Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, released the following statement on the Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy:
“For Canadians, perhaps no battle in the last century conjures up the same emotions as D-Day. The black-and-white image of those young men – Canadian, British and American – disembarking from their landing craft have been etched into the collective consciousness of the West.
“The Allies’ success that day marked the beginning of the end of the war on the Western Front. Less than a year later, the Nazi capital would lay in ruins, and Hitler’s genocidal regime was at an end.
“Today is a chance to reflect of the incredible courage of the brave Canadians who stormed Juno Beach, and of those who supported them in any number of roles.
“The Canadians who fought and died at Normandy were the definition of patriots: their sacrifice kept Canada – and the lands we liberated – strong and free for decades to come. The heroism of that generation, rightly called ‘the greatest’, should be an inspiration for us all.
“Eighty-one years on, we salute all our incredible veterans who served their country honourably in that terrible conflict. And we pause in solemn silence to remember over five thousand Canadians who laid down their lives in Normandy alone.
“May we, as a nation, be worthy of their sacrifice.”