Mr. Speaker, 2012 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the legendary Mackenzie-Papineau brigade. Nearly 2,000 Canadian volunteers went to defend the democratically elected government of Spain against the fascist forces of Mussolini, Franco and Hitler's Condor Legion.
I am proud to say that the fourth largest contingent came from Timmins—James Bay. They were led by Nilo Makela, who quickly became the battle leader of the Mac-Paps. Makela, along with other Finnish Canadians, formed the legendary Illka-Antikainen machine gun company, and his death in 1938 devastated the Mac-Paps.
Nearly 50% of the Canadians who fought never returned from the battlefields or the firing squads of Franco's Spain. Those who came back were often treated as enemies, but not in Timmins, where they were rightfully recognized as heroes.
On this anniversary we say, from the mines of South Porcupine to the barricades of Barcelona: No pasarán!