Statement by Minister Hussen on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day

OTTAWA, April 17, 2023

This evening at sunset marks the beginning of Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day. The Holocaust, known as the Shoah in Hebrew, is one of the darkest chapters in human history.

On this solemn day, we remember the victims of the Holocaust, when more than 6 million Jews, 500,000 Roma, Sinti and other targeted vulnerable minorities were persecuted and murdered by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. It is vitally important for all of us to acknowledge that, behind these shocking numbers are the stories and lives of real people.

Today, we also honour the resilience of the survivors and their descendants while recognizing those who risked their lives to save others.

Hate has no place in Canada. As we remember the many lives lost and acknowledge the courage of those who survived, we must continue to work together to fight antisemitism, racism and discrimination in all forms, wherever and whenever they occur.

To combat antisemitism at home and abroad, the Government of Canada reappointed the Honourable Irwin Cotler as Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism. In Budget 2022, the government allocated $5.6 million over five years to support the important work of the Special Envoy. We have also provided $85 million over four years to support the launch of the new Anti-Racism Strategy and the Action Plan on Combatting Hate.

The Government of Canada provided $20 million to support the construction of the new Holocaust Museum in Montréal and $2.5 million for the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre. We also amended Canada’s Criminal Code to make it a crime to willfully promote antisemitism by condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust.

As Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, I encourage all Canadians to learn more about the Holocaust, listen to stories of survivors, and reflect on the root cause of this atrocity. Today, and every day, we vow—Never again. We also recommit to doing everything we can to ensure that history does not repeat itself.