Liberal statement on the 71st anniversary of D-Day

June 6, 2015

GUELPH, ON – Liberal Critic for Veterans Affairs, Frank Valeriote, today issued the following statement to commemorate the anniversary of D-Day:

“On the anniversary of D-Day, we are reminded of the courage displayed by our Canadian soldiers, sailors, and Air Force members, who launched an assault against the heavily fortified coast of Normandy on this day in 1944.

“In a battle that would ultimately turn the tide of the Second World War, Canadian troops stormed ashore at Juno Beach and, under machine gun and artillery fire, broke through the Atlantic Wall and established a beachhead in France. The price of this victory was steep; in a single day, more than 300 Canadians were killed and more than 500 were wounded.

“The events of that day will forever live in the collective memory of our nation. Seventy-one years later, the very mention of Juno Beach continues to illicit the pride and awe of successive generations of grateful Canadians.

“Today, let us honour the members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have served – and those who continue to serve — in the name of our great country, and may we never lose sight of their extraordinary sacrifices in the name of freedom and democracy.”