The Government of Canada issues
a statement to mark Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day
OTTAWA,
ON, May 5, 2024 /CNW/ - The
Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion
and Persons with Disabilities, and Deborah Lyons,
Canada's Special Envoy on
Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, made
the following statement:
"This evening at sunset marks the beginning of Yom HaShoah, or
Holocaust Remembrance Day (Shoah means 'Holocaust' in
Hebrew). This tragedy is one of the most horrific events in human
history.
On this day of remembrance and introspection, we vow never to
forget the victims of the Holocaust. More than 6 million
Jewish men, women and children were tortured, persecuted and
murdered by the Nazi regime and its followers. Half a
million Roma and other members of minority and vulnerable
communities, including persons with disabilities, suffered the same
fate. This very dark chapter of the past carries intergenerational
trauma for people in many countries, including Canada.
Yom HaShoah is a time to honour the memory of Holocaust victims
and offer support to their descendants. We commend the people who
work every day to ensure that the Holocaust and its devastating
effects are never denied, minimized, distorted or forgotten. The
Government of Canada is committed
to fighting the rise in antisemitism and Holocaust denial. This
includes allocating over $273 million
as part of Budget 2024 towards Canada's forthcoming first-ever Action Plan on
Hate, which includes funding to support the mandate of the Special
Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting
Antisemitism. Budget 2024 also commits to creating a new national
Holocaust remembrance program to support projects that keep the
memory of the Holocaust alive and improve understanding and
attitudes toward the Holocaust and antisemitism.
We invite you to learn more about the Shoah and its
repercussions, discover the stories of those who survived and those
who did not, and reflect on the prejudice and hatred that caused
these atrocities. Together, let's continue to choose the road of
courageous leadership."
SOURCE Canadian Heritage