Ottawa - Canadians coast-to-coast-to-coast are invited to join thousands of veterans for celebration events in Canada and in the Netherlands on Sunday, May 8, 2005. Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), in partnership with federal, provincial and municipal governments, veterans' organizations and community groups, has many events planned for May 8, 2005, to mark the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE-Day) and the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands. "May 8th will be the height of celebration during Canada's Year of the Veteran. The end of the Second World War was a very important day in our country's history," stated the Honourable Albina Guarnieri, Minister of Veterans Affairs. "Sixty years later, we must show our veterans that we remember and honour their sacrifices. In the Netherlands, we are expecting hundreds of thousands to line the parade route in Apeldoorn. At home, Canadians are invited to join veterans at numerous ceremonies across Canada. I encourage all Canadians to come out and thank our veterans." Events in Canada to mark VE-Day In Canada, the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE- Day) will be recognized nationally on Sunday, May 8, with major public commemorative ceremonies and celebrations including parades, marches, and swing dances in every provincial capital across Canada. Everyone is invited to attend. For more information on VE-Day events happening across Canada, visit the VAC Web site (www.vac-acc.gc.ca). In Ottawa, a major commemorative ceremony will be held at the National War Memorial followed by a parade, including a Military Convoy of Second World War vehicles, to the new Canadian War Museum to mark its official opening. To register for VE-Day events in Ottawa, VAC is encouraging veterans to call 1-866-652-9484 (toll-free). Canadian veterans return to the Netherlands Sixty years ago the majority of Canadians still serving in Europe during the Second World War found themselves in the Netherlands where they celebrated the end of the war together. On May 1, 2005, the largest veteran delegation ever, led by the Honourable Albina Guarnieri, Minister of Veterans Affairs, will return to the Netherlands to mark the 60th anniversary of its liberation. One hundred and twenty-eight Canadian veterans and their caregivers will be joined by 13 Canadian youth, one from each province and territory in Canada, as well as three representatives of the War Amps Operation Legacy program. During the 10-day overseas event, the official Government of Canada delegation will participate in major ceremonies at the Canadian War Cemeteries in Groesbeek on May 3 and Holten on May 4. On May 6, there will be a plaque unveiling in Apeldoorn by the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. Approximately 300,000 Dutch and Canadians are expected to join in a celebration parade through Apeldoorn on May 8. All Canadians planning to attend events in the Netherlands are requested to register, in advance, with Veterans Affairs Canada. To register, please call 1-800-443-0394 or visit our Web site at www.vac-acc.gc.ca and follow the registration instructions. The Government of Canada has announced a travel subsidy of up to $1,000 towards travel and accommodation costs for eligible Canadian veterans. To date, nearly 1,200 veterans have applied. For more information on events happening overseas, please visit the Liberation of the Netherlands Media Centre on the Veterans Affairs Canada Web site (www.vac-acc.gc.ca). - 30 - Media Enquiries: Janice Summerby Media Relations Advisor Veterans Affairs Canada (613) 992-7468 Corey Hobbs Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs (613) 996-4649 All Other Enquiries:information@vac-acc.gc.ca
