Remembering the 80th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War

Eighty years ago, the world emerged from one of the darkest chapters in human history. The Second World War, a conflict that spanned continents and claimed tens of millions of lives, officially came to an end in 1945. For Canada, this milestone anniversary is not just a moment in history. It is a solemn reminder of sacrifice, unity, and responsibility.

Over one million Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in uniform during the Second World War. They fought on land, at sea, and in the air. Across the beaches of Normandy, the fields of France, the mountains of Italy, and in the skies over Europe and the North Atlantic. From Dieppe to the liberation of the Netherlands, Canadian troops stood shoulder to shoulder with their Allied brothers and sisters in pursuit of peace, liberty, and justice.

The end of the war did not come easily. It was earned through unimaginable courage, enduring hardship, and the loss of more than 45,000 Canadian lives. Our soldiers were not conquerors. They were liberators. Their legacy is written not only in battle honours, but in the grateful hearts of those they freed, and in the peace we have enjoyed for generations since.

Canada’s contribution to the Allied victory went far beyond the battlefield. At home, Canadians worked tirelessly in war industries, on farms, in hospitals, and through countless acts of service. We gave what we had. Our time, our labour, our resources, and our loved ones. The war effort was national in scale and deeply personal in cost.

As we mark this 80th anniversary, we must not let the passage of time diminish the memory of those who served. At the National Military Cemetery, nestled within Beechwood Cemetery, the names of the fallen stand as a testament to duty and devotion. Each grave is a chapter of our shared story. Each life lost is a promise we must keep. That they will not be forgotten.

In the final days of the war, Canadian General H.D.G. Crerar addressed his troops with a message posted on a billboard in the Netherlands. His words remain a timeless call to remembrance:

“You go back with your share of the magnificent reputation earned by the Canadians in every operation in which they have participated in this war. A fine reputation is a possession beyond price. Maintain it, for the sake of all of us, past and present, in the days ahead.”

Let us honour that call. Let us remember those who never came home and ensure that the peace they helped secure is never taken for granted. As Canadians, our legacy is one of courage, unity, and quiet sacrifice. May we carry it forward. Now and always.

Lest we forget.