We are here today to express our admiration for, and appreciation of, Pte. Justin Peter Jones for his bravery and his service to our country in volunteering to serve in Afghanistan, and to mourn his loss with his parents and girlfriend, and family and friends in Baie Verte who knew him best.

Our troops in Afghanistan, who he exemplified, understand that the soldiers� job, which they willingly accept, is to do their duty to their comrades and to serve the interests of their nation.

Pte. Justin Peter Jones was a Newfoundlander, a member of a province with only 1.75 per cent of the population of Canada but which has contributed some 8.13 per cent of the members of the Armed Forces of Canada in recent years. In the present conflict, we have lost eight soldiers or 7.7 per cent of Canada�s fatalities.

Our national government reached the conclusion that it was in our national interest to join with our US and European allies in NATO and, with other democracies, to assist those in Afghanistan who want to bring Afghanistan out of feudalism and into the modern world, who want to recognize a full role for women in society, who want to improve and ensure proper education for both males and females and to ensure that the Taliban, who are opposed to democracy or any rights for women or even education for children, as they have shown again in recent weeks by attacking young girls simply proceeding to school, and who now attempt to seize power to continue such policies and to assist terrorists and drug traffickers. They should not seize control in Afghanistan again.

I am proud of our Canadian Armed Forces who display extraordinary courage and commitment, exemplified by the actions and service of Pte. Justin Peter Jones, to defend our country�s security and that of the democratic world. They deserve our full support.

Pte. Jones joined his fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who, in the past, have fought so well for Newfoundland and now Canada, in World War One with the Newfoundland Regiment at Gallipoli, and Beaumont Hamel, and in the battlefields of the Somme, in the Royal Navy and Air Force; then in World War Two fought in the Royal and Canadian Navies, or in the 166^th Field Artillery, and the 59^th Heavy Artillery of the British Army, in the Air Forces of Canada and Britain, who served in the Newfoundland Militia at home, then in Korea and in many peacekeeping operations since and now in Afghanistan.

We are proud of the record of service and sacrifice of our fellow Newfoundlander Pte. Justin Peter Jones, just 21, of Baie Verte who served so bravely and so well until having just returned to Afghanistan, he was killed in a blast along a road west of Kandahar City.

We join with his parents, his family and neighbours and friends in mourning the loss of this young man from beautiful rural outport Newfoundland who volunteered to serve his country and we will continue to cherish his memory and his service and sacrifice from this day onward.