Mr. Speaker, those who watched television programming from the beaches of Normandy this morning will have been given some idea of the conditions which prevailed when Canadian troops came ashore 50 years ago on June 6, 1944.
Overcast skies and cold blustery winds made for a rough sea, especially for the small landing craft carrying our troops to the Normandy shore. As a result, many seasick Canadian soldiers flung themselves into the swells and on to the windswept Juno beach to face their determined and well-fortified enemy. By the end of this longest day, 359 Canadian soldiers would be killed, 541 would be wounded and 47 would be taken prisoner.
By the time the second world war ended more than 42,000 Canadians gave their lives for our freedom.
In these days, such a threat requiring such a sacrifice seems almost unthinkable. Let us hope it remains that way. But if it
does not, let us hope that once again Canadians will come forward to fight for that most precious of all commodities, freedom.