| Vimy
Ridge Remembered at Queen’s Park
Ninety years ago, almost thirty-six hundred young Canadians
died in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Their sacrifice and
the success of the Canadian Corps soldiers, in achieving
an almost insurmountable military objective where others
had failed, are hailed by historians as significant
turning points in Canadian history. After Vimy Ridge,
Canada emerged as an independent nation.
This
past Easter Monday, the Queen joined more than fifteen
thousand Canadians to rededicate the Canadian War Memorial
at Vimy Ridge in France.
That
same day, a solemn Ceremony of Remembrance was held
at the Veterans’ Memorial on the front lawn of the Legislative
Assembly in Toronto. The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario,
the Hon. James Bartleman, Premier Dalton McGuinty, Federal
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, and Minister Responsible
for Seniors Jim Bradley, all gave moving addresses in
paying tribute to Canadians who have served in battle.
Waterloo-Wellington
MPP Ted Arnott, along with Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey
MPP John Tory, were also in attendance at the Easter
Monday ceremony at Queen’s Park.
“During
my years in the Legislature I’ve attended many Remembrance
Day observances, but this one was especially meaningful,”
Mr. Arnott stated. “With so few First World War Veterans
left, the torch of remembrance must pass to our generation,
and that of our children. May we always cherish our
democratic freedoms and liberty and never forget the
price that was paid to secure to them,” he concluded.
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