Statement made on 16 December 2011 by Senator Joseph Day
Hon. Joseph A. Day:
Honourable senators, on Wednesday of this week, a Down East Kitchen Party marked the opening of the New Brunswickers in Wartime exhibit at the Canadian War Museum. The exhibit arrived in Ottawa as a result of cooperation between the New Brunswick Museum and the Canadian Museum of Civilization, of which the War Museum forms part. The display includes more than 300 artifacts and archival items from 45 different lenders in and about the New Brunswick region.
One feature of the exhibit of particular interest is the personal stories of New Brunswickers during wartime. The exhibit aims to show the visitor what life was like as ordinary New Brunswickers during the period of the First and Second World Wars, whether that time was spent in uniform or as part of the war effort back home.
The exhibit began in New Brunswick, honourable senators, as part of the Year of the Veteran in 2005, and was well received when it was displayed in Saint John, Moncton and Edmunston. Having now made its way to Ottawa, the exhibit can teach all Canadians, not just those from New Brunswick, of life during the First and Second World Wars.
One of the main attractions of the exhibit is how detailed the individual stories are and how well they convey the struggles, hardship and heroics of Canadians in wartime efforts. One unique feature is how the individual stories are followed up so that we can learn what happened to those individuals following the war. Although focused on New Brunswick, one can easily relate to veterans, citizens and communities anywhere in Canada.
The exhibit will be on display until April 2012 at the Canadian War Museum, and I hope all honourable senators will have the opportunity to visit this very fine exhibit known as New Brunswickers in Wartime.