Prime Minister Stephen Harper today wrapped-up a two-day visit to the Netherlands, where he participated in a range of activities to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands. He was joined by Canadian Armed Forces personnel, Erin O’Toole, Minister of Veterans Affairs, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, and Major-General (Ret’d) Richard Rohmer, Special Advisor to the Minister of Veterans Affairs on the Liberation of the Netherlands. A delegation of more than 60 Canadian veterans and close to 1,000 Canadian students and cadets were also able to join the Prime Minister in the Netherlands for this historic commemoration.
As part of the commemorations, the Prime Minister participated in a ceremony at the Holten Canadian War Cemetery and attended the Wageningen National Commemoration Capitulations 1945 and Liberation Parade, honouring the memory, achievements and sacrifices of Canadian and Allied soldiers.
At these commemorative events, the Prime Minister honoured the tremendous courage and sacrifices of Canadians and Allies who participated in the Liberation of the Netherlands, heard from Canadian veterans first-hand who bravely fought in the country 70 years ago, and impressed upon all – including Canadian students and cadets – the importance of remembrance.
During his visit to the Netherlands, Prime Minister Harper also met with Prime Minister Mark Rutte to discuss the bilateral relationship as well as a broad range of international and regional issues, including counter-terrorism, the ongoing situations in Ukraine, Iraq and Syria, and collaborative efforts promoting the respect for human rights.
