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April 7, 2013
Message from His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston,
Governor General of Canada, on the Occasion of
Holocaust Memorial Day
OTTAWA—When we teach young people about the Holocaust, we should aim not only to discuss the politics and the wider issues, but also to convey a sense of indignation at the loss of so many lives. What we focus on is “Never Again.”
Holocaust Memorial Day is a day for all people to remember the six million Jews who perished, along with so many others. There are those with us today who still carry the scars, physical and emotional. Some have numbers tattooed on their arm, numbers that were intended to remove their humanity. But no one—not then, not today—can remove our humanity, not when just one person, young or old, is able to stand up to the way of thinking that stifles minds and that attempts to legitimize the unthinkable. Survivors carry a weight with them, but we can help shoulder that burden when we listen, when we show compassion towards others.
On this day, on Yom ha-Shoah, let us remember those who were lost during one of the darkest chapters of the 20th century, and consider what we can do, what we can teach our own children, so this does not happen again.
David Johnston
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Media information:
Marie-Pierre Bélanger
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-9166
marie-pierre.belanger@gg.ca