Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, released the following statement on Victory in Europe Day:
“On May 8, 1945, much of Europe lay in ruins. Just before 11 PM local time, German forces formally capitulated to the victorious Allies – ending nearly six years of earth-shattering conflict. Just three days earlier, Canadian General Charles Foulkes had accepted the surrender of German troops in the Netherlands.
“What our late Queen called a ‘tide of happiness and relief’ washed over the Western world. As a young Princess Elizabeth, she herself took to the streets of London to celebrate that joyful news. Across the Atlantic, Canadians in small towns and bustling cities sang, danced, drank and prayed to mark the end of the European war.
“Their exuberance is not hard to understand. The overwhelming majority of Canadian sailors, soldiers and aviators were deployed to, or in support of, the European theatre. When news of German capitulation arrived, countless Canadian families breathed a sigh of hopeful relief for spouses, children and siblings serving overseas.
“Today, we proudly remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the liberation of Europe. We also reflect on how the courage of ordinary Canadians earned our nation the respect of the free world – and a chance to shape the postwar order as a founding member of NATO and other international organizations.
“On behalf of Canada’s Common Sense Conservatives, I want to send my warmest wishes to all our incredible veterans of the war in Europe and wish them and their families a very happy VE Day.”