The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, and Deborah Lyons, Canada's Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, made the following statement:
"This evening at sunset marks the beginning of Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day (Shoah means 'Holocaust' in Hebrew). This tragedy is one of the most horrific events in human history.
On this day of remembrance and introspection, we vow never to forget the victims of the Holocaust. More than 6 million Jewish men, women and children were tortured, persecuted and murdered by the Nazi regime and its followers. Half a million Roma and other members of minority and vulnerable communities, including persons with disabilities, suffered the same fate. This very dark chapter of the past carries intergenerational trauma for people in many countries, including Canada.
Yom HaShoah is a time to honour the memory of Holocaust victims and offer support to their descendants. We commend the people who work every day to ensure that the Holocaust and its devastating effects are never denied, minimized, distorted or forgotten. The Government of Canada is committed to fighting the rise in antisemitism and Holocaust denial. This includes allocating over $273 million as part of Budget 2024 towards Canada's forthcoming first-ever Action Plan on Hate, which includes funding to support the mandate of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism. Budget 2024 also commits to creating a new national Holocaust remembrance program to support projects that keep the memory of the Holocaust alive and improve understanding and attitudes toward the Holocaust and antisemitism.
