“Those of us who are lucky enough to live in free and democratic societies have an obligation to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and to ensure that its enduring lessons are passed on to current and future generations.
“Although the Holocaust, or Shoah, was a uniquely horrific and brutal event in human history, it has many universal lessons to teach us – not least of which is that we must never allow anything like it to re-occur.
“Holocaust Education Month is an important opportunity for Canadians to learn about the Shoah, and to confront the stark questions its history raises about anti-Semitism and other insidious hatreds, about the nature of evil, about the abuse of power, and about the responsibility of individuals, institutions and nations to take principled actions, no matter the cost.
“This year, Holocaust Education Month coincides with the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht – or the Night of Broken Glass – the wave of mass riots on November 9-10, 1938 that targeted Jews in Nazi Germany, Nazi-annexed Austria, and Nazi-occupied Sudetenland.
“Kristallnacht represented a dramatic escalation in Nazi Germany’s violent anti-Semitic policies. It foreshadowed the unthinkable atrocities to come over the next several years and is considered by many historians as the true beginning of the Holocaust.
“Canada is resolutely committed to promoting Holocaust education in this country and around the world. This past March, our country proudly assumed the 2013-2014 chairmanship of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. In that capacity, we recently hosted a major international conference on Holocaust remembrance and education in Toronto, among many other events and initiatives over the course of this year.
“As Minister for Multiculturalism, I encourage all Canadians to mark Holocaust Education Month by learning more about this dark chapter of human history, and by participating in the many educational activities taking place this month in communities across the country.”