Minister Poilievre participates in commemorative ceremony and John McCrae statue unveiling
May 3, 2015 – Ottawa – Veterans Affairs Canada
The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Member of Parliament (Nepean-Carleton) and Regional Minister for Ottawa, on behalf of the Honourable Erin O’Toole, Minister of Veterans Affairs, today attended a ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Second Battle of Ypres.
During the ceremony, Minister Poilievre joined in the unveiling of a statue to mark the 100th anniversary of the writing of In Flanders Fields by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian doctor who served in the First World War. McCrae’s poem has come to be immortalized around the world as a symbol of service and sacrifice.
Some of the heaviest fighting of the First World War took place in the trenches near Ypres, Belgium, during what is known as the Second Battle of Ypres. It was here the Germans first used deadly chlorine gas against Allied troops. Despite the debilitating effects of the gas, Canadian soldiers fought relentlessly and held the line. McCrae was a major at the time of this well-known battle.
Martin Magnan
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Veterans of Affairs
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Media Relations
Veterans Affairs Canada
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