SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — D-Day and the Battle of Normandy
June 6, 2024
Honourable senators, today is the eightieth anniversary of D-Day and a day of remembrance for the 14,000 Canadian heroes who stormed Juno Beach. It is also 80 years since the turning of the tide in World War II. Among the Canadian regiments who landed on June 6, 1944, were the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, the 1st Hussars, The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, The Fort Garry Horse, the Royal Regina Rifles and the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.
Before the landings, 450 members of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, including many French Canadians, were dropped behind enemy lines and were the first to make contact with the French Resistance.
In one day, 359 Canadian lives were cut short, and 715 of our soldiers were wounded or captured. The Battle of Normandy itself went on for 12 more weeks, and Canada lost more than 5,000 young men in total — some barely older than children, only 18 or 19 years old. They didn’t know it at the time, but they changed the course of World War II and, as a result, the course of history.
Eighty years on, there are hardly any veterans left to tell their stories. The youngest veteran taking part in this year’s ceremonies is 98 years old. As they leave us, it is imperative that we continue to teach people about their experiences and tell their stories.
The Normandy landings marked the beginning of the British, Canadian, American and French allied offensive on the eastern front. That offensive led to the downfall of the Third Reich and to final victory in the war.
Colleagues, to quote George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” This history must be kept alive so that the evil of the mid-20th century is never repeated.
We, our children and grandchildren owe our freedoms and our way of life, in large part, to these brave men who made the ultimate sacrifice. But neither must we forget those who came home and who then spent decades haunted by the memories of that day, of the weeks following and the faces of friends who were lost. For many years, June 6, 1944, was seared in the minds of tens of thousands of veterans.
Now, when there are so few left, it is our duty to thank them, remember them and honour them.
Thank you.
Honourable senators, I also rise today to commemorate the pivotal moment in history: the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, commonly known as D-Day.
On that fateful day, brave soldiers from across the globe embarked on a mission to liberate Europe from the grip of tyranny. Among those valiant soldiers were the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, an infantry battalion hailing from the great nation of Canada and, indeed, my home province of Manitoba. These men, after years of rigorous training, faced the enemy head-on as they stormed the beaches of Normandy. Their unwavering courage and determination helped launch the restoration of freedom in Europe.
Front-line reporter Ross Munro, writing for The Canadian Press, captured the essence of their struggle:
Bloody fighting raged all along the beaches. On the right, the Winnipegs had to battle their way past five major concrete casements and 15 machine gun positions set in the dunes commanding a long sweep of beach. From dune to dune, along the German trench systems, and through the tunnels, these Manitoba troops fought every yard of the way. They broke into the casements, ferreted out the gun crews with machine guns, grenades, bayonets and knives. The Canadians ran into crossfire. They were shelled and mortared even in the German positions, but they kept slugging away at the enemy. After a struggle that was . . . bitter and savage . . . the Winnipegs broke through into the open country behind the beach.
Colleagues, the Royal Winnipeg Rifles knew this was their moment. They faced the enemy with resolve, fully aware that victory would come at a high cost. There were, indeed, 650 members in the battalion that landed on June 6. Of them, 57 were killed and 71 were wounded. The actions of these soldiers exemplified the courageous spirit of Canadian men and women in uniform: steadfast, unyielding, committed to the cause of freedom.
As we reflect on the sacrifices made by the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and all those who stormed the beaches that day, let’s honour their memory and heroism.
A few weeks ago, colleagues, I was reminded of not only the important contributions of Canadian soldiers but also the importance of standing up for families that have been directly impacted by the war. Many soldiers did not come back. Families lost loved ones, often not knowing exactly the details of how their loved ones passed away. Others saw their loved one forever change once they returned from war. May their resilience, commitment and contributions to our country always be remembered, honoured and serve as an inspiration for us to carry these values in our respective roles.
This year as we commemorate the eightieth anniversary of D‑Day and the end of the Battle of Normandy, may we forever hold their legacy in our hearts.
Honourable senators, I rise today on behalf of the Independent Senators Group on this, the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings.
On June 6, 1944, Canadian troops were the first to set foot on French soil and storm the beach at Normandy. It was one of the biggest military operations in history.
Let’s take the time to commemorate this important day, because the future of the world was at stake that day. Senator Aucoin, Senator Busson and Senator Greenwood are attending the commemoration ceremony in Normandy today in a show of solidarity. Surviving veterans are also in attendance there and across Canada. They range in age from 98 to 106 years old. We pay tribute to them.
On June 6, 1944, 14,000 Canadian soldiers landed on Juno Beach in Normandy. Young men from across Canada, including Quebecers, Acadians and members of the First Nations, took part. Sadly, 359 of them lost their lives that day.
They were joined on French soil by 45,000 Canadians who were killed in action in that war. Today, many of them are laid to rest under thousands of white gravestones marked with a cross at the Bény-sur-Mer cemetery, which is not far from where I was born 20 years later, in the neighbouring department, where my Oudar relatives still live. My life, my family’s life and the lives of millions of French citizens would have been very different today had it not been for the sacrifices of those Canadian soldiers.
Let’s remember that more than one million Canadians served in this war. Let’s remember those who survived and those who perished, those who were wounded and those who were taken prisoner during the war to enable the liberation of all of Europe.
