“Sixty years ago, Canadian peacekeepers joined the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus in response to fighting and unrest between Greek and Turkish forces that broke out across the Mediterranean island.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, issued the following statement to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Ortona.
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to United Nations Peacekeeping Forces on 10 December 1988 to recognize the important contributions that peacekeepers made towards the pursuit of one of the UN’s most fundamental obligations: to maintain international peace and security.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence; the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence; and the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, issued the following statement.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence; the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services; the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence; the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations; and the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, issued the following statement:
I was delighted to learn of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decision to inscribe the Funerary and memory sites of the First World War (Western Front) on the World Heritage List
As all Canadians know, this is a sacred place commemorating the sacrifice of the 60,000 Canadians who gave their lives in order to protect the freedoms of the citizens of France and Belgium over 100 years ago during the First World War. The Memorial bears the names of those who died in France with no known grave and stands as a tribute to all Canadians who served during the First World War. It should inspire us to work toward lasting peace, for which those commemorated here gave their lives.
On National Peacekeepers’ Day, we reflect on the countless sacrifices that members of our military, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and over 30 Canadian partner police agencies have made while contributing to international peace and security.
Seventy years ago today, an armistice was signed to end active fighting in the Korean peninsula. The armistice marked the end of three years of bitter conflict that claimed the lives of 516 Canadians. We will always remember their bravery, service, and dedication.