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Prime Minister to attend D-Day and Battle of Normandy ceremonies in France
June 04, 2004
Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Paul Martin will travel to France for the 60th Anniversary of
D-Day and the Battle of Normandy on June 5-6.
"It will be a great honour and privilege to be present as World War II veterans
return to Normandy 60 years after their landing. We owe these veterans and other
Canadians who lay down their lives a great debt of gratitude for their valiant
acts in the defence of our freedom and values. Our thoughts on Sunday will be
with them, their loved ones, and on their legacy of which all Canadians are
proud."
Three veterans - Mr. Mitch Lutczyk, Mr. Gordon Partridge, and Mr. Gordon Rowan -
will travel to France with the Prime Minister. A delegation of Parliamentarians,
including Bill Blaikie, Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Elmwood-Transcona, New
Brunswick Senator Joseph Day, John O'Reilly, M.P. for Haliburton-Kawartha
Lakes-Brock, Mr. Yves Rocheleau, M.P. for Trois-Rivières, and Saint John M.P.
Elsie Wayne, will also do so. Two other veterans, Mr. Lawrence Morisseau and Mr.
Paul-Émile Pouliot, will join the Prime Minister's delegation in France.
On June 6, the Prime Minister will join veterans, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll,
Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, John McCallum, Minister of Veterans Affairs,
and other dignitaries at the National Ceremony of Remembrance at the Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer. He will also pay respects to the Canadians who fell on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy by laying a wreath at the
Canadian War Cemetery at Bény-sur-Mer. The Prime Minister will then attend the
International Ceremony of Remembrance at Arromanches-Les-Bains, alongside
veterans and heads of state and governments from 16 countries.
Among veterans taking part in events in France will be 60 Canadian veterans of
the Normandy campaign nominated by regimental units and services that
participated in the Second World War.
More than 150 members of the Canadian Forces will also participate at the
ceremonies. The contingent will be headed by Chief of the Defence Staff, General
Ray Henault, who will be accompanied by Chief Petty Officer First Class Richard
Lupien, the Canadian Force's Chief Warrant Officer and senior-ranking
non-commissioned member. Other Canadian participants will include the heads of major veteran's organizations and youth representatives from each province and
territory.
Over 50 commemorative ceremonies and events will also take place across Canada to honour Canadian veterans and mark the 60th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. These include a national ceremony of remembrance at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, to be presided over by David Pratt, Minister of National Defence. The ceremony will feature a wreath laying by Veterans and dignitaries, a march past, and a flypast performed by a Spitfire and a CF-18.
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