News Release
Councillor Urges Special Day of Respect for Veteran's Project
(Thursday, November 7/2002)-- A Dartmouth Councillor wants June 6th next year to be declared a special national holiday, commemorating the opening of the Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer in Normandy, France.
Councillor Brian Warshick (District 6-Westphal/Waverley) is urging the Government of Nova Scotia and the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities to request to the Government Government of Canada to declare June 6, 2003 a National Holiday commemorating the opening of this historic site.
A resolution to that effect will be put on the floor at the annual meeting of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities (UNSM) annual conference in Halifax tomorrow. Councillor Warshick is also sending a letter to Prime Minister Jean Chretien to have him personally intervene in the request. He is also seeking support from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
Councillor Warshick said "It's a sad commentary on Canadians when we know more about the Vietnam War that we do of Vimy Ridge. Our children learn more about Juneau, Alaska, than they do about Juno Beach."
The Juno Beach Centre project was developed by a group of World War II veterans who participated in the D-Day landings on June 6,1944 and the subsequent battles in Normandy and throughout Western Europe.
The Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer in Normandy will recognize Canada's military and civilian contributions during the World War ll. Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps has designated the Juno Beach landing site to be a site of National Historic Significance to Canada
-30-
Councillor Brian Warshick
(902) 488-3800
Proposed Resolution to UNSM Board Meeting - November, 2002,
submitted by Councillor Brian Warshick
Halifax Regional Municipality
Regarding the Observance of the Opening of the
Juno Beach Centre, June 6, 2003
WHEREAS the Juno Beach Centre project was developed by a group of World War II veterans who participated in the D-Day landings on June 6th 1944 and the subsequent battles in Normandy and through Western Europe; and
WHEREAS the Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer in Normandy will provide recognition of Canada's military and civilian contributions during the Second World War and it will preserve for future generations the knowledge of the contributions of that generation of Canadians and honour the gifts of valor and freedom that were given by all Canadians who participated; and
WHEREAS the Minister of Canadian Heritage has designated the Juno Beach landing site to be a site of National Historic Significance to Canada;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities send a request to the Government of Nova Scotia and the Government of Canada to declare June 6, 2003 to be a National Holiday commemorating the opening of this historic site.
- 30 -
