Mr. Speaker, on October 28, Hellenic communities across Canada and around the world will come together to celebrate Oxi Day.
On the night of October 28, 1940, the then prime minister of Greece, Ioannis Metaxas, was given an ultimatum by Benito Mussolini: give Italy free passage through Greece and occupation rights to strategic Greek sites, or go to war with Axis powers. Metaxas curtly replied, “Then it is war”.
While this propelled Greece into war, the Hellenic population considered Metaxas's response an act of bravery. The Greeks held the Germans back for six weeks, playing a pivotal role in the outcome of that war.
As Sir Winston Churchill said, “Hence, we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks.”
This Sunday I am looking forward to seeing members of the Hellenic community of the greater Montreal area to honour the heroes of World War II.
[Member spoke in Greek]