OTTAWA, April 30, 2008 - Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, is a day set aside for remembering the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.
To commemorate this day, the Honourable Jason Kenney, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity), will speak at the Yom HaShoah Memorial Day Seminar and Conference, hosted by the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, tomorrow at the Ottawa Congress Centre. The conference is intended to discuss the importance of the Holocaust and the significance of Holocaust denial.
"The Government of Canada believes that we must ensure the memory of the Holocaust is never lost and maintain vigilance against all forms of anti-Semitism," said Secretary of State Kenney. "This government will continue to preserve and promote the fundamental Canadian values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law."
The Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for promoting greater understanding of human rights and respect for diversity in a pluralistic society. The Secretary of State has spearheaded Canada's recent and ongoing efforts to move toward full membership in the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research. This reflects the government's commitment to ensuring that future generations can understand the causes of the Holocaust and its consequences.
Information:
Alykhan Velshi
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Jason Kenney, PC, MP
Secretary of State
(Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity)
