(OTTAWA) – On the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the Green Party of Canada joins all Canadians in remembering the sacrifices and success of the Canadian Corps at a key turning point in the First World War.
“Canada’s success, when all previous Allied efforts had failed, came at the terrible cost of 3,598 Canadian lives, with 7,004 wounded at Vimy beginning on April 9, 1917. In recognition of this sacrifice, France ceded 107 hectares of its territory to Canada, where our National Vimy Memorial stands,” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands).
“Today, thousands of Canadians and French officials, heads of state, veterans and observers will gather at this preserved site to honour the first occasion on which all four divisions of the Canadian Corps fought side by side.
“I extend my deepest gratitude and sympathy to the families of the 11,285 Canadian soldiers inscribed on the ramparts of the Vimy Memorial. We will forever honour each of our veterans who sacrificed so much for our country during the Great War.
“Today is also a day to remember that war comes at a terrible cost, and we must always strive to strengthen global peace and security,” Ms. May concluded.
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For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Dan Palmer
Press Secretary | Attaché de presse
dan.palmer@greenparty.ca
m: (613) 614-4916