Mr. Speaker, today Canadians from coast to coast mark the 68th anniversary of D-Day. On this fateful day, Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy to begin the liberation of western Europe. Before dawn on June 6, 1944, 450 Canadians parachuted inland where they engaged, harassed and confused the enemy.
A few hours later, 15,000 Canadian soldiers landed and fought on Juno Beach.
By evening, the Canadians had made it further inland than any of their allies. At the end of D-Day Allied forces had landed as many as 155,000 troops in France. The Atlantic wall had been breached. The victory on D-Day was not without cost. German defences were heavily fortified and inflicted significant casualties on the Allied forces.
Today, we remember their sacrifices.
We remember the courage, valour and patriotism they displayed and the example they left for us to follow. Let us never forget.