Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ed Carter-Edwards, a resident of Bala in my riding of Parry Sound-Muskoka.
Mr. Carter-Edwards, a veteran of World War II, was the driving force behind the recent CBC special called the "Lucky Ones: Allied Airmen and Buchenwald".
Ed Carter-Edwards was one of the lucky ones because he survived a nightmare during the war. He was one of 168 allied flyers, including 26 Canadians, who were shot down over Nazi occupied Europe and sent to the brutal Buchenwald death camp.
Instead of being sent to a prisoner of war camp, Mr. Carter-Edwards and his fellow flyers spent three horrifying months in the concentration camp. They lived in fear and terror, witnessing many inhumane acts. Thanks to Mr. Carter-Edwards this untold story is now on the record to be shared by all Canadians.
Canadians owe the men and women who fought in World War II a large debt for their personal sacrifices and courage. I am proud to have Ed Carter-Edwards as a constituent in my riding.