Message from the Governor General on the Occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War

OTTAWA, Sept. 2, 2015 /CNW/ - As commander-in-chief of Canada, I have the utmost respect for the men and women who have served or are currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. As we mark the 70^th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, I believe it is vital that we fulfill our duty of remembrance, that we remember the horrors of war and the courage of those who served in our military, and that we thank all those who did their part to support the war effort.

Beginning in 1939, hundreds of thousands of young Canadians made their way to recruitment centres to join the fight to preserve the freedom, democracy and rule of law that we hold so dear. Over a million Canadians donned the uniform, each one making some form of sacrifice during that terrible conflict. Forty-five thousand lost their lives, fifty-four thousand were wounded, not counting those who came home but were never fully able to put the ordeal behind them. They did not set out in search of glory or adventure; they simply stood firm in their resolve to carry out the task before them: to defeat a tyrannical regime.

Let us reaffirm our commitment to preserving the values for which they fought, and let us pay tribute to the determination of our brave soldiers, who gave so much of themselves to bring to a close this dark chapter in our history, 70 years ago. 

David Johnston

The 70^th anniversary of the end of the Second World War is celebrated on September 2, 2015.

SOURCE Governor General

Marie-Ève Létourneau, Rideau Hall Press Office, 613-998-0287, [email protected], Follow GGDavidJohnston and RideauHall on Facebook and Twitter