April 30, 2011

Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, 
Governor General of Canada on the Occasion of Holocaust Memorial Day

OTTAWA—In today’s society, we sometimes take for granted the freedoms that we enjoy; even the simplest ones. But for those who survived the horrors of the Holocaust, these freedoms are never overlooked.

As time passes, we record what happened, remember those who were treated so cruelly and try to understand the impossible. Today, we remain hopeful that the lessons afforded us by this tragedy will guide our actions in the future. We must turn away from bigotry and racism, and embrace our multicultural society. We must shun unequal treatment and work towards inclusion.

On this Holocaust Memorial Day, let us honour the survivors—parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters and brothers—each of whom has a story that is worth passing on to our children, because it is in the next generation where the continuation of history lies. They will take the stories and names of the survivors and those who were killed, and pass them down to their own children, making sure that we always remember.

And let us say together: never again.

David Johnston

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This year, Holocaust Memorial Day, or Yom Hashoah, will be marked on May 1.

Media information:
Marie-Ève Létourneau
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-0287
marie-eve.letourneau@gg.ca