Mr. Speaker, I rise to honour the memory of former slaves who became soldiers during the Battle of Vertières in 1803. This was a major event in the history of the resistance to colonial oppression, yet it has never been mentioned in the House.
On November 18, 1803, the Battle of Vertières in northern Haiti dealt the final blow to Napoleon Bonaparte's army. It was the last battle of the Haitian Revolution. To this day, it remains the only example of slavery being abolished as the result of an uprising of former slaves.
On January 1, 1804, after troops were mobilized and the battle was won, Haitian independence was proclaimed. The whole world witnessed the birth of a new nation known as Haiti.
On this, the 221st anniversary of the Battle of Vertières, let us offer the Haitian community our respect and applause.