside him in the great struggle there ever stood a valorous Canadian aide-de-camp. Yes, for every regular that contended for the maintenance of British law and authority in this Canada of ours there were fighting by his side the farmer and the tradesman of those heroic days.
Was not this prophetic of that future co-operation between mother and daughter states? Was it not full of the deepest meaning for us of the twentieth century? Could we not say "Thy people are my people and my people thy people"? As in the days of yore, so in these days of Canada's abounding prosperity and increasing national greatness, there would be found men and means for any national or Imperial emergency that the future might have in store for us.
Our magnificently proportioned Canada must have a magnificently proportioned soul if she would fulfil her high destiny of eventual leadership in the band of sister nations within an Empire indissolubly bound by ties of love and sacrifice. In enlarging the soul of our people such celebrations as these have their sure and certain part, and the thrill of Brock's great name will stir this people's soul so long as Canada shall endure.
A brief and eloquent speech was also made by Mr. W. M. German, M.P., Welland, Ont.