Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre marked the 81st anniversary of D-Day on Thursday with a tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the Canadians who took part in the pivotal Second World War battle.“For Canadians, perhaps no battle in the last century conjures up the same emotions as D-Day,” Poilievre said in a statement. “The black-and-white image of those young men — Canadian, British and American — disembarking from their landing craft have been etched into the collective consciousness of the West.”.Poilievre said the Allies’ success on June 6, 1944 marked the beginning of the end of Nazi tyranny in Europe. “Less than a year later, the Nazi capital would lay in ruins, and Hitler’s genocidal regime was at an end.”He urged Canadians to reflect on the bravery of those who stormed Juno Beach and supported the mission in countless other roles. “The Canadians who fought and died at Normandy were the definition of patriots,” he said. “Their sacrifice kept Canada — and the lands we liberated — strong and free for decades to come.”Poilievre praised the legacy of what he called “the greatest” generation and called their heroism an inspiration. He noted that over 5,000 Canadians died in the Normandy campaign alone and called for a moment of solemn remembrance.“May we, as a nation, be worthy of their sacrifice,” he said.
