On January 27, we pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and their liberation 63 years ago.  We honour the six million Jews who were murdered: men, women and innocent children; and millions more who suffered the brutality of an oppressive regime.

On this day, designated by the United Nations to commemorate the Holocaust victims, we also commit to memory the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

Those who survived have taught the world what ignorance and discrimination can do to the human body and how the soul and spirit be strengthened from adversity. We have to ensure that both those who lost their lives in a systematic genocide are remembered and the survivors who have a story to tell are heard.

By remembering the suffering and courage of Holocaust victims, we can learn from the atrocities committed because of racism and hatred, and sustained by indifference. Those evils remind us how fragile humanity can be and how important it is to embrace tolerance, acceptance and democracy.

In Ontario, one of the most diverse places in the world, we encourage education and awareness of those historic tragedies to help prevent discrimination and intolerance. This province is home of many Holocaust survivors who have played a distinguished role in their own communities, helping to build the great province we all share. They are an inspiration for us and for future generations.

 

Michael Chan
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration