STATEMENT
BY THE PRIME MINISTER ON
THE
AUSCHWITZ COMMEMORATION
Prime Minister Paul
Martin today issued the following statement on the occasion of the
commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz,
taking place in Poland on January 27:
“As
commemoration activities unfold in Poland tomorrow, let us remember that
when the Soviet Red Army freed Auschwitz, it marked more than the
liberation of the most notorious of concentration camps. It marked the
beginning of the end of the Holocaust — a time in our history of
intolerable cruelty which resulted in the systematic murder of millions of
people, an overwhelming majority of them Jews.
Canada
takes pride in our fight against fascism and our role in liberating those
who suffered under its tyranny during the Holocaust.
As the candles are lit at the Monument to the Victims of Fascism in
Birkenau tomorrow, we must vow never to forget this dark chapter in
history. By being vigilant in
the defence of our common humanity in the future we honour the lessons of
the past. While we cannot erase the horrible suffering that took place at
Auschwitz and other concentration camps, we can and do honour both those
who lost their lives and those who survived.
The
commemoration ceremony reminds us that we must reflect on the unspeakable
atrocities inflicted in the camps and on the constant need to combat
hatred and evil. This reflection serves to renew our collective commitment
to promoting respect for human rights worldwide.”
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PMO
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