Statement by the Government of Canada to mark Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day

OTTAWA, ON, April 13, 2026 /CNW/ - The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, made the following statement:

"Tonight, at sunset, Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, begins. Today, it is our collective duty to remember one of the worst moments in human history.

On this day of introspection, we pledge never to forget the victims of the Holocaust—more than six million Jewish people, around 500,000 Roma, as well as other people of minority and vulnerable communities, including people with disabilities—who were persecuted, tortured and murdered by the Nazi regime.

Yom HaShoah is an opportunity to preserve the memory of these victims and reaffirm our solidarity with the survivors and their descendants. In this respect, places dedicated to remembering play a fundamental role. The National Holocaust Monument, the Toronto Holocaust Museum, the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada and the Montreal Holocaust Museum are all essential institutions in Canada that share with future generations the hard but important truth about the Holocaust, while preserving the integrity of survivors' testimonies.

Canada strongly condemns antisemitism, Holocaust denial and distortion, as well as the glorification of violence and hate speech. Let's work together to recognize antisemitic words and actions in our communities. This duty is all the more important now, given the alarming increase in antisemitism in Canada and elsewhere in the world.

One year after the National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism, we remain more determined than ever to ensuring that Jewish people in Canada can safely express their faith, culture and identity. We also continue to implement the national commitments made at the forum, working with all levels of government, our law enforcement partners and members of civil society to combat hate crime more effectively.

Today, let's show our solidarity and reflect on the suffering endured by the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, and all the victims of antisemitism. On this solemn day of commemoration, let us remember our collective responsibility to shape a better world for future generations."

SOURCE Canadian Heritage