Statement made on 06 May 2010 by Senator Lucie Pépin (retired)
Hon. Lucie Pépin:
Honourable senators, on Saturday, May 8, we will commemorate the 65th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. I am very proud to pay tribute to the great and noble feats our soldiers accomplished in this war.
Sixty-five years after the end of the Second World War, the accomplishments of our soldiers continue to fill us with pride. We will never forget. We will always remember their service to Canada and the rest of the world.
A number of our soldiers were in England as early as 1940, to defend the local people against the attacks of the German V2s. The sailors protected our coasts, accompanied our ships across the Atlantic, and prevented the enemy from bringing death to our inland waters. Those who joined the air force protected threatened populations from above.
I salute the contribution of our soldiers who suffered the consequences of the Dieppe landing in 1942. I honour those who participated in the landing in Sicily in 1943 and who masterfully carried out the Italian campaign.
I pay tribute to those who successfully executed the Normandy landing in 1944 and to the members of the second wave who went on to liberate the French city of Caen.
I salute the Aboriginals who had to overcome enormous cultural challenges to serve their country in the Canadian Forces.
I cannot forget our soldiers who liberated the Netherlands, where the people remain grateful to this day.
All of these true heroes fought courageously to restore peace and freedom to the people of Europe, Asia and the Pacific.
I also wish to salute the men and women who worked behind the scenes to ensure a victorious outcome to the Second World War. Among them, I want to honour the war brides of our soldiers.
Nursing sisters devoted themselves to tending and comforting soldiers wounded in combat.
I want to pay tribute to the thousands of women who enrolled in the Canadian Women's Army Corps. The work these women did both at home and abroad helped our country make its valuable contribution to the 1939-45 campaign.
I feel a deep sense of reverence for the 42,000 Canadians who gave their lives during that war. Canada will always be grateful to them.
Honourable senators, I wanted to remind you all about the admirable courage of these brave men and women and the contribution they made. Sixty-five years on, these men and women continue to make us proud to be Canadian.