From George W. Bush’s speech yesterday at Pier 21 in Halifax:

In the early days of World War II, when the United States was still wrestling with isolationism, Canadian forces were already engaging the enemies of freedom from the Atlantic — across the Atlantic. At the time, some Canadians argued that Canada had not been attacked and had no interest in fighting a distant war. Your Prime Minister, Mackenzie King, gave this answer: “We cannot defend our country and save our homes and families by waiting for the enemy to attack us. To remain on the defensive is the surest way to bring the war to Canada. Of course, we should protect our coasts and strengthen our ports and cities against attack,” but the Prime Minister went on to say, “we must also go out and meet the enemy before he reaches our shores. We must defeat him before he attacks us, before our cities are laid to waste…”

President Bush actually truncated that last line – it continues: “…and before the women and children of Canada are injured or killed in our streets and our homes.”

Other quotes from Mackenzie King’s speech of April 7, 1942:

With our immense territory, great resources and small population, no country may come to need the help of the other countries more than our own. Unless we continue to do all we can to help others, we shall have no right to expect them to do all they can to help us. Until the present tide of conquest is turned into overwhelming defeat for the enemy, no country — and assuredly not Canada — can consider itself secure…

Should the day come — and it may come soon — when Canada is faced with attack, and we need help from the United States or Britain or any of the United Nations, how would we feel if we thought their governments were restricted in their power to aid Canada? We would do well, I think, not to permit any misunderstanding to arise in other countries as to our readiness to do our full part in the struggle we are all fighting together.

What are the odds a Paul Martin speech will be quoted by anyone 50 years from now?

(Also found at the Collections Canada website: Mackenzie King’s Canadian Citizenship certificate. Can you guess the certificate number before you look?)