Here in the Senate of Canada, I wish to join France, my birthplace and childhood home, all parliamentarians of the French Republic and all French citizens in thanking Canada from the bottom of my heart for the supreme sacrifice that was made to liberate France. France and Canada have shared a fraternal bond for over four centuries, and they have so many values in common, including a thirst for freedom and faith in humanity.
I will close by saying that these soldiers did not die in vain, and we must learn from the lessons they left for us.
History gives us perspective and teaches us, now more than ever, that nothing can be taken for granted. Still, once they reconcile, past adversaries can come together and unite to defend freedom, as the Allies did on the beaches of Normandy. Thank you, Your Honour and honourable senators.
Honourable senators, Utah, Omaha, Gold, Sword and, of course, Juno are the names of the five beaches in Normandy where, 80 years ago today, approximately 150,000 Allied troops landed in, floated to or parachuted into. Soldiers, like those of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, the same regiment that Private George Cooper was a member of. Private Cooper, if you remember, recently celebrated his one‑hundredth birthday by visiting us here in the Senate last month. There is not many of them left.
Other units that were at D-Day include the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders of Senator Clement’s beloved Cornwall, Ontario, which landed 733 troops on Juno Beach that day.
One of the lucky ones, Earl Kennedy, survived D-Day, and five years ago ahead of travelling to France for the seventy-fifth anniversary described that day, and I quote:
Young fellas with knobby knees and shiny cheeks tried to get off the landing craft onto the beach. . . . They so much wanted to get in there and get at the Germans. And they didn’t even have the chance. As they got onto the beach, they were blown to hell.
Please excuse that word. When asked why he joined the army, Mr. Kennedy said, plain and simply: “I thought that what Hitler was doing was unforgivable.”
Of course, it was.
Colleagues, many of us have a direct connection to D-Day. My own grandfather, a member of the Royal Air Force, landed on D‑Day plus-one. I remember him telling me when I was young that the only thing he really feared on D-Day was the Royal Van Doos Regiment jumping out from the hedges because they were known as fierce warriors — so proud.
Senator Aucoin’s father, Eddie, of Le Régiment de la Chaudière, was also there.
Some of us have other connections to that day. Senator Varone yesterday shared his family’s story and the importance of the Italian campaign to not only liberate Italy but also to keep the Germans fighting and unable to reinforce their position in Normandy.
But all Canadians have a connection to D-Day, and that is the simple fact that we enjoy freedom today.
Honourable senators, the dark clouds of global war are once again hovering over Europe. And with the war in Ukraine, we are once again witness to a despot who is threatening our allies and is trying to push us toward a global war.
I wanted to remind you all of the links to those brave men and women involved with D-Day because I think we would do well to remember the lesson of Mr. Kennedy and why he served. Despots and tyranny have no place in humanity. We must all work to preserve the peace that was won with the blood and sacrifice of Canadians, of our veterans.
Sadly, many of those who served at or in support of D-Day have passed on. The living links that tie us to that time are almost all but gone. That is why I was heartened to see so many veterans make the pilgrimage to France this year, many of whom were boys when they went ashore are now old men.
As a young nursing officer early in my career, I remember treating some of Canada’s Second World War veterans. As a veteran now myself, I wonder who will tell their stories after they have all gone.
As a parliamentarian, I will endeavour to tell their stories. As a Canadian, I will remember them.
Honourable senators, 80 years ago today, more than 14,000 courageous men and boys from across Canada — some as young as 14 years old who had lied about their age to enlist — engaged in one of the most incredible feats of human bravery in modern history.
The memory of their sacrifice on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944, remains etched in our hearts and minds to this day. The Allied assault on Normandy was the largest seaborne invasion ever attempted as soldiers stormed the fortified beaches with an uncompromising resolve to liberate our allies from the tyranny sweeping Europe.
There were 1096 Canadian casualties that day, 381 young Canadians were killed. They paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live a life of freedom, democracy, rule of law and dignity for all.
We will never truly understand the horror they witnessed that day. So many who came back didn’t want to talk about it. And as time wears on, there are fewer and fewer of them alive.
Sadly, we just lost another World War II veteran with the passing of William Cameron on the morning of Monday, June 3, as he was preparing to travel to France to be part of today’s commemoration. May he and every other veteran know eternal peace, and may their service to this country never be forgotten.
But colleagues, honouring their memory and their sacrifices doesn’t just mean holding ceremonies and making statements. With a war resonating on Europe’s borders once again and tyrannical forces growing emboldened around the world, this anniversary serves as a special reminder of the consequences of war, but also the importance of fighting for democracy and freedom wherever and whenever it is under threat.
As we reflect on the horrible human price that was paid on the beaches of Normandy, it should serve as a reminder that we must never take our way of life for granted. This fight starts at home, ensuring that our own country and society remains a beacon for these ideas.
However, our obligations to our morals and values also extend abroad. Canada and Canadians have the responsibility to be a guiding light in the worldwide fight against authoritarian tyranny.
The spirit and legacy of those who fought in Normandy live within us. It calls us to stand firm against the threats they fought. We defend freedom and democracy today in the name of those who came before us and for those who will come after us. Let us honour their memory by continuing their fight with the same courage and resolve they brought with them to the beaches 80 years ago.
Lest we forget. Thank you, colleagues.
