April 7, 2005 Ottawa -- The Honourable Irwin Cotler, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Albina Guarnieri, Minister of Veterans Affairs, together with His Excellency Daniel Jouanneau, France's Ambassador to Canada, will commemorate the Battle of Vimy Ridge tomorrow in Ottawa by participating in a wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Members of the public and the media are invited to attend the wreath-laying ceremony, which begins at 10 a.m. "During this time, we are once again reminded that we still have an enormous debt to earlier generations of Canadians. It is a debt we cannot pay back, so we have to pay it forward," said Minister Guarnieri. "We have to remember and honour those who gave their lives so that we could live free from fear and occupation. We have to make sure that our country is a country with a soul formed by the sacrifices of generations, and a future worthy of that sacrifice." Tomorrow afternoon, Mr. Lloyd Clemett and Mr. Clare Laking, two of the remaining five known Canadian First World War veterans, will unveil the second poster in the Year of the Veteran series, titled Honour, at Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. The poster depicts a scene from Vimy Ridge, which is often referred to as the birthplace of Canada's nationhood. The first poster, titled Celebrate, was unveiled in December 2004 at the launch of the Year of the Veteran on Parliament Hill. Events in honour of Vimy Ridge Day are also taking place in other areas across Canada. In Hamilton, Memorial Elementary School will host a special ceremony commemorating the Battle of Vimy Ridge on Friday. The school, built in 1919, was erected to honour Hamilton's war dead.In Quebec City, events will be held on Saturday and will begin with a mass at 11:00 a.m. at the Citadel's chapel, followed by a parade to and a commemorative ceremony at the Vimy Cross. Veterans and members of the Royal 22nd Regiment will be in attendance. On Sunday, Minister Guarnieri will be in Winnipeg, along with Pat Martin, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre, and representatives from the Royal Canadian Legion and other organizations, to take part in a commemorative ceremony to mark the 88th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The event will take place at the memorial to the 44th Battalion in Vimy Ridge Park on Sunday. The Battle of Vimy Ridge took place on April 9, 1917, and was the first time all four divisions of the Canadian Corps went into battle together. It was there, about eight kilometres northeast of Arras, France, that the Canadians accomplished what other allied forces could not, they took Vimy Ridge. The Canadian success earned Canada a separate signature on the Versailles Peace treaty. Four Victoria Crosses (VC) were awarded for bravery at Vimy Ridge, three of which were earned on the first day of battle. The Canadian victory at Vimy Ridge carried a heavy cost. Canada suffered more than 10,000 casualties, of which 3,598 were fatal. The Vimy Memorial, unveiled in 1936 to honour all Canadians who lost their lives in France during the First World War, overlooks the Canadian battlefield of 1917 at one of the points of the fiercest fighting. The ramparts of the memorial bear the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers killed in France during the First World War who have no known grave. For more information about the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the First World War, visit the Veterans Affairs Canada Web site. 2005 is the Year of the Veteran: Celebrate. Honour. Remember. Teach. Thank. - 30 - VAC Contacts for Media Enquiries All Other Enquiries: information@vac-acc.gc.ca
