Vancouver ceremony launches D-Day and the Battle of Normandy commemorative events across Canada

Vancouver, BC – The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Veterans and honoured guests will launch community-based commemorative events across Canada and overseas honouring the 75^th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. The ceremony will feature an official poster unveiling for the anniversary, as well as a departure ceremony of the commemorative journey across Canada to Halifax. As it stops across the country, from Vancouver to Halifax, trains will carry combat boots—as symbols of the many Canadians who took a similar journey during the Second World War to serve our country. Accompanying ceremonies will commemorate the Canadians, from all walks of life, who sacrificed so much to defend peace and freedom during the conflict.  

Media are encouraged to share the details of the events as follows:

“This Friday, March29, the Canadian public is invitedto a ceremony at VIA Rail’s Pacific Central Station in Vancouver at 09:00 PDT. Veterans, their families, youth and the general public are invited to attend the launch event for the commemoration of the 75^th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.”

Location:         VIA Rail – Pacific Central Station
                        1150 Station Street, Vancouver British Columbia
                        V6A 4C7

Date:               Friday, March 29, 2019

Time:               09:00 PT

Join the conversation on social media by using #CanadaRemembers and #DDay75; learn more at veterans.gc.ca.

As well as the 75^th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, 2019 marks the 5^th anniversary of the end of Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan, and the 75^th anniversaries of the Battle of the Scheldt and the Italian Campaign during the Second World War.