On Parliament Hill

In light of the increasingly serious and dangerous situation in Iraq, we are reminded of the importance of the contributions made by our men and women in uniform. The Canadian Forces play a vital role in defending fundamental Canadian values such as freedom, democracy and the rule of law.

In recognition of their service, our Government announced a national tribute to honour living Veterans of the Second World War. This includes Canadians who served at least one day with Canadian forces, or with any other Allied force including the Canadian or British Merchant Navy, either at home or abroad, during the Second World War.

Since there are approximately 80,000 Canadian Second World War Veterans alive today, I want to make sure that we do not miss anybody here in Southeastern Manitoba. Although my office has been in contact with a number of veterans, I want to make sure that all WWII veterans in our area are included.

If you have the names of any veteran who served in the Second World War, please contact my office at 204-326-9889 or by email at ted.falk.c1@parl.gc.ca.

The design of the commemorative pin and the illustration on the certificate are based on the original “Victory Nickel” which features a flaming torch and a large ‘V’ standing both for victory and the coin’s denomination. The coin was originally in circulation from 1943 to 1945 and was re-issued in 2005 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

Canada punched well above its weight during the war. In fact, with a population around 11 million, there were almost one million Canadians and Newfoundlanders who served their country and defended our freedom. It is a reminder to all of us as Canadians that our men and women in uniform are willing to respond to the call of duty when the time comes to defend our values and protect those who cannot protect themselves.